Thread: Chargeing system help

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Hey guys need some help BAD with a problem on a 66 t-bird.

Heres the problem.

The chargeing system was not chargeing the when i finished restoring the car at the end of last year so i figured it was an alt. problem so i'm getting the car ready for a show and for the woodward dream cruise right now so i just picked the alt. up from being rebuilt. The alt. was rebuilt and tested so it should be good,well after installing it today it is still not charging when its running.

I replaced the alt. the voltage reg,made sure the ground from the alt. was clean and grounded.

I have power from the main power wire going to the alt. and the power wire going to the voltage reg. but the problem is there is no power in the white field wire at all.

The electrical system of cars is one thing i admit i have NO clue as to what to do besides the basics so ANY help is very welcome.
I'm trying to get the car ready for a show this saterday and for the dream cruise in less than 2 weeks so anybody has any thought of what to try next let me know...i'm stummped!!!

thanks
BG

If ALL the electrical components are good, I would think it has to be a wiring problem?? Is there a good ground from the engine to the frame and/or - post of the battery??


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I don't get much of a charge out of workin' on electrical stuff eeeeder'. He HE EH

hey Pro

yup the ground from the batt and from the wireing harness that gos to the alt are both good,i just took them off and cleaned the ground and the spot on the frame.

BG

Do you have an amp guage or volt guage?

Originally posted by BlownGoat
hey Pro

yup the ground from the batt and from the wireing harness that gos to the alt are both good,i just took them off and cleaned the ground and the spot on the frame.

BG

BG
Maybe somebody else has an idea? Got continuity through all the wires, maybe ones broke under the insulation?? Probably not the case, but you've pretty well tapped my electrical knowledge already. I would probably trace all the wires that are supposed to have power (and don't ) back-back-back til I found power or a component that had power. If that didn't work I'd sleep on it and try again tomorrow. If that didn't work I'd get out the BIG hammer.



How's the Goat comin' along by the way?????

NTFDAY it use to have a amp gauge but now has a volt gauge.
a guy i just spoke with said for me to make sure that who ever took the amp gauge out spliced the wires together under the dash because that could cause a open circut if they arent and might be the problem.i'm gonna check that in the morning.

Pro

man not good at the momment...i just returned from vacation about 2 weeks ago and was greeted with work telling me that they were letting me go after 8 years of work. hey said lack of work and having to make cuts....real reason i think is i was making the highest of anyone in the shop and they are looking to save a few bucks for there pockets if ya ask me.

So i have time to work on it but money is very thin till i get back to work.

BG

NTFDAY i just sent ya a email back let me know that you get it because the first 2 times it got returned back to me for some reason.

Kinda sounds like a Generator that needs to be polarized

Originally posted by BlownGoat


man not good at the momment...i just returned from vacation about 2 weeks ago and was greeted with work telling me that they were letting me go after 8 years of work. hey said lack of work and having to make cuts....real reason i think is i was making the highest of anyone in the shop and they are looking to save a few bucks for there pockets if ya ask me.

So i have time to work on it but money is very thin till i get back to work.

BG

That bites. My wife lost her job @ a plastics manufacturing plant HR dept. after 15 yrs. They had been downsizing the last few years and she survived em' all til this last cut when they locked the doors. She found another job @ less than 1/2 what she was makin' and twice as far away. She's still lookin' for something closer but jobs are tight right now. Fortunately I'm busy so we're O.K. Sure throws a wrench in the plans tho.

Yeah sure dose ..but i'll be ok till i find something else just have to be a little wiser with the cash untill then,but the goat will still be on the road in the spring even if i have to get 2 lower paying jobs to do it. gotta do what ya gotta do ya know.

BG

Blown Goat,

If it used to have an amp guage in it, definitely check to make sure that the wires were spliced together when it was removed. The reason is that an Amp meter has to be connected in series, (like a light switch) so if it is removed, the circuit is essentially cut, just like if you removed a light switch. It is connected this way so that it can measure the current flowing THROUGH the circuit. A volt meter is connected in parallel and measures voltage ACROSS the circuit. So the bottom line is that you can remove a volt meter without causing an open circuit; but, you can't remove an ammeter without leaving an open circuit that needs to be repaired.

Good Luck with the T Bird, and I'm sorry to hear about the job. I hope you have good luck landing a better one real quick.

Cheers,
Firechicken

Tech & Goat Must be old age, I had two of the letters reversed.

Goat An amp guage is internal to the system and if it was removed and the wires not properly spliced together it will definitely cause your problem as the system will be open (No current flow or voltage path). Also the regulator has to be grounded so the internal coil has a path. Hope this helps.
Ken

That helps alot guys because i never would have thought of that myself and when the guy that mentioned that amp meter causeing the open circut it made sence to me but it makes it sound very possiably the cause to hear some of you guys say the same thing!

I will be checking to see if that is the prob and splicing them together if there not and let you know if that gets it charging tommorow.

Thanks!

BG

Hi,
If you have not solved the charging system problem, I’ll try to help out. After looking over wiring diagrams for the alternator circuits. I think I have a few things for you to check. I hope I don’t give bad info.

The early model circuits with an ammeter is as follows
I terminal of the regulator is not used.
A+ terminal of regulator is connected to the battery terminal of starter relay.
S terminal of regulator is connected to the ignition terminal of the ignition switch; the switch is feed from a shunt style ammeter that is in series of the battery feed to the alternator
Ground should be common between the alternator and the regulator.
Seeing the ammeter has been removed just connecting the two ends together should not cause the system to start working.


The wiring should be put into a warning lamp configuration.
I terminal of regulator connect to a 15ohm load (Lamp, make sure your lamp is in working order) and continue to the ignition switch (ACC side).
A+ terminal of the regulator connects to the battery terminal of starter relay.
S terminal of regulator connects to STA of alternator.
F terminal of regulator connects to Field terminal of alternator.
Ground should be common between the alternator and regulator.

I hope this helps you

Sorry I omitted the field wirng in the ammeter circuit. should be F terminal of regulator to field terminal of alternator.