Re: Voltage Regulator and Generator Troubleshooting Help

Posted by HH56 On 2016/4/9 19:29:31

I would suggest you have the regulator ground screw or case connected to the generator ground screw so the regulator is seeing the exact voltage in relation to ground that the generator is seeing. Since you have the regulator out on the fender you can pick the ground up at the mounting screw at the headlight terminal block where the wire from generator ground joins the wire continuing on to regulator.

Even though the battery pos terminal post is grounded, not sure if that same voltage reference to the generator would be the case if you have the regulator connected directly to battery positive. The generator is going thru mounts etc so there may be a bit of voltage drop. It may not be enough to make a difference but since the system was designed to have a direct ground I would try to duplicate as much as possible.

I doubt it is your problem but I remember one poster had fought all kinds of strange and intermittent charging problems over a long period of time. Turned out one of the terminals on his ammeter was loose. Wouldn't hurt to look. The 18 volts almost sounds like there was no load. I wonder if that voltage and the way it was applied was high enough to burn out one of the coils in the regulators and the reason neither functions now.