Joined: Mar 13, 2006 Posts: 1079 Location: Richburg, SC
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:11 am Post subject: New soild state regulator and volt gauge is installed
I installed my volt gauge yesterday - it is a newer model with a four color scale (red, yellow, green, red). After I painted and installed it in the panel I fired her up.
Every time I revved the engine or went off idle, it would go into the red (overcharging). I was just making sure the gauge was working.
Then I unhooked the negative battery cable and removed the old mechanical (stock) regulator. I cleaned all of the grounding cables for the regulator base with sand paper and also removed the negative battery cable from the frame and cleaned that area. I covered these areas with dielectric compound and reinstalled everything. I hooked the battery back up and fired her up. It took a second for the volt gauge to move from the mid (straight up) position, but then it popped right over to the little line in the green bar. I revved the engine and it stayed right there. I turned on the headlights - it went slightly left of the bar and then came right back. Good deal! I took a drive for about 10 minutes and she never deviated from green.
Guess what's new in the engine bay? Regulator and starter (which I installed last week).
I figured the old regulator was overcharging so much that it was causing my headlights to blow from too much current or a spike. The last time one blew (at the Georgia Steel Soldiers rally in October) - it was the passenger side. I felt comfortable that the problem was solved, so I went ahead and installed one of my precious spare bulbs. I turned the lights on and the new one didn't blow, so it's good for now! _________________ Matt
1953 M38a1
1964 USMC M38a1
'51 USMC M100 trailer, '54 M100 trailer, '90 M101a1 trailer
Http://wilfreeman.wordpress.com (M38a1 build blog)
http://m38a1usmc.wordpress.com (USMC M38a1 rebuild blog)
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum