installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

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installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby jmd4993 » Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:21 am

a guy i know said to install an external voltage regulator in my truck to solve my charging issue. i tried it last night but i think i fried it. it made a pop sound with a completed the circuit and my alternator was still not putting out 14volts only 12.

i have a 92 w250. just wondering how to install the regulator. i connect a wire from the bottom terminal on the alternator to the regulator and had a wire spliced in that wire that went to a switched 12v fuse that turns on when the key is on. then i grounded it to the negative battery side. but it didnt work i think i might have missed something. the regulator i got was very basic. just a positive connector and a ground connector. i read something about a field connection on the alternator im not sure what that is.

any help is greatly appreciated. if need be i can send you a pic of what it did.
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby Tacoclaw » Sat Nov 16, 2013 4:41 pm

If using a factory regulator, you need this:

Key on hot from underhood harness to one side of the alternator field coils.

Wire from other side of field coils to lower, right post on regulator, looking at it from the front.

Key on hot from underhood harness to upper, middle post on regulator, looking at it from the front.

Body of regulator grounded to a known, good ground. If body ground is good simply bolting to it could suffice, but I run a wire from my mounting bolt to the ground post on the battery.

This is how mine is done and it charges correctly.
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby jmd4993 » Sat Nov 16, 2013 4:49 pm

ok thanks ill try that in the morning
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby wheelerfreak » Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:32 pm

I believe you need not just a keyed hot wire on that one wire going to tone of the field terminals, but one that has true battery voltage. If you run one that is 12 volts or less your regulator will "think" your battery voltage is lower than it is and the alternator may charge at 15 or more volts all the time. There was a good write up on this on a ramcharger site. Basically, use a relay, use a multimeter to check your alternator output and make sure you're not charging your battery above 14.7 volts.

I just used a relay in my external voltage regulator setup. That way the keyed hot wire only triggered the relay and I got full true battery voltage to the regulator.
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby brandonmgreer » Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:20 pm

i just put one in my 92 and the lights have a slight flicker or surge to them about 2x a second... any ideas?
White/black 92 D250 manual conversion, Pump tweaking is about it right now...
95 CCLB 4X4 5 speed being but back together from a wreck
99 Kenworth W900 flat top, Tuned 500 Detroit, BW 75mm 1.32A/R, 5915 injectors, 13 speed, 3.55's
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby Tacoclaw » Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:11 am

Like Wheelerfreak said, it's best to run a relay'd key-on 12v to the upper, middle post on the regulator. Any resistance in that circuit will cause it to overcharge, then it will realize it and drop the voltage, then pick it back up again, causing a wiggle or flicker of the lights.
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby brandonmgreer » Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:06 am

How do you wire in the relay? I've heard it a million times, but never done it... what prongs on the relay connect to what? 4 prong relay, I'm assuming?
White/black 92 D250 manual conversion, Pump tweaking is about it right now...
95 CCLB 4X4 5 speed being but back together from a wreck
99 Kenworth W900 flat top, Tuned 500 Detroit, BW 75mm 1.32A/R, 5915 injectors, 13 speed, 3.55's
brandonmgreer
fuel screw!!!!
 
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby RumbleFish » Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:21 pm

Suscribed, I think this is in my near future.
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Re: installing a external voltage regulator for charging issue

Postby brandonmgreer » Wed Mar 26, 2014 7:32 pm

Aw, c'mon... Don't leave me hangin! :/
White/black 92 D250 manual conversion, Pump tweaking is about it right now...
95 CCLB 4X4 5 speed being but back together from a wreck
99 Kenworth W900 flat top, Tuned 500 Detroit, BW 75mm 1.32A/R, 5915 injectors, 13 speed, 3.55's
brandonmgreer
fuel screw!!!!
 
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Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2013 2:15 pm
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