Regulator Question

[red71c10]

Fixed my battery drain problem, but now my battery won't charge! New battery, new alternator and new regulator, but no charge. Had the alt bench tested today and it's OK. Here's my question: I originally put the new regulator on with the old alt and the alt kept the reg clicking until the battery went dead. Could the old alt have killed the new reg? I'm thinking maybe the points are stuck. New regs are less than $10 so I'll probably just go get a new one, but I thought I'd ask. Here's a link to my original thread if it helps.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=385197

[fixit-p]

Check the basics first, make sure there is power to the reg on the brown wire with the key on and the red wire all the time. the white and blue wires should also have continuity to the alt and make sure the reg and alt are grounded.

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by fixit-p

Check the basics first, make sure there is power to the reg on the brown wire with the key on and the red wire all the time. the white and blue wires should also have continuity to the alt and make sure the reg and alt are grounded.

Grounds seem good. Red wire has power all the time, but it's a no on the brown wire. It's not getting power when the key is on.

[fixit-p]

The brown wire is an ignition source on trucks with indicator lights it comes from the gen light which gets power from the cluster fuse, so check the fuse if it has dummy lights, it may also have a 24 gauge brown/white wire going to the iggy switch on both gauge and light clusters.

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by fixit-p

The brown wire is an ignition source on trucks with indicator lights it comes from the gen light which gets power from the cluster fuse, so check the fuse if it has dummy lights, it may also have a 24 gauge brown/white wire going to the iggy switch on both gauge and light clusters.

My truck has gauges. The brown/white wire would be going to the ignition switch from where?

[fixit-p]

From the inside of the bulkhead connector.

[red71c10]

OK, thanks. Sorry, but I'm not clear as to what my next move should be.

[fixit-p]

Ok, no problem. I would chase the brown wire into the cab and to the ignition switch. In other words you checked the end of the wire at the reg and found there was no power, next check it at the bulkhead connector on the engine side then on the cab side then at the ignition switch connector (it's common for the wire to break off at any of those points) when you get to a point where you have power then the problem is between that point and the end of the circuit (in this case the regulator) check for breaks or pinched wiring.

[neba]

check the warning light bulb. if bulb burns out will keep from charging

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by neba

check the warning light bulb. if bulb burns out will keep from charging

My truck has gauges, not a light, but the battery gauge doesn't seem to work. It worked so/so when I first got the truck, but now the needle stays dead center and never moves. Could the non working gauge have the same effect as a burned out bulb?

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by fixit-p

Ok, no problem. I would chase the brown wire into the cab and to the ignition switch. In other words you checked the end of the wire at the reg and found there was no power, next check it at the bulkhead connector on the engine side then on the cab side then at the ignition switch connector (it's common for the wire to break off at any of those points) when you get to a point where you have power then the problem is between that point and the end of the circuit (in this case the regulator) check for breaks or pinched wiring.

K, I have power at the ignition switch so I'll have to chase it and see where the fault lies. If I restore power to the brown wire at the regulator, will that most likely fix my charging problem?

[fixit-p]

Originally Posted by red71c10

K, I have power at the ignition switch so I'll have to chase it and see where the fault lies. If I restore power to the brown wire at the regulator, will that most likely fix my charging problem?

Yeah it should if there are other issues we can troubleshoot from there as far as you ammeter it wont affect your charging like the gen light does but it may have blown a fuse and is why its not working there are two fuses in little football shaped holders one near the battery junction and the other near the alt junction

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by fixit-p

Yeah it should if there are other issues we can troubleshoot from there as far as you ammeter it wont affect your charging like the gen light does but it may have blown a fuse and is why its not working there are two fuses in little football shaped holders one near the battery junction and the other near the alt junction

Thanks! Looks like both those little fuses need replacing again. I did it recently, but I think I'll have to replace the connectors too, one of them is broken.

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by fixit-p

Yeah it should if there are other issues we can troubleshoot from there as far as you ammeter it wont affect your charging like the gen light does but it may have blown a fuse and is why its not working there are two fuses in little football shaped holders one near the battery junction and the other near the alt junction

Had too much going on this past weekend to work on the truck. Before I attack it again I thought I'd ask a follow up question. It's the connector on the alt side that is broken. Does that just effect the gauge, or does it have something to do with my charging problem?

[fixit-p]

Just the gauge no effect on charging the brown wire not having power will effect your charging

[red71c10]

DOH!!! Looks like my regulator isn't grounded correctly. Instead of drilling a hole in the side to attach the ground wire (like the old one), I attached it to the extra connector tab on the back which means the ground wire and the brown wire are connected to the same place. I'll have to take it back off and ground it the way the old one was.

[fixit-p]

That would explain why you had no power on the brown wire, with an inline resistor being the load in the circuit the ground side would have 0 volts in a perfect world. Once you have the ground fixed check the brown wire again for power with it disconnected from the reg.

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by fixit-p

That would explain why you had no power on the brown wire, with an inline resistor being the load in the circuit the ground side would have 0 volts in a perfect world. Once you have the ground fixed check the brown wire again for power with it disconnected from the reg.

SHAZAM! Things work really well when you get them wired up right! I grounded the reg, tested things and fixed the connector on the fusible link. Everything is working great including the gauge! I'll keep an eye on things, but it sure looks like I'm good to go! Thanks for helping me figure this out!

[fixit-p]

Cool GTH

[red71c10]

Well hell! The battery went dead overnight so I guess I'm back to square one. The charging system seems to be fixed, but there is still something running my battery down.

[red71c10]

Fixit-P has been helping me via PM and I think we got it.