Voltage Regulator Problem??

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Searching for the R3177 relay, find the relay easy, but no wire harness side. Thanks
 
superchargeddrt said:
Here's a link to FABO thread with a diagram I made showing you how to connect it.

Flickering or pulstating Headlights
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My 70 Dart is having the same problem, high voltmeter readings and flickering lights, while engine is running. But when I hook a jumper wire from the battery to the DKBL regulator/ ignition terminal then it works fine. So i will install the relay as outlined. Now normally the ignition switch feeds 12 V to the center terminal of the regulator, as well as the blue field wire going to the alternator, correct? So with this fix, the ignition switch now activates the relay. Then the relay sends voltage directly from the battery to the regulator as well as the blue field wire on the alternator. Is that right? Thanks, mine has been a source of distress too.
 
Also, I assume you disconnect the old wire coming from the ignition switch and going to the regulator? And that wire now goes to the relay, right? Then the switched 12 V coming out of the relay is now going directly from the battery to the regulator. Is that how it works?
 
Garys72Duster said:
My 70 Dart is having the same problem, high voltmeter readings and flickering lights, while engine is running. But when I hook a jumper wire from the battery to the DKBL regulator/ ignition terminal then it works fine. So i will install the relay as outlined. Now normally the ignition switch feeds 12 V to the center terminal of the regulator, as well as the blue field wire going to the alternator, correct? So with this fix, the ignition switch now activates the relay. Then the relay sends voltage directly from the battery to the regulator as well as the blue field wire on the alternator. Is that right? Thanks, mine has been a source of distress too.
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In your case (because you have the 70 and up regulator and the 2 field connection alternator) the relay feeds both the ignition and one field of the alternator. The second field is connected to the field connection on the regulator.
 
superchargeddrt said:
In your case (because you have the 70 and up regulator and the 2 field connection alternator) the relay feeds both the ignition and one field of the alternator. The second field is connected to the field connection on the regulator.
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So by feeding batt voltage from the relay to the ignition wire, I am also feeding the regulator thru the ignition terminal, blue, as well as the blue wire going to alternator field.
 
I ran a jumper wire directly from the battery to the blue wire ignition terminal on the regulator. That smoothed out the voltage gauge in the car to a steady 14.5 volts. No flickering. When I turned the key off, the gauge lights stayed on! So those lights are feeding from the same place the regulator blue wire is coming from! I'm sure this is causing a voltage drop to the regulator.
 
I just need to install the relay, and have a dedicated circuit for the regulator and alternator charging system, with no other current draws on it. Found the BWD relay at Advance for $17
 
Garys72Duster said:
I ran a jumper wire directly from the battery to the blue wire ignition terminal on the regulator. That smoothed out the voltage gauge in the car to a steady 14.5 volts. No flickering. When I turned the key off, the gauge lights stayed on! So those lights are feeding from the same place the regulator blue wire is coming from! I'm sure this is causing a voltage drop to the regulator.
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What typically causes this is either bad ignition switch contacts or a bad connection at the bulkhead connector. The reason the lights are staying on is because by using a temporary jumper you are bypassing the ignition switch. When you install the relay you won't have that problem because it will remove the battery voltage from the ignition terminal of the regulator (just like removing the jumper).
 
Oh by the way, this has a Paxton blower on it. Haven't yet gotten around to messing with it much. Does your Dart have one? I don't know much about tuning an engine with a blower. But it sure runs good when it kicks in!
 
Garys72Duster said:
Oh by the way, this has a Paxton blower on it. Haven't yet gotten around to messing with it much. Does your Dart have one? I don't know much about tuning an engine with a blower. But it sure runs good when it kicks in!
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Garys72Duster said:
So you said there is no need to disconnect the ignition switch wire ? I just use it to actuate the relay?
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Yep, just use it to actuate the relay. My Dart had a B&M blower on it until this year when I built a new 500 horsepower 418 stroker. The blower.was a lot of fun. I bought it from Dick Landy in 1988. Got to talk to him, he was a nice guy.
 
Relay installed, both the relay wire and the factory R5 to ignition side of VR, still flickering at 14 volts, but not as bad. Removed R5 wire and ran just the relay wire, charging quit completely. Thanks
 
coalman said:
Relay installed, both the relay wire and the factory R5 to ignition side of VR, still flickering at 14 volts, but not as bad. Removed R5 wire and ran just the relay wire, charging quit completely. Thanks
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Something must be miswired. Do you hesr the relay click when you turn on the ignition? If you hear the click then make sure you have 12 volts feeding the relay and then coming out of the relay to the regulator.
 
I have checked the wiring 3 times it is correct, but the relay is not clicking, bad relay? Thanks
 
coalman said:
Relay installed, both the relay wire and the factory R5 to ignition side of VR, still flickering at 14 volts, but not as bad. Removed R5 wire and ran just the relay wire, charging quit completely. Thanks
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Can you detail the relay wiring? What are you using for supply to the contacts? This should be "close to" the battery, such as the starter relay stud. What size wire? And what all does the load side feed?
 
I realized my fuel pump relay was the same as the one you recommended. So I tried running the relay voltage, which is actually directly from the battery, to my ignition/ field/ terminal on the regulator. It worked great! 14 volts steady. No flickering. But when i turned the key off, it kept running! LOL. So being that the ignition switch out is also common with field and I terminal on the regulator, it was feeding voltage to the output side of the ignition switch. So I had to disconnect the wire between the switch and I terminal which was now also being fed by the battery thru the relay. So now it is working great, and charging 14 volts with no flickering of the lights. Thanks for the help.
 
67Dart273 said:
Can you detail the relay wiring? What are you using for supply to the contacts? This should be "close to" the battery, such as the starter relay stud. What size wire? And what all does the load side feed?
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Just get some clip leads and run one directly from the battery + to the regulator I field connection where the blue wire goes. The blue field wire and the ignition switch out are also common to this terminal. Your voltmeter should read 14 to 14.5 volts. If this test works ok, then you know that you need full battery voltage to the regulator. That is what the relay is for.
 
67Dart273 said:
Can you detail the relay wiring? What are you using for supply to the contacts? This should be "close to" the battery, such as the starter relay stud. What size wire? And what all does the load side feed?
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I am using the battery, 14 gauge wire, #87 to IGN. and # 86 to where the ballast resistor used to be. I think my relay is bad. Thanks
 
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85 Goes to ground, or battery - , 86 Goes to ignition switch, or ballast input side. When you put power to these 2, you will hear a click if relay is good......Then that will complete the circuit from 30 to 87 . 30 is battery +, 87 is where you want power going to. In this case, terminal I on the regulator.
 
Garys72Duster said:
85 Goes to ground, or battery - , 86 Goes to ignition switch, or ballast input side. When you put power to these 2, you will hear a click if relay is good......Then that will complete the circuit from 30 to 87 . 30 is battery +, 87 is where you want power going to. In this case, terminal I on the regulator.
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85 is to ground, 30 is to battery... Thanks
 
Garys72Duster said:
I realized my fuel pump relay was the same as the one you recommended. So I tried running the relay voltage, which is actually directly from the battery, to my ignition/ field/ terminal on the regulator. It worked great! 14 volts steady. No flickering. But when i turned the key off, it kept running! LOL. So being that the ignition switch out is also common with field and I terminal on the regulator, it was feeding voltage to the output side of the ignition switch. So I had to disconnect the wire between the switch and I terminal which was now also being fed by the battery thru the relay. So now it is working great, and charging 14 volts with no flickering of the lights. Thanks for the help.
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Great news, Glad to help.
 
I am a little confused to ignition/field terminal I understand the relay installation only goes to the ignition side. Thanks
 
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