The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay more generator/regulator???

Went through search found lots of good info.Just rewired the '53,fired it up,checked turn,tail,stop,then head,and noticed a drain on gauge but then it returns to center,does'nt show a drain any other time except with headlights on.Any sugestions? Thanks in advanced.

With a generator setup, it will not charge with the headlights on until it is well above idle.

I was also thinking that it might be because I have halagen lights.Maybe??

The average 12 volt generator on these rigs will put out 25-35 amps at cruising speed, much less at idle. If you can monitor the current flow at the armature lead of the generator you can figure if it's going to full output with a load on the battery; lights, radio, electric wipers, brake lights, cigarette lighter, etc. The current regulator (the center winding of the 3-unit regulator) controls generator max output, but the generator must be at full speed before it's adjusted. You'll also need to put as much load as possible on the electrical system before checking the current regulator output.
Jerry

Please tell me more I need all the help I can get.(mentally too!)

First check your charging voltage. Put a voltmeter across the bat or bat term on the regulator to ground. With nothing on run the engine up to 1500-2000 RPM. The voltage should go up to about 14-14.5 volts. The bat. needs to be well charged for this test. If that is OK then turn on as much stuff as you can & rev the engine & see if your amp. gauge will go to even or beyond even. It's hard to check & adjust the max. amp. for the average shade tree-er. If you run it over the max rating of the gen. the gen will be short lived. Halegen lights will pull more curent. If you are going to use the truck much its best to put a alternator on it.

If I do decide to go with an alternator,a one wirewill probably be the way I go,How is the best way to hook it up,straight to the battery through a fuse/breaker or what?

If you want to use the original ampmeter hook it to the bat. term on the voltage reg. Do not use more then 45-65 amp. alt. like this. Ues a fusable link. It's a good idea to put relays on your head lights with halegens.

Do you mean the wire from the alternator to the bat.terminal on the voltage regulator?

PapaJ,

Yes, the battery terminal on the voltage regulator goes to the ammeter. Wrenchbender Ret.'s instruction is the simplest way to connect a one-wire alternator - use existing wires by using a voltage regulator terminal as a connector post (in essence the output terminal, by-passing the rest of the internals of the regulator - Wrenchbender, please correct this if this is wrong).

You could also take the exusting bat. lead off the existing voltage reulator and connect that lead (off the regulator) to the one wire from the alternator.

Tim

Sounds good to me. I would not get a high amp alt. though. The ammeter is designed for 25-35 amps like HRL say's. Also the way they mount on that 6 cyl there is not much belt contact. It would slip. If you are useing a wide belt, Speedway has a special pulley for that.

Thanks for all the advice guys it is appreceiated,I think I am going shopping tomorrow.If I don't freeze my butt off,it's suppose to cold.

When I hook-up the one wire to the regulator should I disconnect the other wires?