Voltage problem. Please help!

Hi everyone, I'm new to the site but been lurking. I have a problem with my 1969 cj5 willys with the 225 dauntless. I bought a new alternator, batt and voltage regulator but it looks like the alternator is just charging my batt to about 11v. Would it be a wiring problem?

 

Could be a bad ground. That would be the first thing I would check.

 

Possibly. A bad connection might be fooling the alternator/regulator.

Are you sure about your voltmeter reading accurately?

Is the drive belt tight?

 

Yeah, we've good ground. We checked the connections and everything seams to be right. Does the alternator wire up to the starter?

 

Need more info.... What charging system did you have before and what did you replace it with? There are many types of systems that can be installed such as autolite, Delco, Motorola, etc etc.

 

^ Before replacing I had the stock system with Motorola regulator and Motorola alternator. I replaced thm with
Alternator
[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]

• Part Number: NAE 67091
• Product Line: NAPA Pro Series Electrical
• IMPORTANT INFO: w/ 35 Amp Alternator;w/o Air Conditioning;Motorola Type

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


voltage regulator
[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]

• Part Number: ECH VR1003
• Product Line: Echlin Ignition Parts
• IMPORTANT INFO: Motorola Type

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

Strange but my search NAPA NAE 67091 sez no such thing? Shoot us a picture of how you have the wires connected on the back of the alternator. The BAT terminal on the back of the alt has a heavy wire from it to either the big stud on the starter with the positive battery cable or directly to the positive cable at the battery post. That is if you are not running an ammeter.

 

Ive got the positive directly to the battery.

 

All "new" stuff makes me nervous. Quality control is non-existant on many items these days.

Check your battery by swapping in a "known good" unit?

 

Looks good so next step is to trouble shoot what you have. Test these with ignition "OFF".

1= Fan belt tight? If you can turn the alt fan by hand then it is too loose.

2= 12+volts at battery terminals. Big stud at alt should read same as battery 12+volts.

If above is good then turn ignition "ON" and check for voltage at the FLD terminal (connection at brown plate).
If you have a point type distributor then remove the wire going to the + terminal on the coil.

3= Should have voltage present at field terminal. (varies depending on regulator manufacture).

4= Red light on dash cluster (GEN) or (ALT) should be fairly bright (eng not running).

Make sure the terminals at the regulator plug-in are real clean.

 

check your voltages at eh battery with the engine running. use a voltmeter to make sure the gauge you're reading is not faulty.

 

^ Thank you all. Took the battery in today to get tested and it's bad. It's only charging up to 10v. Pep boys had given me the wrong batt so they changed it out for the right one(the one they had given me was way too small). The connections to the reg are corroded, next step is to clean them up and see what voltage I get. I'll give you guys an update as soon as I finish.

 

what the hell? a new battery thats bad.?!

 

Like I said.... I'm always suspicious of "new" parts first.

 

Yeah, it was weird. The batt would only charge up to 10v after having it on the batt charger for about 8 hours on 2amp charge.

 

It probably sulfated sitting on the shelf. Used to be a big issue when batteries sat on the shelf too long without being charged.


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Just put in the new batt and cleaned up the regulator wires. It is now giving me 11v when turned to accessories and 12v when driving... I had the alternator tested and it's working good and the belt is on tight.

 

I would expect 13 to 14 volts at normal driving. Is your voltmeter precise?

 

^ That's what I'm thinking...

 

Should the voltmeter be wired to this?