I own a old chrysler carvel boat with a slant six engine. The motor runs like a top, but the charging system has been giving me some problems for awhile. Started about 2 years ago the battery was'nt getting the voltage to charge...I had the alernator tested and it came back good...changed the old relay type regulator and it worked...the same problem has reoccured this year...of course my solution (under fire) (in the middle of the lake) was to short the alternator directly to the battery...this worked but i want to fix it the right. I thought of getting a electronic regulator but will it work properly, and how whould i wire it in.

Greetings, there.

There's almost certainly an electronic regulator that'll work for you, but boat charging systems are usually different to passenger car systems, so I hesitate to recommend a regulator without knowing what you're starting with. Can you tell us exactly which regulator you bought? Or maybe supply a photo? How many hours does this alternator have on it?

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

not sure about the difference but it has two coils on the back and a black rectangular cap about 2"X 4". the original motor blew up out there and i mean blow one of the cranks made it out the side of the block! I have since found a engine that a farmer was keeping in storage in a barn from his old reliable combines that he had a long time ago. brush of the dust a put it in the boat it has worked great except for this. The alternator was the one that was on the old motor that blew up so i'm not sure how many hours except the year 1969. I bought the boat from a old guy that let the boat sit for about 21 years.

In order to recommend a regulator compatible with your existing alternator, more info is needed. Your physical description applies to numerous different regulators that are not all interchangeable. It's possible your boat uses a standard 1969 Chrysler charging system, or it may use a Prestolite system, or something else.

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

I think it's standard, i went to the parts store today and the guy pulled a mechanical one out to compare and it looked exactly the same, could the regulator be blowing because to much draw from the alternator?

Still in the dark here...auto parts stores carry lots of different regulators. Again, it's possible your boat is using the same kind of regulator that was used on Chrysler passenger cars in 1969 (or some other year), but it's also possible some other (equally standard) automotive regulator is used. It is possible the regulator is failing due to excess alternator field current draw, but that usually welds the contact points together and causes the alternator to overcharge.

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

how would i know which one i have?
or did i put in the wrong one last year...

Well, let's try starting from the other end of things: Does the alternator look just like this?

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

yep it looks just like that

OK! Go to NAPA and get an Echlin VR-1001, or to a parts store that handles Standard/BlueStreak for a VR-128. Those are heavy-duty electronic regulators for that alternator system. They look different (no coils on the back, terminal on a wire instead of on the regulator base) but they will work correctly. Your alternator may well need new brushes, NAPA Echlin M400 or Standard-Bluestreak EX87. Take you 2 minutes to replace 'em.

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

Thanks alot... Do you know how many amps that alternator can push?

No way to know without testing your particular unit -- that style of alternator was made in versions from 30A to 60A.

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

Thanks again... nice web site if i every need any lights i know where to go.

Glad to help out. Be sure you have a good, solid, clean ground connection between the alternator housing and the base of the voltage regulator. Run a new ground wire if you need to.

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