Voltage regulator?

Tony Radford · #1 (**permalink**) 10-08-2011, 06:10 PM

Wife and I went on a hour or so long cruise today. Before we got back to the house, she died while cruising 45 mph down the road. Died like I'd turned off the ignition. I turned the key off and back on and she fired back up for a few seconds and then died for good. Had her towed home and pulled the battery. It was dead as a doornail, but checks out fine. I'm running a one-wire GM style alternator with internal regulator. I'm presuming it's probably not serviceable. Alternator is not very old. Sound like a likely scenario?

ReMorton · #2 (**permalink**) 10-08-2011, 07:02 PM

"Wife and I went on a hour or so long cruise today. Before we got back to the house, she died while cruising 45 mph down the road. Died like I'd turned off the ignition"

...deeply sorry for your loss...

ReMorton · #3 (**permalink**) 10-08-2011, 07:03 PM

"Wife and I went on a hour or so long cruise today. Before we got back to the house, she died while cruising 45 mph down the road. Died like I'd turned off the ignition"

...deeply sorry for your loss...

Barnsnake · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2011, 07:13 PM

Please clarify what, " dead as a doornail, but checks out fine" means.
Was the battery dead, discharged, fully charged? The statement is contradictory.

Tony Radford · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2011, 05:56 AM

I had the battery tested and it was completely dead. After a quick charge, it checked out as fine - meaning the battery in OK. I put it back in the car with a partial charge and she fired right up. I'm pretty confident that it's not charging. But it seems strange that she fired right up (spun over quickly) and in less than an hour of steady driving the charge was sucked dry.

Bill Bess · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2011, 06:25 AM

Tony, first question 1) Is it charging on the voltmeter ? =no, then it is probably the alternator, the regulator is built in on the one wire type. 2 ) Could be a short in the battery = do a load test on the battery. 3) Check the coil, it might be going bad.
Good luck, Bill

Tony Radford · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2011, 06:42 AM

Bill, she took a full charge over night. I fired her up briefly when I first re-installed the battery last night and the ammeter was reading zero. What I find strange (and it could be attributed to technical ignorance) is that when I first detected she was dead, I turned off the key and turned it on again. For a brief instant, she fired up and ran for a couple of seconds. That worked twice and then nothing. Can a defective coil drain a battery? If the regulator failed, would a battery completely drain in a matter of minutes? I'll fire her up a little later when the neighbors are awake (most of them anyway) and see if the ammeter reads anything with the charger disconnected. If it's still zero, I guess I'll pull the alternator and send it back to the manufacturer.

Tony Radford · #8 (**permalink**) 10-09-2011, 07:10 AM

During my due-diligence this morning, I've learned some interesting things. Most importantly, it's a bad idea to jump start a car with a dead battery and drive it on the alternator - especially if it's a high output alternator. I left my running lights on a week or so ago and drained the battery. I jumped it off and by the time I got home (40 minute ride), everything seemed fine. According to one alternator site I visited, this can cause permanent damage to the alternator's charging ability. Seems coincidental that this would occur, so I'm leaning towards that as the likely cause. Damn - learn something every day! For me, it's usually an expensive lesson.

DSM351 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-09-2011, 08:12 AM

It doesn't have to be too expensive, here is a good info site:
1 Wire Alternator Tech Page

Common Repair parts kit:
SE590 Self Exciting (One Wire) Conversion & Repair Kit for 10Si Series Alternators

If you have a Ford, Jegs has new replacement 1 wire alternators for less than $100.
JEGS Performance Products 10127 JEGS 1-Wire Ford Alternators

If you have a Chevy those are even easier.
Good luck, I used to rebuild those all the time back in the 70s and 80s, not hard at all.

PDUB · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2011, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Radford

Wife and I went on a hour or so long cruise today. Before we got back to the house, she died while cruising 45 mph down the road. I turned the key off and back on and she fired back up for a few seconds and then died for good. Had her towed home and pulled the battery.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Radford

I had the battery tested and it was completely dead.

Wow! Wife and battery on the same trip! Bad luck...

Gaz64 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-11-2011, 12:50 AM

Ammeter was reading zero?

Does the ammeter work?

If the alternator isn't charging, the ammeter would be reading on the negative side (showing discharge from the battery, car using amps from the battery).

Personally, ammeters are an idiot gauge. A Voltmeter tells all you need to know without the extra heavy wiring and fire risk.