I had a replacement voltage regulator and I was going to install a solid state kit. Opened it up and found a circuit board. Are these any good? What's it rated for charging amps? Zero on the internet, made in China.

 

It's funny. I was very heavily into classics from the 60s and 70s, for 30 years. I wouldn't touch a solid state regulator on a bet back then. Always garbage.

these days, I had two mechanical ones fail almost instantly on my '66, one that was on the car and another I bought. Crap, utter crap. A solid state regulator? Good to go, and less money. I drilled out the rivets and put the correct-script cover on it.

 

In the Eighty's I use to stock a case of each Ford, GM and Chrysler Electronic Voltage Regulators. I ditched the mechanicals long ago. Now a days I use "Standard Motor Products". brands as I need them. Back in the day SMP was more expensive than the new car dealer parts

 

I bought a VR715 several years ago and drilled out the rivets and installed the Delco Remy cover. Been trouble free ever since.

I did try to convert an old DR over to electronic by removing the old points and adding the electronic board and had nothing but trouble and problems.

 

Tom, I have one and did the conversion from a donor VR-715 into my original Delco housing and also converted my original alternator to 105 Amps. The solid state regulators are REQUIRED for that and can handle 100+ amps. Both work great and have been trouble free for several years now. Your kit looks a bit different, but should work the same way.

 

Thanks guys but I understand the solid state work good. I was wondering what the story was on the electronic version?

 

The terms are interchangeable and mean the same thing. Electronic = solid state, which means no vacuum, no filaments and no moving parts. Regulators only deal with field current, they don't see the high amp draw on the output of an alternator and don't consider it in the way they work. They simply duty cycle the field supply in response to system voltage. The original Delco, Autolite, Presolite and Bosh regulators that existed when we were young were excellent parts though consumable. The aftermarket replacements available now are woefully deficient but better than nothing. Worn out original mechanical regulators can be made to look good but never to work right. So electronic...solid state...is the way to go.

Dan

 

What about us fellers using a generator. I used to read here that Frank the Fink used to have one in his 61 and they were as rare as a chicken with lips. He sold the 61 and bought a SWC. I would buy one for my 61 but I don’t think any are out there but then I haven’t looked.

Drive em safe
Leo

 

I understand. But the one pictured above is made with a printed circuit board and individual components, whereas the solid state conversion kit is a single component, more like a microprocessor. My question, is, how do these board types perform? Anyone know?

 

Tom, I’ve never seen one with a single component, and I don’t see how it would quite work.

 

Regulators used with DC generators require 2 additional elements beyond the simple voltage regulator used with an alternator. They are a circuit breaker to disconnect the generator from the battery when generator output falls below battery voltage (idle/engine off), and a current regulator that is wired in series with the voltage regulator coil. A voltage regulator is evidently not too complicated to make out of solid state components. But the three element regulator used with DC generators is more complicated. You are referring to a low production solid state unit built by a now defunct operation. My research turned up a solid state version built for aircraft but it was too expensive for me to buy and tear apart to see how to make one for antique cars. My guess is far less sufficient market for the undertaking which is not small, it would need to be a more complicated device than the solid state regulators for sale today.

Dan

 

Tom-
I think what is confusing you is the way the boards look. The technology has evolved over time. Early electronic/solid state regulators used seperate what are called discrete components, transistor(s), diodes, an SCR in addition to resistors or capacitors. Discrete electronic design evolved to chips and now surface mount technology in which the parts I mentioned were further miniaturized, and many parts were replaced by a single chip, maybe two and some supporting parts. However the circuit does the same thing, duty cycles field current.

As to which work better I think they all pretty much work the same, if anything they tend to overcharge to prevent comebacks I'd imagine and not a big problem for flooded batteries. Newer units have less impressive, familiar appearing boards.

Dan

 

I guess they are the same, just built different.

 

I’m having a time with this on my 2 Mopars. Both have solid state regulators on them and I have volt meters under-dash that shows they were running pretty high. I finally put a voltmeter on things and found they were reading 15 volts and up. Tried another one and it was 15.2 volts up. And electronic voltage regulators don’t temperature compensate so they always put out the same voltage. Mechanical regulators put out max voltage while cold and the taper off on voltage somewhat as things warm up underhood. So I finally reverted one back over to a mechanical regulator which after about 4 adjustments I settled on 14 volts hot. This car doesn’t have any unusual electric loads. The other one has AC and an automatic, both of which stress the system voltage a little. I tried to put an Echlin mechanical VR on it but the amp/ battery gage was bouncing around and lights pulsating. Not sure if the rebuilt alternator has a weak diode, or the VR was bad. Finally put the electric one back on it while waiting for another mechanical one to try, and everything works fine with it- just at 15+ volts.

Fortunately when I tested the electronic one on my 66 Corvette it was putting out 14.5 volts which is a bit high but barely OK (IMO). I don’t know what the deal is with these electronic regulators, particularly with the Mopar ones. 15+ volts is too much for these old electrical systems IMO, although I’ll admit I haven’t melted or burned anything up yet. My bench top looks like a grave yard for voltage regulators right now with carcasses scattered all over it.

 

The solid state black box for Mopars regulators are by Transpo. They manifestly overcharge, have one on my 68 New Yorker 10 years and on the road 15 volts! Everything's bright! Cigar lighter heats up quicker too. Doesn't seem to bother a thing in my case. You really shouldn't run a mechanical regulator with Mopar electronic ignition.

Remember that engine running voltage readings are not a constant but a range as they depend upon ambient temperature, battery state of charge and condition, and engine RPM. You want to be averaging 14.2 volts in normal circumstances.

Dan

 

DansYellow66 Both 1 wire 2 wire field control systems had issues. If yours is a 2 wire field control the blue wire either from the ignition switch and or connector, at the firewall connector melted for battery supply, Ammeter melting out and the case ground of the regulator having issues. The voltage difference is enough for the regulator to believe the cars system voltage is too low and applies more field (ground) than needed. When Chrysler went to computer control alternators they did indeed have an ambient temp sensor for a charging rate input under the battery tray which also fed the auto trans strategy. Mopars charging systems were terrible for daily reliability. Now occasionally when I see one I recommend a couple upgrades.

 

Both my Mopars run single field alternators and dual point distributors. Yeah, Dan - my lights are bright and on my GTX I can turn them on, turn the AC up high and slip the auto into first and don’t get even a waiver on my alternator and voltage gauges or light intensity. But running that voltage all the time on stock 55 year old wiring and terminals, bulkhead connections and devices that were not even the best thought out when new worries me.

 

That is what I figured. The guys at the 300 club (we are dual point too) run mechanical regulators from SMP available at Rock Auto. I leave the overcharging electronic version in the New Yorker. It's kind of a beater, has AC and everything works. As long as you run a flooded cell it will tolerate it, just watch the battery water. Otherwise run the mechanical version as I do on my 300 F.

Dan

 

Thanks Dan, I’ll check out SMP. I have another mechanical one - NORS he calls it - coming to me from a guy who buys up new-old ignition and electrical Mopar stuff and re-sells it. I’ll see what it turns out to be. But, one I got from him is giving my 67 fits (Echlin unit) and seems bad. I read some stuff on line that indicates they are really newer stuff and often bad - so I needed another supplier source.

 

I run the stock generator with a solid state regulator from Clover Systems.
Sadly, they are no longer in business.
It fit under the Delco cover without mods.. and it's been rock solid for 5+ years now (over 15K miles).

I recall Frankie had a source for one.. different than this.. but it was also unavailable.




Link to data sheet: https://cloversystems.designscience....Literature.pdf
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