While driving I had an electrical meltdown under the dash which I think was started when the harness coming through at the bulkhead connector shorted against the stud holding the rear of the steering column. I replaced all the damaged wires but chased an electrical gremlin for months as the charging system would go full tilt at random. I thought I found the problem in an intermittent connection for the voltage regulator as it seemed that the regulator connector had become faulty. I installed a new connector and things seemed fine for a while, but then this full tilt charge scenario reared it's head again. Could the replacement alternator be causing the intermittent full charge condition?

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Lovin' my buzzin' half-dozen

Bad regulator ground and/or faulty regulator.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

A bad regulator ground will cause a "no charge" condition. Could be a faulty regulator. What year vehicle? It is possible for a faulty alternator to be the cause of a " full charge" condition, if it is the late style alternator with two field connections. If the terminal, that does not have 12 volts is shorted to ground, internally, it will full field the alternator.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

…Or, depending on the type of regulator, a full-field situation. Been there, seen that.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Possibly on the early systems (don't remember, Will have to look at my 65 Valiant, it still has the early system), but not on the later style Mopar systems, with the "Triangular" plug on the regulator. That system will not charge at all, with a bad ground, unless the regulator has an internal short.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

had the same issue with my 84 pickup, i had to slightly crimp the metal terminals in new connector to get a good connection at the regulator. and cleaned the pins on the regulator.

luckily, i only cooked a few light bulbs. went through a few different regulators before i found the problem. ended up back with the original (26yr old) regulator to get proper charging.

andy.

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84 D100 /6 long rod 225
86 D100 /6 my sons w/offy intake/weber carb
2016 buick regal turbo

with the electronic ignition from a 72 installed and uses the electronic triangular plug voltage regulator. (and an alternator with 2 field wires)

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Lovin' my buzzin' half-dozen

You may have a wire with broken insulation rubbing against a ground. Since the electronic regulator is in the "ground leg" of the circuit, if this wire shorts to ground, it will give a "full on" condition.

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Chuck Rivers, Webmaster

Check the washer under the screw that holds the brushes, it maybe shorting.

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Yup. On the pre-'70 systems.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

A bad connection CAN cause an overcharge on the 72-up electronic requlator systems. The regulator adjusts the field ground (green wire) in order to maintain the set point (about 14.0-14.5V) at the voltage sense (blue wire). If there is a voltage drop on the ignition + circuit of say, 2 volts, the regulator jacks up the alternator output until it sees 14-14.5 V at its blue wire (It doesn't know that this is cooking everything else at 16 V.)

So you need to test the voltage at the regulator while it's overcharging. If regulator voltage is good while the battery/ system os way high, the you have to find the voltage drop. Could be a bad splice, buklhead connector, ignition switch, or a ground side fault.

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63 Valiant Wagon
225 - 4 bbl

I totally agree. I was stating that a bad regular "GROUND" would not cause over charge. If the regulator case is not grounded, it can't ground the green wire.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225