<VV> Electrical charging system problem - Help

[Frank DuVal]

The voltage regulator controls the voltage output, not the alternator. 
So you have a voltage regulator that is not working. Since you swapped 
the regulator, the top two causes are:

1. New volatge regulator is also defective. Not too common, but can happen.

2. The wiring between the voltage regulator and alternator is defective. 
Specifically the field wire is going to a source of +12 volts, therefore 
"full fielding" the alternator.

Unplug the two wire plug going into the alternator and see if the 
voltage out drops to battery voltage (12.6 volts or so). This is 
correct. If the voltage does not drop, the problem is inside the 
alternator. I haven't seen this.

Proper output voltage should be 13.5 to 14.5 volts above idle. 17 volts 
will fry other electronic components.

Since you say you have swapped the regulator and alternator, I would 
look very close at the wiring. The idiot light should work, and this may 
be a clue to where the error is.

Frank DuVal

Gary & Susan Lowell wrote:

>I am having a problem that I cannot seem to track down and a could  
>use some of the "collected wisdom" of the group.
>Problem: My battery shows 14.5 Volts at idle. at 1500 or above it  
>measures over 17 volts - checked with my analog Ohm meter
>Recent Attempts to correct: I have changed the Voltage Regulator and  
>tried a spare alternator with no change in the result.
>Questions: Is 17+ Volts normal & if not, what should I check next?
>Background: Car is 65 Corsa Convertible w/std alternator. Last fall,  
>the original (solenoid based) Voltage Regulator went out and caused a  
>lot of damage. As a result, I replace the rear wiring harness  
>(fusible link blown) a new electronic Voltage Regulator from Clarks,  
>locally had my alternator rebuilt , and bought and installed a new  
>battery plus sending the AutoSound Radio (also a Clark's purchase)  
>back to the factory for repair - which they did at no charge). Last  
>month while driving, the radio got real loud then stopped working.  
>The Alpine power amplifier went out. In replacing the amplifier at a  
>local audio shop, it worked fine at idle but as I revved the engine  
>it cut out (no sound). The audio technician using a digital meter (I  
>only have an analog unit) checked out the voltage and found the very  
>high (17+) volts at the amplifier and said he had never seen that  
>much voltage. A subsequent call to Clarks Tech people lead to the  
>purchase of another Voltage Regulator and swapped it then check with  
>no change being noticed. Same result when I swapped a spare  
>alternator - both mentioned above in the "Recent Attempts to  
>correct". I noted that the gen/fan dash light is not working. I  
>checked the bulb (it is OK) and have begun the continuity check on  
>it's wire, but I am not sure that it is the root source of the problem.
>Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
>Gary
>Detroit
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are the property
>of the writer, please attribute properly. For help, mailto:vv-help at corvair.org
>This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America, http://www.corvair.org/
>Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
>Change your options: http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs 
> _______________________________________________
>
>  
>