Voltage regulator wiring

Author Topic: Voltage regulator wiring  (Read 2151 times)

Offline 70chall440

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Voltage regulator wiring
« on: December 06, 2018 - 09:22:01 PM »
So I have built pretty much a custom harness for my Cuda and have run into an issue with the alternator not charging. I am beginning to think that I may have wired the VR backward meaning that the one pin that goes to a field terminal on the alternator and to essentially the battery may be wired to the field only pin. I know that the alternator field connections are not specific, however I am not sure about the VR.

Anyone have any experience with this?
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)




Offline 1 Wild R/T

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2018 - 11:10:24 PM »
The green wire at the regulator goes from one of the two field connections at the alternator to the regulator....  The second field connection to the alternator and to the voltage regulator is a blue wire with switched 12v...
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Offline 70chall440

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2018 - 11:34:53 PM »
Thanks, I need to see how I have it wired, I am thinking I might have it backwards. The alternator isn't charging, thats for sure.
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline 70chall440

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2018 - 06:18:41 PM »
I checked my wiring and it is correct, not sure what the issue is now. I am going to try a different alternator I think.
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline 1 Wild R/T

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2018 - 06:50:03 PM »
Unplug the regulator & temporarily ground the green wire.... If it charges think regulator... If it doesn't charge alternator is correct.... In both classes there are other possible causes but those are the common failures..
JS27N0B 70 Challenger R/T Convertible  FJ5 Sublime, Show Poodle w/90,000 miles since resto
WS27L8G 68 Coronet R/T Convertible  PP1 Bright Red, Project
RM21H9E 69 Road Runner Coupe R4 Performance Red, Sold...
5H21C  65 Falcon 2 dr Wagon... Dog Hauler...

Offline AARuFAST

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2018 - 07:17:44 PM »
   :2cents:  happened to me. If it is fresh paint on firewall where you are mounting v regulator poor ground. Scrape paint away from holes and back of v reg. Or use a nut and bolt to mount and inside of the cowl sand the area for good ground.

 
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Offline 70chall440

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2018 - 07:26:09 PM »
Thanks I will check it
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline GoodysGotaCuda

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2018 - 07:44:18 PM »
Unplug the regulator & temporarily ground the green wire.... If it charges think regulator... If it doesn't charge alternator is correct.... In both classes there are other possible causes but those are the common failures..

That's what I'd do.
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Offline 70chall440

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2018 - 10:19:47 PM »
I will definitely give that a shot, thanks all.
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline 70chall440

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2018 - 11:49:22 PM »
Alright, I tried out the grounding of the green wire. Once the key is on it has battery voltage and therefore it arcs when touching it to a ground. When the key (in my case button) is off, nothing.

Oh, and grounding the wire did not show a charge or change anything.

Thoughts?
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline 1 Wild R/T

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2018 - 03:07:10 AM »
Was the engine running?  A spark is normal...
JS27N0B 70 Challenger R/T Convertible  FJ5 Sublime, Show Poodle w/90,000 miles since resto
WS27L8G 68 Coronet R/T Convertible  PP1 Bright Red, Project
RM21H9E 69 Road Runner Coupe R4 Performance Red, Sold...
5H21C  65 Falcon 2 dr Wagon... Dog Hauler...

Offline 70chall440

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #11 on: December 08, 2018 - 12:22:13 PM »
Yes the engine was running.
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline 1 Wild R/T

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #12 on: December 08, 2018 - 12:26:08 PM »
Looks like it's time to change the Alternator.... 
JS27N0B 70 Challenger R/T Convertible  FJ5 Sublime, Show Poodle w/90,000 miles since resto
WS27L8G 68 Coronet R/T Convertible  PP1 Bright Red, Project
RM21H9E 69 Road Runner Coupe R4 Performance Red, Sold...
5H21C  65 Falcon 2 dr Wagon... Dog Hauler...

Offline 70chall440

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #13 on: December 08, 2018 - 12:37:51 PM »
That’s my plan. I really appreciate the advice. Building this car has been fun, exciting, frustrating and painful all at the same time. I grew up hotrodding Mopars but it’s a whole other experience when you change pretty much everything and now have to gain an understanding of how something works and why it works in order to make it work. This situation is a perfect example, in the past if I had a car that wasn’t charging, I’d swap out the VR and if that didn’t solve it then the alternator (and perhaps anew VR). But I would have never given any thought to the wiring because it was factory. Now everything is suspect and I have to dig deeper to understand and solve these problems (obviously with the help of guys like you). Just goes to show that no matter how much experience you have you can always learn.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling and thanks again. I am going to try a new alternator and will post the results
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline 1 Wild R/T

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Re: Voltage regulator wiring
« Reply #14 on: December 08, 2018 - 01:15:33 PM »
We've all been there, change parts & hope for the best, I've always been the guy that spent a little extra time trying to understand how it works in hopes that it'll help me next time.... Often it does but these days things keep changing & what you thought you knew doesn't match up to current technology.... Which is one of the reasons I love older cars...  I'm old, they are old.. It's a good match... :roflsmiley:  Even if I do like adding some modern parts...
JS27N0B 70 Challenger R/T Convertible  FJ5 Sublime, Show Poodle w/90,000 miles since resto
WS27L8G 68 Coronet R/T Convertible  PP1 Bright Red, Project
RM21H9E 69 Road Runner Coupe R4 Performance Red, Sold...
5H21C  65 Falcon 2 dr Wagon... Dog Hauler...