Advice for Mopar adjustable voltage regulator selection

[Brooks James]

Just installed a 80 amp square back alternator on my 360 magnum in my 70 Dart. Will install a fat stereo later.

Read up on ADJUSTABLE regulators, not sure which one, anyone else experiencing(experienced) this situation ??

The square back is on left, was fooling around with auxiliary alternator possibly

 

[toolmanmike]

I believe they are adjustable for a specific voltage. I don't think it is variable according to load at all. It is what you set it at.

 

[Brooks James]

I saw some aftermarket ones that had adjustment screws on them

 

[Professor Fate]

They're only adjustable within a small range. I don't care how big/many the alternators are, 14.4-ish volts is it. If you start going much over that on a 12v system things start melting. If you need more amps to run a stereo that'll make you deaf anyway, then get a larger capacity battery, or duals. Or just get earbuds and crank it up as loud as you want right from your Iphone, unless you insist on vibrating your car apart.

 

[Murray]

I agree with all of the above. I have seen Mopar and aftermarket adjustable. These are only adjustable enough to bring charging within normal range.

 

[Brooks James]

Question,
I know the alternator is 80 amps, I saw it tested. I would like a regulator that can be adjusted to put out 80 amps

 

[Charrlie_S]

The regulator does not control the amps, it controls the alt voltage output. The larger the difference between the alt voltage and the battery voltage, and the amount of load the greater the amp flow (within the design amps of the alt). If you notice the alternator is rated in amps output, but the regulator is rated in volts (there is a amp rating on the regulator, but that is the amount of alt field currant draw the regulator can handle)
These are the regulators I like Transpo Heavy Duty Adjustable Voltage Regulator C8313 - for sale online | eBay Available from many sources shop for price

 

[Charrlie_S]

Related to my post #7 above. If you notice the early mopar alternators were rated at 39 amps, then as electrical loads became greater as the cars got newer, the alternator ratings got larger. Some vehicles got alternators rated at over 100 amps, but mostly the regulators stayed the same (granted they changed from mechanical to electronic). Some vehicles with high output alternators had different regulators, but that was to increase the field current handling capabilities of the regulator, so the regulator would not burn out. As the amp output of the alternator increases the field current flow also increases.