Do I need a voltage regulator?

[Jmalone]

I have a 2000 Ford 64 Model I think..12 volt..running a Chevy Alt. This thing is charging so much the battery is super hot..its actually boiling over. I thought these alternators had built in regulators? Do i need to install a regulator? Also, My voltage guage doesnt work....It has a new guage in it, but it isn't wired up....What wires do I need to run and where?

 

[Diamondpilot]

If its a modern 10SI or 12SI GM alternator it should not need one. I would take both the battery and the alternator into the nearest parts store and have them checked out. My guess is the alternator is bad. A new rebuilt 10SI should be about $60.

As for the wiring if its a single wire alternator it should go to the positive post on the battery. Same thing with the voltage gauge. The gauge will also need a ground.

This brings up 2 more thoughts. Is the battery a 12 volt or 6 volt? It should be 12 Volt. Also, the tractor should be wired negative ground if running a alternator. I know my Ford 861 was positive ground but I had to switch it all around to negative ground when I did a 12 volt conversion from 6 volt with a 10SI alternator.

Chris

 

[Jmalone]

Yeah, it has a 12 volt battery and a one wire GM alt. But after about 1-2 hours of use depending on the RPMS, the battery smells of sulfur, and I can literally see it leaking over, and hear it boiling...of course pulling the neg just makes the tractor die after about 2-3 minutes..

 

[Jmalone]

also, I can just hook up the guage from running one wire to the POS and one to the NEg on the 12V battery?

 

[Diamondpilot]

If you are boiling the battery that quick and it dies in 1-2 minutes after boiling over I think your battery is bad. A tractor should run for hours if not days on a battery even with no alternator. Older Tractors unlike cars really only use the battery to start the machine and keep the ignition going. Well I guess that is true for older cars also. But like I said I would take them both into the parts store to have them checked. I would hate for you to buy a new battery and ruining it also.

As for the gauge, a wire to the positive and one to ground should take care of it. I would ground it to the chassis of the tractor.

Chris

 

[CharlieS]

for the voltmeter, connect the + side of the meter to the run terminal of the ignition switch, and a good ground on the - side of the meter, that way the meter isnt drawing current no matter how slight all the time. If you run a direct connection to the battery unfused, its always a potential to rub through the wire eventually creating a short and causing a fire.

 

[jbarker855]

If you find your battery is bad, don't think that is necessarily your only problem. A faulty alternator (bad internal regulator) could ruin a battery. You don't want to mess up another battery. Put a handheld voltmeter on your battery. These can be had from Harbor Freight for $3. If voltage is much above 14, you may have a bad voltage regulator. I forget the exact number of normal voltage...13.7, 14.2? Certainly 15 volts or above is a problem.
-Jay

 

[Soundguy]

pulling negative? man.. tht's harsh.. pulling the gound of fthe battery.. now the alt is stuck with voltae spikes due to such low loads that intermittantly open (open)

fastest way I know to kill an alt is to install it reverse polarity. next fastest way I know to kil lthem is to remove a bat cable with them running.

take the alt and battery to the store for a check. if the alt is bad, get a CHEAPER 3 wire 10 si. wire the #2 spade to the charge stud, wire the #1 spade to the lil dash lapmp which comes on when the key is turned on. wire charge stud to hot side of solenoid.

if you have a volt gauge, wire one side to chassie, and the other side to the key switch where the primary wire to the coil is hooked. ie.. neg on gauge to chassie.. + to switched side of key.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

14.4 is a common charge rate for a gm alt.. but you can get 14.7 too. I'd call anything above 14.75 at the battery excessive.

soundguy

 

[Jmalone]

got it fixed..took it to a rebuilder. He repaired the bad regulator in 30 min. charged me 25 bucks...sweet deal!:thumbsup::laughing::thumbsup::laughing:

 

[Soundguy]

did they set it back up as 1 wire or 3 wire. Even if 1 wire.. many will work as 3 wire.. which is what I'd set it up as.

Oh.. and don't pull any bat cables off to test it.. hard on the alt.

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

Glad you got if fixed. I would plan on a new battery in the near future. You may get lucky but I would think that one is shot after what its been through.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. I'd check the sells with a specific gravity gauge.. if it's not good replace it.. or it can kill the new alt