Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I posted a little bit in my generator polarity thread, but I figured for the convenience of others searching for this info a separate thread would be better.

Anyways, here's my problem. I got a new voltage regulator from my local parts store. Its a BWD 1115. I installed the first one and it didn't work at all, so I traded it in for a different one, installed it, still no go. So I figured it needed to be adjusted. This is where my problem developed. When adjusted to the manual specs (which give specs for air gap between the coil winding and the armature the the voltage and current regulators, not the point gap??) it just looks wrong. The air gap for the voltage control, the far right coil when the terminals are facing you (as per the photo in the manual) I adjusted to .075" between the armature and winding core. With this setting the point gad is HUGE! So big, in fact, that the spring can even hold it closed. So what do I do here? What should I set all the gaps to??? The instruction sheet that came with the regulator only outline polarizing the system, and mention nothing about adjustments.

I figured out I just needed to bend them around to get the proper tension.... Put back in the car, works like a champ. Around 6.5 at idle, good 7.2ish at 1000rpm+. So for those of you with aftermarket rugulators, some of 'em need to be bent to adjust properly. There you have it Now I can breath easy while night driving.

Ok, so it has been charging fine for a while after the new regulator. Recently, it wouldn't charge until I drove the car for about 15 minutes, and then would start to charge (lights would be dim, horn wouldn't work, then when the charging system kicks in everything gets brighter). Now, sometimes it won't charge at all even after a 30 minute drive. I've been stranded with a dead battery twice now!! The generator still charges fine when the regulator is bypassed. Any thoughts on this???

I have an old NOS Allstate regulator I am going to try. It has a different mounting pattern, so I'm going to make an aluminum adapter plate to avoid drilling new holes in the firewall.....

You might find some old shop that does alternators and generator service. You can give them your gen and regulator, or buy a new regulator from them for ~50 bucks, and they should have a bench where they can test run your gen and regulator as a system. They will know how to bend and gap everything to get the right cut off and on voltages.
Sorry I can't be of more help, but sometimes giving the parts to an expert is worth the time/cost.

I don't know what your problem is, let me just say that in 50 years of servicing vintage cars I've NEVER found it necessary to adjust a new voltage regulator as bought. Shop manuals typically give detailed instructions of adjustments of the OEM regulators, how these might apply to an aftermarket unit is unknown to me. Are you sure your problem isn't elsewhere? In the regulator you bought the correct one for your generator? For most Packards post 1936 you can get correctly matched regulators from Echlin/NAPA.

There is a gent who is on this forum who does generator rebuilds. I got parts from him and did my own.

It all started when the aftermarket regulator in my 54 Cavalier failed.

I first bought an old stock unit on EBAY which works fine then I ended up buying an original new old stock regulator (Delco-Remy) from the gent.

Both regulators I had to burnish the voltage relay contacts before it would work, like some kind of oxidation.

I did learn the contact material is different in a Pos ground vs a Neg ground unit.

My generator is rated at 45 Amps and the old after market seemed to have to light duty contacts in the cutout relay which actually welded shut and left the generator connected to the battery, which may have led to the failure of the commutator in the generator.

The whole story is in a thread on here about november of 2012.

Jim

Thanks for the replies! Somebody suggested that if I adjusted the regulator on a hot day it would explain why I'm having problem on colder nights. But anyways, I am going to take my gen and VR to a shop to have tested. I know I've seen an old industrial electric place near by, I might swing in there and see if they could help.

Called a few shops in town, nobody I found in the phone book will adjust it for me, but one guy told me to add a ground strap/wire to the regulator since the only ground is through the mounting screws. He described it like a loose taillight socket; sometimes you might hit a bump just right and it makes good contact, sometimes it looses contact... Makes sense to me. Can anyone on here back this up? Or better yet, does anybody know a place in Sacramento that will bench test my Gen/VR?

The regulators usually have a metal strap that connects ground around one of the mounting screws.

There should be a wire in the harness from the frame of the regulator to the generator for ground.

Some regulators have adjustments for the voltage and amperage relays. Some have slots in the contact mounting so they slide some you have to bend.

The better regulators have temperature compensation that cuts the charge voltage in hot weather to prevent boiling the battery. in cold weather it can be about 7.5 volts but as it warms up it will drop to 6.5.

Use an accurate voltmeter. The voltage relay points vibrate continuously so be careful if you tinker.

Some can change a little by just removing the cover.

Jim

I don't know what the deal is with this thing... It was adjusted perfect for about a month!!! I found the ground wire you speak of... ran new wires for everything, cleaned and tightened all terminals, tried more and less pressure on the spring..... Nothing. Just nothing, no difference whatsoever. I'll send my address and buy a case of beer if anybody close to Sacramento wants to come get thing working!!!! Seriously, I'm almost to the point of lighting this sucker on fire....