Voltage Regulator

[healeyboz]

So the battery is finally starting to wear down. I checked and it has 11.5 v. The generator is a fresh rebuild, new battery, etc... Now, I have replaced everything else in this car except the V regulator. I imagine that I will have to get a new one as well. Is there anyway of checking the regulator while she is in the car? Is there anyway of checking the generator to see if it is actually putting out enough juice? Or will it not be testing properly if the regulator is bad?

P.S. All connections are clean.

 

[dklawson]

I'm not sure I understand your first sentences above: "battery is finally starting to wear down", "new battery, etc".

A typical battery will only last 3-4 years. How new is new? If it's less than a year old and it won't show more than 11.5V you may have problems or you may not be driving the car enough. Short jaunts may not be enough to recharge the battery after what it uses turning the engine on the starter.

Does your ignition light work? Within the past two days I posted a method for testing the generator in the car in the Healey forum of this board. Take a look at that post and see if it helps.

 

[BIBBER]

BOZ ..yes...there are procedures to check output....but sounds like your saying the battery is not charging up as she should...the battery is new, cables good and tight and the alternator apparently is kicking out at the level it should. I know the regulator on my 62 Sprite is a separate unit and it is tunable. There are two screws which will modify the level at which it lets the battery be charged and another which increases the amount of the charge ....I had a similar issue and bumping the second screw mentioned fixed my charging issues. It is a delicate adjustment ...just a hairs adjustment is plenty
or you can easily fry the wiring....

 

[healeyboz]

Been doing a lot of starting and tuning in the garage. Not really been driving the car. Maybe that is the problem. I would still like to test the charging system. I will look for your posts. Thanks fellas.

 

[BIBBER]

Boz..yes that'll do her as well....at higher RPM's the
alternator/generator definitely sends out more charge.
Take her for a drive and see how she does...an amp meter
I have found is also a cheap investment.

Oh yea...nice seats and stacks!!

 

[healeyboz]

Thank you sir.

 

[healeyboz]

So, I'm revitalizing and old thread here.

I decided that since I wasn'y getting an increase in volts from the battery while winding up the throttle, I should replace the regulator. I just figured that since everything else in the car had either been rebuilt or new, why not spend the 50 bucks that I thought that I could save. Whatever! I broke down and bought one from Moss after taking the neighbor for a ride. (He had been bugging me for quite some time now. And since he DID polish my windshield frame for me. AND since he is thinking of giving up on corvair restorations and moving to LBCs after seeing mine.) I got about a mile down the road with him. It died and I had to trailer her home. Oh well. It works perfectly now. A 20 minute install and all is as it should be. V-Meter on the battery reads a charge like it should.

 

[dklawson]

Before you put this to bed, some of the new regulators are shipped with a thin protective oil or grease on the internal contacts. A couple I've seen were good about including a note taped to the packaging that tells the owner to clean the contacts with solvent before using the regulator. If you haven't already done this you may still want to even though the car seems to be charging and running OK.

 

[jlaird]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[DrEntropy]

That stuff will lead to premature wear on the points, Jack. It creates "hot spots" and can cause pitting. Best to clean 'em well anyhow.

 

[bugimike]

All it takes is a couple of spritzes with electrical contact cleaner!!!

 

[healeyboz]

I saw that it said to clean it and put it on anyhow. It read,"May have to clean contacts." /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif I'll spray some cleaner on there for good measure. I'm just glad she is finally charging.

 

[DrEntropy]

If ya spritz a bit of carb cleaner on a piece of brown paper bag and drag that thru the points a few times, they'll be fine.