Voltage regulator

[steve from staten island]

I have a stock distributor with a Petronix replacing the points. I read were i should replace the voltage regulator with a solid state one. Is this true? Everything is new on this car, wiring alternator Voltage regulator, everything is tight and clean. When i start it especially after a day or two the amp meter is swinging back and forth from the middle to the full charge side. The interior lights flicker slightly. Then after a couple of minutes the gage settles down and all seems ok. The voltage regulator is a Chinese knock off I'm sure of that. Should i replace it. What are any thoughts and thank you for the help

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

I would think as long as it gets a clean 12V you are good first time I heard of this.

 

[70Bronco]

I would think as long as it gets a clean 12V you are good first time I heard of this.

Like he said, if you're getting 12 volts, you're good.
I have a '70 Bronco that had a special wire that reduced the voltage from 12 to 6 and when installing a Pertronix system, you have to replace that wire with one that will give the full 12 volts--not the case with a MOPAR, though.
Your amp meter and lights flickering could be the result of something else (maybe a loose connection between the firewall and dash?)--I didn't experience those issues with my Ford Pertronix install.

 

[Rick62]

Make sure your VR is well grounded. I have a ground strap between my block and my VR. If your battery ground cable is a single cable going to the engine block you also need a ground strap from the block to the chassis.

 

[Hemi 354]

I use a VR-706 in mine. Works like a champ.

 

[Ranger16]

Same here. My old mechanical (OEM) regulator was overcharging and I replaced it with a Wells VR-706. Problem solved.

 

[threewood]

Call Pertronix and find out for the rest of us

I have a Pertronix II and a Pertronix III in seperate vehicles and both have the solid state VRs. I do know they work without issue, ballast resistors were eliminated as well.

 

[steve from staten island]

So i hooked up my new Wells VR and the charging system was not working at all. I then replaced that VR with the old one which was on the car when i got it and the charging system worked perfectly. Charging as it should under light and heavy load. The old one was solid state. The first one i bought before the Wells was the points type and this is the one that was not charging as it should and had the needle on the amp gauge jumping around. Now it does not do that and the lights are not flickering. The Well VR that i bought, i took off the cover and found the board partially corroded and the inside of the cover had some rust spots. This was a brand new VR in the box. I have contacted the vendor but either way problem solved and thats always a good thing