Blowing Voltage Regulators

[DartGTDan]

My buddy has a '63 Dodge 440 (stock 383, 4-bbl, auto, A/C). He's had to replace 4 or 5 Voltage Regulators (both mechanical & electronic styles) in the last 3 years. The car works fine during daytime use. Once he turns on the headlamps the car drives using the battery until it is depleted. He replaced the alternator and the voltage regulator and was good until the next time he used the headlamps. We put the headlamps on relays, installed another voltage regulator and had the alternator bench tested (by a gentleman (Marv) that has been rebuilding starters/alternators for 40+ years). Again all good until the headlamps were turned on. My buddy took the car to Marv to have him identify the problem. Marv put a 12 gauge wire (with a 16 gauge fuse link) from the starter relay B+ lug to an ammeter connection on the bulk head connector. Marv said that'll do it. Well again the headlamps caused the voltage regulator to blow and leaving the car driving on the battery until it was depleted. My buddy is about to throw in the towel.

I keep telling my buddy we need to bypass the bulkhead connections as well as the ammeter (like MAD Electrical Bypass). I've tried to explain that the wiring (when new) was barely adequate to do what was asked of it. Now that the wiring is 55+ years old and exposed to the elements and that the bulkhead is not a "sealed" connector I'm sure there is corrosion well down the wire.

BTW we've also had two batteries load tested and installed.

Is there something I'm overlooking?

 

[Mattax]

I think you're looking up the wrong tree.
You're battery feed seems pretty good. He has managed to run the car at night on battery juice a bunch of times.
The problem seems to be on the alternator or regulation feed.

You said the car works fine during daylight.

I am guessing that the alternator feed (the line carrying power created by the alternator), or the regulator feed may have a weak connection or bad insulation. When the current draw goes up, it either opens or jumps to ground.

What would be helpful to know is:
a. whether the ammeter was showing discharging or charging. and with just a little more load on it - like parking lights or heater fan what did it show at idle and above idle.
b. Exactly what failed inside the alternator or voltage regulator. The mechanical ones are pretty easy to see what failed.

Is the headlight relay drawing power from the alternator stud or a different location?
Does it have fuses or a breaker. (15 or 20 amps)?

Finally: Don't run the battery down and then use the alternator to recharge it. That is really hard on the charging system and the alternator.
Charging Battery with Alternator - Warning

 

[Mattax]

dejavu all over again.

Blowing voltage regulators

If you're going to go straight through the bulkhead with a power feed, I'd start with the alternator.
Actually I'd figure out what is wrong. But if it is the alternator output conection at the bulkhead, disconnect the battery and run a parallel wire to the ammeter stud if its not too difficult. Put a ring terminal on the wire and connect in there. Some bulkhead connectors were better than others. I don't know what your buddy's looks like so not going to pre-judge.

But as you may have guessed, modifying a harness doesn't mean you'll solve the problem. Sometimes it even makes it worse.
So lets see if we can help you help your buddy figure out what's going on.

PS. If you have a hand held voltmeter with probes, that will be helpful in conjunction with observing the ammeter. But lets start with what you've got and can observe.

 

[67Dart273]

"Back in the day" there was a heavy duty regulator for the larger output alternators. It is square about the size of two of the common ones put together. Standard/ Blue Streak used to make an adjustable one.

Since the liberals at Google has made the thing completely worthless to find actual information, I sure as heck cannot...................

 

[DartGTDan]

Thanks for the replies Mattax & 67Dart273! I saw the other post you linked to Mattax, but didn't want to "hijack".

I'll have my buddy read all of this.

 

[JethTran]

Hi...Characterize extinguishing? It is safe to say that you are wearing out the SMD controller or only something in the circuit? We need to perceive what all you are pulling from them and how you are interfacing them. You may be pulling excessively, wiring

them wrong or on the off chance that you implied the SMD part you may have an issue elsewhere in the circuit or be utilizing some unacceptable controller.

 

[RustyRatRod]

When you blow a voltage regulator, does it shock your mouth? Askin for a friend.

 

[67dartgtgo]

^All of this....a 440 in that little 63 engine bay will produce some heat that could have a negative impact on a VR. Where's the VR located in relation to headers/ exhaust manifold etc. Keeping the VR as cool as possible will help it. The MADD bypass def helps with old brittle wiring and ammeter week link gages when it comes to handling current better. I've had the the ammeter posts and wiring fall apart in my hands from age, heat and brittleness. It's never a bad thing to improve your wiring. The alternatorman has some very good youtube vids and he's a Mopar guy. He builds and sells alternators and heavy duty voltage regs and is easy to reach out to. Here's his website... USA Built High Output Alternator, Upgrades, Parts, Kits

 

[Mattax]

Nice Try at Fishing JethTran.

As always folks.

 

[CRUZE 418]

In my opinion, you don't have a charging problem, you have a ground problem.

 

[Mattax]

Seriously folks this is a 2019 thread, now its 2021.
If you have anything new to add, respond to the new post, written by a spammer

PS
A 1963 DODGE 440 is B-body series and does not refer to the engine. In the case of Dan's friend, equiped with the optional 383 cid v-8.

 

[CRUZE 418]

Guess that I will have to start looking at dates, because it popped up today, I thought that it was today.

 

[67dartgtgo]

Oh boy....oops.

 

[DartGTDan]

The problem has been solved with new harnesses (bulk head connector was fuzzy, furry green (with corroded wires several inches/feet down the harness)), alternator & voltage regulator. It's been running great for over a year now!

 

[SIX225]

Old thread, but had similar problem with my Dart. When through atleast 3 regulators before finding a VERY intermittent short in the field of the alternator. Ohmed out the field and slowly turned the pulley. Every once in a while it showed shorted, but wasnt like every revolution in the same spot. Brushes looked fine.

 

[67dartgtgo]

Old thread, but had similar problem with my Dart. When through atleast 3 regulators before finding a VERY intermittent short in the field of the alternator. Ohmed out the field and slowly turned the pulley. Every once in a while it showed shorted, but wasnt like every revolution in the same spot. Brushes looked fine.

That’s good info right there. Sometimes these anomaly’s can’t be detected and we just end up throwing money at it without really knowing or figuring out what the real problem is. Thanks.

 

[67Dart273]

I used to have, decades ago a Delco with a PARTIALLY shorted rotor. That can do this type of stuff as well, and it also greatly reduces the output.