charging system question

[RH62]

I got a new/used alternator and now my guage reads in the positive, but it seems rather high.... usually i thought at idlethe guage rode about in the middle. i took voltage readings at the battery and at i slightly high idle it was reading 14.5volts and when i rev up to about 2000rpms it goes up to about 17.5volts.
Is that normal or is it a voltage regulator issue?

 

[prhousejr]

hmmm. mine rides a little above the middle on a stock gauge when running, and when I rev or going down road it may ride a little higher,but I would think 17.5 is a little high though.....

 

[RH62]

with the car off the battery is at 12.5 volts, so its gotta good charge.
i noticed the blinkers go kinda fast i thought maybe there was a some bulbs out or something but now that im troubleshooting the charging system im wondering if thats related.

 

[1badstroker]

sounds like a regulator problem to me.

 

[RH62]

maybe ill just try replacing it... i think you can get voltage regulators from kragens.

 

[RH62]

did the trick... now im about 14.5 volts steady.... i havent checked the blinkers yet but ill try them later.
It only took me replacing the battery, alternator, and voltage regulator.... :no:
Well at least the gauge was good...

 

[prhousejr]

why the alt. & bat. ? Were they bad too??

 

[djwhog]

Maybe the battery had high resistance driving the voltage up?

 

[RH62]

the battery was a junk one that was given to me when i bought the car... never held a charge...
Changed the alt because there was no charging at all at first.
then changed the voltage reg because it was charging too much...
My car was pretty much a basket case... it was sitting in a field for many years until the guy i bought it from purchased it then he let it sit in his lot for a number of years until he finally decided to clear out his projects. So pretty much everything is bad. It has turned into way more of a project then i really wanted but im finally starting to make some headway at getting it operational.
I was looking at the pictures and cant believe ive owned it for two years now and im just now starting to work on it. Ive had some health issues and really want to get it going now, my kids cant wait to ride in it!

 

[1badstroker]

Glad to see the regulator did the job.