Re: Mike's 53 Clipper

Posted by HH56 On 2017/8/21 11:23:47

Fluctuating instruments is usually a sign the regulator is acting up but it could also be a poor ground to the cluster and regulator. The output may be difficult to measure with a typical VOM as it is not a constant voltage but rather a pulsing 6 or 12v. There is a heater which works a bimetal strip. When contacts close you have voltage out and when open, 0v or ground. Depending on the load of the gauges, the frequency of the on/off gives an average output of 5v. If the meter is slow to respond or has a poor averaging capability it may never finish the analog to digital conversion before the off cycle of the regulator comes in.

Some Fords used the same regulator and there are also modern solid state replacements.

Here is what the output looks like on a 12v system. 6v is similar but the on period is longer since it doesn't need to chop as much.

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