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I have noticed twice following an hourlong drive at highway speeds that my v.r Is pretty hot to the touch. Shorter trips okay. I checked and it is functioning at about 12.4. Volts. I burned up a battery last year when the previous one failed and over charged it.' Is it normal to be pretty warm to the touch? We are in South Texas and weather was in high 80's.

On my '40, I bought the highest quality voltage regulator available last year. My dual Optima battery setup is now 5+ years old and would not fully recharge on my plug-in charger with the car sitting. The batteries charged up to a point, but the light on the charger wouldn't turn green indicating fully charged.

The voltage regulator, which was literally in the last days of its warranty, is being graciously replaced by Brillman. I say graciously because the VR failed because modern gel batteries, if not kept charged, demand more from the generator than the original acid batteries and can cause the top contacts of the VR to fuse.

Note the whitish color of the top contact plate and the dark color of the top copper winding vs. the middle coil.

I noticed this because after driving 50 miles, I left the car parked for 3 hours and when I returned, both Optimas were dead. I'd left nothing on. No lights or heaters or anything that could cause the system to discharge, but there it was. The ammeter pointing to full Discharge without the the key on. I carry cables and jumped the car to start and drove back home 50 miles. The car was discharging when I shut it off, so I switched off the battery and went to bed.

In the morning I took the cover off the VR and the top contact was cooked. I tapped it and cleaned the contacts. Reconnected the battery and no discharge.
But almost every time I drove it after that, the contacts would stick and try to discharge the battery, so I simply tap the cover of the VR and the contacts separate back to normal. I contacted Brillman and one of their techs explained the problem and its source. I just got new Optimas which can be fully charged. When the new VR arrives, I'll install that and be sure the new Optimas are fully green light charged.

This problem does not occur if the generator is replaced with an alternator, which can handle the demands of modern batteries and eliminates the VR altogether.

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Joe, from what I've read I wonder if your problems weren't the result of the two Optima batteries not being what might be called a "matched set". Apparently dual gel batteries when installed in parallel are susceptible to charging problems unless well-matched.

The one reply so far does not help me with my concern for our 55 Custom 12 volt positive gr with the Delco electrical system. I am concerned because the previous unit overcharged and destroyed a battery. The trip I described was also made by our 48 six volt and that VR was cool to the touch. Granted, it is on the firewall and much further away from heat sources than the one on our 55. ( which is right next to the radiator). Someone please check their vr after a trip. I may just be worrying about nothing as the temp that day was in the 80's.

I suggest monitoring your charge voltage to see that it is correct at about 14 volts when engine speed is above idle. 12.4 is too low for engine speeds above idle. (But ok at idle)
They sell a gauge you can just stick in your cigarette lighter and it shows voltage. Not certain it will work with positive ground, but it could also be handy in your daily driver if not in your packard.