alt /volt reglutor

[gobcumminstruck]

I have an 1991 dodge w250 desiel 4x4 5sp and I had for 2 years and year ago I had a charging problem with it first replace volt reg wend though 4 off them from differet auto houses ( like napa, autozone, ...) and one site say it was an oem replacement. It came in an oem box. Then stall havin problems then I replace altnertor, that's after I check wiring and I replace volt reg plug thinking it may be the problem. I also run an ground wire 12 gauge from reg bolt to ground on battery, then all good(I did that cause the lights flicker i hear that may fix it and did). For while I had no problems. Then it stared again. The alt on it was an densco. I hav an friend works at napa so he got me one. Work for an while then it over charge. thats what it been doin, it go charge around 14.5/14.8-15.2 then it go after few mouths from that to 12.3 chargin . I put an new battery in it wend I got the truck and swicth with an good bat from work to see if it was batt but no charge in what it was doing. So I don't know what to do. Side note wend I got truck fix wend I bought it 2 years ago it was charging around 13.8-14.2 and then sometime after drivin it the truck start having this problem

[skilletky]

i cant find the thread with the write up on it, but you can wire in a relay for the voltage reg power. i did it and it fixed all my problems. may not fix yours, but it sure wont hurt

run a power wire from the battery to the relay, then run a wire from the post of the relay that is powered when activated, to the power supply for the voltage regulator. find a good "power with key on" wire for the contol circuit of the relay, and a good ground.

[BobS]

The first thing I would suspect is that the battery fumes got to the ground wire at the battery terminal and was causing an intermittent connection to the regulator.

Run a wire from your engine intake manifold cover bolt to your regulator. Use an internal or external LOCK TOOTH WASHER on each end where the terminal contacts the metal. Place a "slack" vibration loop between the engine and the firewall. Apply a bit of grease to the ends of the wire before you crimp or if you do not solder the wire to the terminal ends. Apply a dab of grease at each fastening point. Intermittent connections and solid state regulators do not work very long.

[gobcumminstruck]

To skilletky how does the relay fix the problem or could it help ? Or i guess what i tryin to say is what the point of the relay, how does it fix the problem? And what kind of relay does it hav to be and amp? And to bobs what is "slack vibration loop between the engine and the firewall" mean. I cramp and heat shrink an wire from regular to block were your talkin bout at the sametime I run the 12 gauge wire to battery and both are cramp and heat shrink and are 12 gauge wire. I did both at sametime. And I check not to along ago and there stall look good.
And I forgot to put in my first post is that I replace both battery cable ends and run a new negtive cable with good cramp ends and heat shrink.
Bobs on what u said ' Intermittent connectionsand solid state regulators do not work very long." Got me thinkin some U think I should change the volt reg plug to two barrel plugs or not to solder to reg terminal ends or do?? I put an new plug on about 8 mouths on and run a dedicated power from reg to and good swich on fuse block cause I thought the oem was at times interment causin the problem I though i give it an try I hear in some cases thats the problem will not mine

[skilletky]

The battery voltage wire going to the regulator goes through a few fuse able links and connectors. Being an old truck , there is quite a bit of resistance in the wiring. By time the volts get to the reg, it may have lost a volt or 2. So if your alt is charging at 13.8 volts , and you loose a volt or say 2 volts at the reg, it thinks its only charging 11.8 volts. Now it's gonna "ask" the alt to charge more until the reg sees let's say 13.8 volts, when really the alt is putting out 15 volts. The relay gives the voltage reg a "clean" battery voltage. As far as what kinda relay to use, I just used one I found at work.

[Tacoclaw]

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=11553&start=0&hilit=relay

[Tacoclaw]

Been a while since we had the old charging discussion, I had to give up on general search and search my own posts for the word relay.

[gobcumminstruck]

ok i understand that what gauge wire to do all wiring and bat wire goin to reg, do i need some kind of an in line fuse or fuse link or wir it stranght from bat to relay and to reg?

[gobcumminstruck]

Lol ok thank tacoclaw I read over get right on doin it. Sounds like it fix me up thanks again

[skilletky]

Been a while since we had the old charging discussion, I had to give up on general search and search my own posts for the word relay.

I searched for a while for it, and couldn't find sthi. We should make that a sticky.

[gobcumminstruck]

I don't think the relay ideal work for me cause I cut and run an wire to reg from bat and it stall overcharge around 14.6. Ain't this alittle high speacily wend there is no load on it. Wend I first got this truck The only time it b charging that high wend I have an good load on it. Anymore ideals? I try get bulkhead conneter loss but its tight and hard to get loss

[BobS]

Most regulators are pre set to charge at 14.7 volts. 14.5 - 14.9 volts is considered in the normal operating range. That's less than 3% and allows for a 3% error in your voltmeter reading.

You need to check the condition of your battery. If the charging system is seeing the battery as a constant load without anything being turned on it normally indicates to me the battery could be failing. Most automotive stores have a carbon pile battery load tester. Maybe first try putting it on charge over night and see how it acts. Alternators were made to replace voltage that was being drawn from the electrical system. Even though they will, they were not designed to charge a battery that is nearly dead.

[gobcumminstruck]

the battery is only 2 years old but its been havin this problem for an year or year and half. so i guess it could kill it. it stall starts find and i had it tested about 8 mouths ago and guy said it was stall find i dont know what kind of tester he used but it test find. i put new ends on it and i swcith it out with an battary we used in mini buse here at work. the only differents in bats is i had to put an stud end adpator thing on it and scerw it on cause it has thred stud post and not the ones like the truck bat has were u slid end on and clamp it. that and amps the trucks is CCA 1000, 1190 CA, group 31p and kind is super start from o'reilly i dont like them i need one quick for truck so thats were i buy it. main reason i got it is i trying find out if it worth buying, the truck. and one at work i put in is an interstate battery rated at cca 950 and its an group 31-mhd. wend i swicth to the interstate it stall act the same.

[gobcumminstruck]

ya think i should have it check again?? or what do i do? i try bout all i run across and readed.

[BobS]

ya think i should have it check again??

Yes. I have seen brand new batteries that have caused the charging system to do what you are experiencing.

The other thing to do is swap out your battery for a "borrowed good one" from a friend or relative and see how it acts.