Crappy parts store voltage regulators

-
7dart0

7dart0

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2012
Messages
491
Reaction score
104
Location
peabody,ma
Got 2 different regulators from advance auto and they kept over charging at 15.6v. I found and old wells regulator that says made in USA in the bottom of my spare parts drawer, sanded the edges for good ground threw it in and now car charges at a steady 14.3v.

The kicker is advance wont return it for my money back only exchange for another because it's an electrical part.
 
I just had a regulator meltdown myself and I swear to goodness it was the one that I paid extra money for to make sure it was made in America and I had it for a while and it's been giving me trouble. Anyways I've been having some trouble with it lately way over charging and the only one I could get was a standard. It clearly said made in China on the back and I was like oh my goodness!! for whatever reason I couldn't have gotten luckier and it's not going over 14.2...
Trust me I'm keeping an eye on it...
 
I just went around with new ones at NAPA. I guess it ends when somebody makes a quality part AND consumers are willing to pay for it.
 
7dart0 said:
Got 2 different regulators from advance auto and they kept over charging at 15.6v. I found and old wells regulator that says made in USA in the bottom of my spare parts drawer, sanded the edges for good ground threw it in and now car charges at a steady 14.3v.

The kicker is advance wont return it for my money back only exchange for another because it's an electrical part.
Click to expand...
Were they grounded pretty good, i find over charging is due to a weak ground on the regulator, but with today's crap i would not be surprised if i was bad out of the box!
 
7dart0 said:
Got 2 different regulators from advance auto and they kept over charging at 15.6v. I found and old wells regulator that says made in USA in the bottom of my spare parts drawer, sanded the edges for good ground threw it in and now car charges at a steady 14.3v.

The kicker is advance wont return it for my money back only exchange for another because it's an electrical part.
Click to expand...
I know it is frustrating, but there is a reason for no refunds on electrical parts. I used to work at an Advance Auto. You see, most people are NOT very good at electrical work. They do not know how to diagnose, so they just decide to throw parts at their problem. If parts stores let them bring back electrical parts for refunds, they would just keep buying different parts and returning them until they got lucky and found the part that fixed their problem; while leaving the parts store with 5 or 6 returned parts that they have to charge off as defective.
 
7dart0 said:
Got 2 different regulators from advance auto and they kept over charging at 15.6v. I found and old wells regulator that says made in USA in the bottom of my spare parts drawer, sanded the edges for good ground threw it in and now car charges at a steady 14.3v.

The kicker is advance wont return it for my money back only exchange for another because it's an electrical part.
Click to expand...
It definately seems to be a more common problem.
If you've checked the regulation voltage at the regulator (in other words its not due to voltage drop in the system) it has to be internal to the VR.
I *think* some have a dual setpoint where they initially allow more field (higher voltage) based on time or internal termperature. Saw this on the specs for some Delco SI regulators. Haven't found good info for current production versions of our regulators.
Had this problem with SMP's VR-128 that @slantsixdan used to recomend.
Thought maybe it was caused by using a revised squareback that might have a higher field current draw than the VR was designed for.
Contacted SMP's tech, and the only tech info he had access to was dimensions. :rolleyes:
So far, the new one is working with a regular squareback, but got an FBO VR (3 year guarentee FWIW) as a backup regulator. This is for those of us with pre-70 field wiring. Time will tell.
 
Thanks for the replies. I guess i'll just keep returning them until one works, then throw it in the trunk as a spare. I also might try the relay mod to trigger the voltage regulator. It seems much more efficient.
 
7dart0 said:
I also might try the relay mod to trigger the voltage regulator. It seems much more efficient.
Click to expand...
Not sure its more efficient, but a good workaround if there are voltage drops in the circuit. '70-75 seems to have more connections and potential drop areas than other years. Thats just a general impression.
 
7dart0 said:
Thanks for the replies. I guess i'll just keep returning them until one works, then throw it in the trunk as a spare. I also might try the relay mod to trigger the voltage regulator. It seems much more efficient.
Click to expand...

Had the same issue. Returned 2 at advanced that were crap. Went oreillys spent 5 bucks more...wallah! It works
 
About two years ago, had an issue with Standard ign products VR's sold by advance. They were not internally grounded to the case. Only the little bracket to lock the plug was connected to the internals. Three of them in my local store, and two in a store 50 miles away. I called SMP to inform them of the issue, and was told " we know about it, we had a problem with our supplier". These regulators were still on the shelf 2 months later (huh?). A couple of months later I found their "fix", was to install a sheet metal screw into to case, with the head of the screw, contacting the little bracket. This allowed the case to be grounded to the internals, probably till corrosion ruined the contact. That is when I stopped buying anything made buy SMP.
Recently (About a year ago) got a bad fuel pump, did a warranty replacement, which was bad, also. All of the pumps they could get were bad in the box. Told "no refund only replacement". Haven't been in the store since. Called corporate, and gave them a polite ear full.
Also I have spent over $100,000 in that one store (commercial account), but now I can get a better price going online, and picking up the item in the store, then using my commercial discount. Loyalty? BS.
 
7dart0 said:
Got 2 different regulators from advance auto and they kept over charging at 15.6v. I found and old wells regulator that says made in USA in the bottom of my spare parts drawer, sanded the edges for good ground threw it in and now car charges at a steady 14.3v.

The kicker is advance wont return it for my money back only exchange for another because it's an electrical part.
Click to expand...
Been there, done that.
 
Your local Mopar dealer may still have them available

regulator2.jpg
 
7dart0 said:
Thanks for the replies. I guess i'll just keep returning them until one works, then throw it in the trunk as a spare. I also might try the relay mod to trigger the voltage regulator. It seems much more efficient.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem. overcharging with my powermaster 100amp alternator.

2 different MP blue regulators. 1st one the gel actually came out and down my firewall. then I bought one with a separate ground wire. no issues since.

Bruce
 
kybatman said:
I had the same problem. overcharging with my powermaster 100amp alternator.

2 different MP blue regulators. 1st one the gel actually came out and down my firewall. then I bought one with a separate ground wire. no issues since.

Bruce
Click to expand...
Close to the same thing on mine. And this was one that years ago the same thing where I had to get a second one and pay the extra money and Wallah it worked. No years later not so much! I had what I called a meltdown. it didn't get to the point to where it melt it out of its case but when I discovered the problem had gotten from worst to way too bad I went and bought another one trying to pay the extra of course to get more quality and when I took the old one out an hour and a half after I driven the car it was still almost too hot to touch and the back of it felt like it was about to melt out and I could see a big spot that was melting down.
IMG_20190427_152814.jpg
 
superchargeddrt said:
I used this, set it at 14.5 volts max while driving. Lights nice and bright and zero issues for the last 2 years..

New Adjustable HD External Voltage Regulator Chrysler Dodge Plymouth, 1970-87 | eBay
Click to expand...
It's also one hell of a reasonable price too! I see the little square or something on the back of it do you have to kind of tune it as you go or is there some kind of setting mark? It would seem to be hard to move maneuver that back part when it's grounded and bolted to the fender well?
 
Slantsix64 said:
Were they grounded pretty good, i find over charging is due to a weak ground on the regulator, but with today's crap i would not be surprised if i was bad out of the box!
Click to expand...
While they dont seem to last.... the cheapo versions are painted grey or blue and you have to sand the paint off the back for q good ground. You can also just run a ground wire eyelet to one of the bolts and run it to the battery ground.
 
I run the black mopar one toolmanmike shared. I got tired of the parts store ones crapping out after a year or so.
 
j par said:
It's also one hell of a reasonable price too! I see the little square or something on the back of it do you have to kind of tune it as you go or is there some kind of setting mark? It would seem to be hard to move maneuver that back part when it's grounded and bolted to the fender well?
Click to expand...
I Just brought up the RPMs up and set it for 14.5 volts on my meter. Make sure you gound it while setting.
 
I did the relay mod and it seemed to stabilize my charge at 14.5 volts while cruising, but I did notice at idle in gear about 750 rpm my volt meter is bouncing between 14 and just under 16 volts.
 
7dart0 said:
I did the relay mod and it seemed to stabilize my charge at 14.5 volts while cruising, but I did notice at idle in gear about 750 rpm my volt meter is bouncing between 14 and just under 16 volts.
Click to expand...
That's odd that your voltage would be fluctuating to 16 volts at idle, do you have a good ground on the regulator? 14.5 is what I set my adjustable regulator to at cruise. I am at about 13.6 volts at a 800 RPM idle.
 
I would say yes the voltage drop is .002V from the battery to the case of the regulator.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top