Strange voltage surges
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 2
From: TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS
St. Jude Contributor
Strange voltage surges
Electrical stuff is still a great mystery to me, I'm ashamed to admit, so I'm hoping one of you can fill me in about something. Recently, when I'm going down the road at night at a constant speed, the headlights and dashlights will suddenly get very bright for a few seconds, and the voltmeter jumps way up. It will do this a couple of times a minute for a while, and then stop for five or ten minutes, then start doing it again. Can anyone tell me what's going on?
JB
JB
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
you have a voltage sensing circuit that adjusts the alternator output based on the load the sensing circuit percieves....so something is up, either in your wiring or in your alternator
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
Yep, its the VR. It sences battery voltage and used that to bias down the alternator when the batt voltage goes up (charged), when batt voltage goes down it runs the volys up on the regulator. If for some reason it loses the battery voltage totally, the alternator voltage goes way up, folowing RPMs.
I got a ride home in the dark once because of this
I got a ride home in the dark once because of this
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 2
From: TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS
St. Jude Contributor
OK, cool enough. Thanks, guys. 'Nother question: I've got the internal voltage reg--is it really necessary to replace the whole alternator or is it possible to replace the regulator?
JB
JB
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
Originally Posted by Richard454
It's the voltage regulator - I'd replace it ASAP-otherwise you be burning up bulbs-radio etc.
Richard
Richard
Absolutely...do it soon, and don't start it until it's been replaced
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