TR4/4A Charging system question?

[mtlman8]

I was driving yesterday and I noticed the amm meter pulling pretty hard. The temp and fuel gage dropped, not all the way, so I thing it had some voltage but not full. I got home and turned the car off and it would not restart, Dead battery... The battery is known good and the car has the altenator conversion. I don't see any loose connections. Thoughts?

 

[TR3driver]

I was driving yesterday and I noticed the amm meter pulling pretty hard.

Can you be a bit more specific? What did it read, under what conditions?

Was the alternator wired so the ammeter accurately indicates charge? (Many directions say to wire the alternator directly to the battery, so the ammeter no longer indicates charge.)

Kinda sounds like a bum alternator and you just drove until the battery ran down.

 

[mtlman8]

The ammeter seems to work correctly. it was reading about 15, but it would move rapidly from 0 to 15 and back and forth.

 

[trrdster2000]

John, First off jump the car to start, carefully. Then check the voltage on the terminals, should be 13.2V to 14.1V, if not, your alternator has a problem with the voltage regulator or field.
Did you do the connections under the old regulator, if so I hope you used soldier.


Wayne

 

[trrdster2000]

John, with that sort of action, you have a short somewhere. The reading should be very even at a constant RPM. The alternator has a regulator built in and that can give this sort of jumping around.

Wayne

 

[mtlman8]

The connections are crimped and taped, not soldered. The new ones will be soldered once I figure out the problem.

 

[pdplot]

I had a similar problem years ago with a used 1952 Ford that I just bought. On the trip up the Jersey Turnpike to show my folks, the lights grew dimmer and the electrical system was failing. I made the rest area and while I had dinner. the mechanic on duty checked the car out. Dinner over, I went back to the garage and was told the problem was fixed. How much? Nothing. He hit the voltage regulator with a wooden-handled screwdriver and cured the problem. I offered him $10 and he refused. I suggest you try the same. I never had a problem in the two years I owned that car which was traded even up for a '52 MG TD - my first sports car.