Need some more info on electrical problems.

I put the new batteries in and my skid steer and it started on it's own today, however the electrical power is still lost after a while with both the lights and heater on together. Someone had suggested the voltage regulator could be the problem so I have a couple questions. Is the voltage regulator supposed to get warm? Would dirty connections to the wiring harness cause these problems? I talked with a mechanic and then an auto electric specialist. They both said a loose fan belt would cause the problem I'm having. They said if I can turn the fan on the alternator by hand, the belt is too loose. I will check that tomorrow. If the fan belt is tight enough(I tightened it a couple months ago), would the voltage regulator be the most logical thing to look at next? The auto electric guy said VR's rarely go bad but Thomas had some problems with them when they were new. I changed mine about 3 times but this last one has been in since the late 90's. Do they have points or contacts that wear out? Sorry for all the questions on this. Finding electrical faults is not my specialty. It does frustrate me though. When the power is lost, the alt. light doesn't come on which apparently means it's not an alternator problem. Thanks Dave

Get the multi-meter out and see what voltage you have when the lights go dim. Should hold around 14 or so... If it's less it could be a belt problem, regulator problem OR something drawing more than the alt can supply. Need a current clamp to figure that out.

Rod

Most voltage regulators from sometime in the late 60's to early 70's are solid state so no point to wear out like the older ones. Should not get hot but they can get warm. The idiot light comes on when it is not charging. Could be any number of problems.

You keep talking about the light and heater stop working, when this happens will it still crank and start? If it cranks and starts your problem is in the wiring to the lights and heater. If the batteries are dead then it's a charging problem. Cheap easy first if the batteries are dead. Check the belt as you were told. If that isn't the problem then it's the voltage regulator, wiring or the alternator. You can take both off and have them bench tested. Do you know for sure that the VR is separate or is it an internal regulator inside the alternator? If you have an internal regulator it can be in the wiring. An alternator has to have electricity flowing to it to excite it. The VR controls the output of the alternator by controling the exciter wire voltage. If that wire is bad it will not flow enough electricity to have the proper charge. Remember that an alternator only produces electricty on demand.

The voltage check to charging voltage is a must. Will tell you if system is charging or stops charging. Belt tension, tight, if loose generator starts slipping and slips more as load increases and belt heats up and belt stretches. Old delco regulator has built in resistors which will get warm because they constant current flowing thru them during charging cycle. Wiring, if you machine has the old bolt type twiring terminal blocks, rust can build up at these connection and poor contacts with the wire spade ends and and wire contacts at the spade crimps. The same problems and he wire connections at the light switches. If you have to work on the wiring connections, disconnect battery lead for a short to ground can fry some wiring. Bob

It is for sure an external, seperate voltage regulator. One of the old batteries had a crack around the + post and made the post a little loose. I replaced the batteries because they were quite old anyway. I thought that might cure my problem but it's still there. I can check voltages and will see if it cranks when the acc. power goes out. Dave

It doesn't crank when it acts up. After about 30 seconds it will crank if I shut the lights and heater off. I think I have the problem narrowed down to a circuit protector/breaker or a sticking brush in the the alt. from oil or dirt. The alt. volts jump around when it acts up but everything works normal when it doesn't lose electrical power. Dave

Dave...next time it acts up try wiggling your key switch and see if it straightens out for awhile...i still think its in your ign switch or a breaker somewhere.

If I read this right, You are walking all around your problem with out ackowledging what you observe. THAT LOOSE BATTERY TERMINAL IS DRIVING THE WHOLE SYSTEM NUTS.Repace that battery. More than one alt has been destroyed by loose connections.