Electrtic Fans- FE446 update

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Jul 8, 2004 | 10:33 PM

#61

Putt

Posting Guru

Joined: Jul 2003

Posts: 2,232

Likes: 1

From: Colville, Washington

The regulator does not carry the charge current from the alt., therefore it doesn't need large wires. It only handles the field current to energize the alt, a ground for the reg., the idiot light trigger wire, and, I think, the other wire is a voltage pickup to tell the regulator how much to energize the fields in the alt.

gtex, make sure the connection at the regulator is very good, since it is using small current to run things, any corrosion, looseness, or ?? can cause charge problems.

Jul 9, 2004 | 01:06 AM

#62

Hypoid

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 2,574

Likes: 4

From: Golden, CO

NOW the light comes on...

Pun intended.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Putt

gtex, make sure the connection at the regulator is very good, since it is using small current to run things, any corrosion, looseness, or ?? can cause charge problems.

Corrosion isn't always obvious. When I lived in the Mid-West with it's wonderful 90 degree/100 percent humidity I had a problem with a new ground wire that had developed just enough resistance to keep the starter from cranking. Every other aspect of the electrical worked great, and, yes everything was cleaned at install. It took about two weeks for corrosion to develop under the cable eye where it bolted to the chassis.

BTW, I never liked the way Ford hung all that crap on the starter solenoid. Took a trip to the boneyard and picked up one of the newer style solonoids, fit a piece of copper bus to the battery side of the solonoid. The other end of the copper bus is attached to a terminal block from a 48V lift truck. The whole menagerie is bolted to a flat plate which is mounted to the inner fender. It handles vibration better and gives me 3/8" terminal bolts to mount all the wire I want; including the welding cable I installed to handle whatever the 105 Amp alternator thinks I need.

Jul 9, 2004 | 10:02 AM

#63

EgoMan

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 1,436

Likes: 0

From: Montana

Im not sure i understand hypoid What is it that is all hung on the solenoid? All i can think of is like 4 or 5 wires.......... My 92 f150 has a new style solenoid and it has the exect same amount of wires just positioned differently.

Jul 10, 2004 | 01:28 PM

#64

Hypoid

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 2,574

Likes: 4

From: Golden, CO

You made me look,

Quote:

Originally Posted by EgoMan

I popped the hood on my wife's '90 Taurus and my '74 F-100:
The Taurus has three eye connectors on the hot side, three threads showing above the nut. Since I have no problems associated with this distribution point, there's no incentive to change anything.

The 30 year old pickup has been modified a few times over. I don't remember how many hot leads were there initially. I'm up to 8 including the terminals associated with heavier wire, with more to come. The old style soloniod was not hacking it, plus the thought of the "L" shaped bracket snapping off while wheeling in the boonies was enough to prompt change.

A thought to keep in the back of your head is that engineers design vehicles, accountants and executives approve those designs. A good example of this is the exploding Pinto, a $12/unit decision altered people's lives.