voltage regulator

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64X2

Mohel at your service.
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Does anybody know if they make a heavy duty voltage regulator, eletronic type. I am using a 78 amp alt and the regulators last about a year and poof go bad I have checked all my grounds and charging circut wires, and alt no problems found. I have looked and the same part number for mopar regulators covers a lot of years. Just wondering if there is a heavy duty type thanks
 
I thought you asked this earlier?

What car, what alternator, are we dealing with here?

Pre 70 so called "single field"

or 70 / later "isolated field" incorrectly called "dual field?"
 
Regulators control the field current, not the output current. The field current typically averages to be a few amps. A later style regulator that uses the square back alternator uses N-channel device to switch current, the early single field connection use a P-channel device, it is inherently weaker.

Regulators are quite rugged, but can fail when driven with a failed battery such as shorted or open cell, failure of alternator diodes, jump starting with engine running, poor ground or other connections intermittent.
 
64 valiant 318 v8. With a alternator out of a 1978 w300. It's the not factory original alternator. It is the newer style alternator.
 
It is also possible that the field coil has shorted turn(s), it will significantly increase the field current, yet go unnoticed and is hard to identify.
 
It is also possible that the field coil has shorted turn(s), it will significantly increase the field current, yet go unnoticed and is hard to identify.

THIS.

Even the "big frame" late 70's 100+ amp units used the common 70--later regulator.

What are you actually buying for regulators?
 
whatever you do, don't buy the borg warner select voltage regulator, Cant remember the part number but that was the biggest piece of crap voltage regulator I have ever ran, ran 3 of them within 3 months. They have a life time warranty... So I just kept getting another and another and then after the 3rd one failed, I said screw it and bought a Wells voltage reulator and I have been running that same wells voltage regulator for almost a year and a half no with a 75amp alternator.
 
I redid the whole charging circuit, and rid myself of the bothersome amp meter. I rewired using heavy gauge wire, bypassed the bulkhead connector, famous for failure. I also installed several new grounds, from the block to firewall and from the battery negative post to radiator core support. All that went a long way in improving the charging circuit. I wired in the regulator and have it mount on the fender near the alternator, I even ran a separate ground wire from the volt regulator to ensure I always have a good ground. The alternator is of the two field type and it is also grounded. I have had the charging circuit set up like this for several years and have had no problems what so ever. The current round of shitty regulators has been a recent problem. This is why I posed the question, is there a heavy duty regulator, cause all the part store regulators look cheaply made, and I wonder if the quality is just not there anymore or am I just overlooking another cause to my dilemma.
 
You still have not answered my question...................just exactly what HAVE you been buying for regulators?

I assume from your statement that you are using the 69/ earlier design?

If this were me, I'd add one more wire and go to the 70 / later design.

To get a better quality 69/ earlier type, buy either an Echlin VR-1001 or Standard VR-128. Either of these is fairly expensve.

But LOTS of guys are using "off the shelf" cheap regulators without failing them.

I agree with a previous post............you probably have a partial short in the field winding.

Hookup your multimeter in the field circuit and eliminate the regulator, that is............

Battery-------multimeter current scale--alternator field--to ground and measure the field current draw.
 
Sorry for not being clear. When I go into the auto parts store, I use a 78 dodge w300 for my alternator and regulator. The number is a Borg Warner R296, I have getting them from oreillys as they close to my house. I use the big trucks as they have the bigger amp alternator.
 
The "bigger amp" has nothing to do with it and you are already using the electronic 70/ later type.

Unless BW has a big problem, (quality control) and they might, you might change brands

Other than that, the alternator has a field short, or where it's mounted you have a heat problem
 
I am going to check the field circutas you described, I have mount topside of the inner fender and it had never got hot enough that you couldnt touch it anyway some more invesigating to do tomorrow before any part's purchased
thanks again for the help
The "bigger amp" has nothing to do with it and you are already using the electronic 70/ later type.

Unless BW has a big problem, (quality control) and they might, you might change brands

Other than that, the alternator has a field short, or where it's mounted you have a heat problem
 
Here's some figures

72 manual says:

2.5--3.1A rotating by hand

74 manual says:

2.5--3.6A at 12V turning by hand


76 and 79 shop manual electrical:

4.5--6.5A at 12V all except 100 amp (big frame) turning by hand

100A 4.65--6A at 12V
 
Be careful if you open the circuit with test leads, the field is an inductor, it can shock you.

About 1965..........

tearing old TVs apart for parts.........

big ol' power transformer.............

old 1000 ohm / volt multimeter...........LOL

Mine was not a Supreme, but like this one, had "pin jacks" to select the range

supreme542lg.jpg
 
I bought a constant 14v regulator from MP and put a late model 97-98 136 AMP alternator and the charging system worked great on my Dakota,94 up dodge alt.runs through the PCM I just took the field wires and hook them up to the regulator if that will help you any I believe there is some threads on this some where I learned on my on.I'm putting the same system on my Dart I'm building now.
 
...
Unless BW has a big problem, (quality control) and they might, you might change brands
Did either of you read pjc360's post above. Three B-W Vreg failures in 3 months, changed to Wells and no problems since. So to answer the question, "yes, some are better".
BTW, 64X2 was out of luck on the bulkhead. Both 63 & 65 cars had dedicated "bus lugs" for the large ammeter current, so no melted bulkheads in those years.
 
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