why am I not charging? (updated 11/18)

[Thunderfoot]

Think of the Exciter wire as a (on / off) switch... These old alternators / regulators have to have a signal to turn them ON, then they will charge... The voltage Regulator takes over from there as to how hard it needs to work the alternator to charge the battery.

As I mentioned before this wire should be resistive or have a resistor OR a light in line with it. This is because when you first turn on the key it puts power on this wire to the voltage regulator and until the alternator starts charging the voltage regulator Grounds this wire. That is what makes the idiot lights come on. Then after the alternator starts charging the voltage regulator will back feed power on this line which would make the idiot light go out and stops the short to ground...

So not having anything (resistance or light) in there may or may not work as the wire is a direct short to ground until the alternator starts charging... so I don't know how it will go without some resistance

[layedout72]

hmm....well....im going to have to call the company tomorrow and see what they say.

[layedout72]

Okay, I wired that wire up directly from the switch to the regulator and still didnt see 13.5...I had the alt tested, battery tested, and all cables are new grounding and power wise, as is the wiring harness.

[layedout72]

im told the ammeter is my problem, so i either need one of those, a resistor, or an idiot light.

what ohm resistor do I need, and do they sell "idiot lights" where I can possibly just wire one in line?

[RangerDave]

I just fought with this exact problem two weeks ago. I replaced the voltage regulator, and the alternator. Checked the current and was only getting 13.6 which I could have settled with, but after looking around, I cleaned the area behind the voltage regulator so it had a good metal to metal ground and tightened a chasis ground that was loose and boom..... I got 14.4 out of the meter.

Make sure your grounds are all clean and tight.

[layedout72]

do you mind telling me what all grounds you have? right now I have battery to alt bracket, motor to body, and body to chassis. What else do I need?

[fordman]

body to frame

[layedout72]

thats what i meant by body to chassis....

[fordman]

sorry chassis doesnt register when i see it. i dont know why.

[RangerDave]

That's it. My ground from body to chasis was loose. I took it off, cleaned up behind it, and made sure it was tight.

[layedout72]

im almost positive all my grounds are fine. i will redo the body to chassis soon as I can though. I still think theres more to it.




where can I get a 510 ohm resistor?

[fordman]

radio shack? or maybe the parts store. what is it for? what does it do for you i should say.

[layedout72]

well, i can run a dummy light, or the resistor. i don't have the dummy light I guess, or if I do it's painted over and don't know what to look for.

The resistor bypasses it, and allows for the same effect the light gives.



radio shack doesn't carry them, and all the parts stores looked at me funny.

[fordman]

sounds like you just need a dummy light dash panel.

[layedout72]

dummy light dash panel? and just wire it in line? im going with an aftermarket dash setup, but if I can get it to work....