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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

O.T. Dodge Pickup

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molinebob

11-10-2007 20:14:59




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I have a 1985 dodge pickup that keeps eating voltage regulators, put one on last night burnt up this morning, any Idea what would cause this, IT has the 318 CI gas engine in it, I had to run 2 battries in it so it would keep up to the stereo, But when I put the new one on last night I never turned the stereo on so I know that that is not the problem, batteries are hooked from positve to positve with one going to the starter and both grounds going to the block, I think that they are hooked up right. I dont know what else to try??? thanks for any help!!

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Help needed

11-13-2007 10:15:59




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to molinebob, 11-10-2007 20:14:59  
Could it be possible that the electricity used to excite the alternator is somehow wired through BR?



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T_Bone

11-11-2007 13:54:27




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to molinebob, 11-10-2007 20:14:59  
third party image

Hi Bob,

If dodge is still using a ballast resistor, I would check that. I check them by replacing the resistor as there cheap and I always carried a spare. Usually a no start complaint.

On battery's: Thru my past 35yrs of RV boondock camping, I learned that not all parralle connections are created equal.

I found that runiing Bat#2 positive to Bat#1 positive then Bat#1 to source then Bat#1 negitive to Bat#2 then engine negitive to Bat#2, makes the battery's run "in balance".

"In Balance" meaning that both battiers charge/discharge equaly.

See the attached drawing. "DWG Y" is a "in balance" condition.

Connection "DWG X" runs in a "out of balance" state.

"out of balance" meaning Bat#2 will have a slightly more state of charge than Bat#1, thus will always run "out of balance".

As connected as in DWG X, I found that Bat#2 will show near fully charged when Bat#1 is showing complete discharge. Over a long time, both battery's will some what equalize.

Confirm this info on the Torjan battery website.

T_Bone

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Joe(TX)

11-11-2007 14:13:03




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to T_Bone, 11-11-2007 13:54:27  
It would not be the ballast resitor. Tht is part of the ignition and is not related to the voltage regulator.



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T_Bone

11-11-2007 17:27:24




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to Joe(TX), 11-11-2007 14:13:03  
Hi Joe,

It surley could be the ballast resistor as my 76 Power Wagon did. I came home from running fine other than a very slight miss, turned the engine off and the next morning, no start. Ballast resistor had burned out.

Replaced BR and no more miss.

One side is for charging, one side for ignition.

T_Bone



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El Toro

11-12-2007 18:11:49




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to T_Bone, 11-11-2007 17:27:24  
Your ballast resistor is used on your ignition to drop the battery voltage has nothing to with the charging circuit. Even farm tractors have them that's been converted to 12 volts and are using the 6 volt coil. Hal



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T_Bone

11-12-2007 18:41:42




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to El Toro, 11-12-2007 18:11:49  
Hi Hal,

On my 76 Dodge, My alternator quit charging 60 miles from town. Since I had dual battery's, I drove into town and parked at Checker Auto where I had a life time alternator warranty and they had a replacement in stock.

I tested the alternator for out put with a DVOM and was reading just under 12v. So bad alternator. After replacing the alternator with a new one and had no charging, I then started looking for another problem.

Looking at the fire wall, I found that a wire had broken off the left side ballast resistor terminal.

I repaired the wire terminal and my alternator started charging.

So I'll stick by my statement of the wiring on a ballast resistor, one side is for the alternator, and one side is for the ignition on a 76 Dodge Power Wagon.

Is it that way for any other vehicle? I can 't tell you as that's the only vehicle that I ever owned that used a ballast resistor.

T_Bone

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El Toro

11-14-2007 07:23:13




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to T_Bone, 11-12-2007 18:41:42  
Cars, trucks and boats had ballast resistors back as far as 1957 when 12 volts was used on most vehicles and they had generators. Had nothing to do with the charging. Hal



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El Toro

11-13-2007 04:20:14




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to T_Bone, 11-12-2007 18:41:42  
Take a look at this web site for why ballast resistors are used. Your ballast resistor is supplied battery voltage from your battery through the ignition switch to your ballast resistor and then to the coil. Hal

Link

PS: All your alternator does is charge the battery. Has nothing to do with the ignition other than charge the battery.

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T_Bone

11-14-2007 13:58:41




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to El Toro, 11-13-2007 04:20:14  
Hi Hal,

I tried to use your URL link and I got a 404 message, website not found.

Good you post the URL again?

T_Bone



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El Toro

11-15-2007 05:10:43




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to T_Bone, 11-14-2007 13:58:41  
This web site should explain the purpose of the ballast reistor. I tried it before to make sure it will work. Hal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_ballast



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El Toro

11-14-2007 16:21:37




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to T_Bone, 11-14-2007 13:58:41  
That web site won't post for me either. Instead of the ending being "htm" it should be "html", but it still won't work. Just do a search for ballast resistors and you should find it. Hal



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rockyhawaii

11-11-2007 11:37:41




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to molinebob, 11-10-2007 20:14:59  
If you've installed an amplifier for the stereo, that's a good place to start looking. Try running without the amp hooked up and see if it still happens. When I was in the towing business I'd get calls for dashboard fires and variously burnt charging system components, and it was ALWAYS an improperly installed stereo system that caused the problem.



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Jon Hagen

11-11-2007 08:42:59




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 Re: O.T. Dodge Pickup in reply to molinebob, 11-10-2007 20:14:59  
You might have a partially shorted rotor in the alternator that is pulling too many field amps through the regulator, the field should pull 3-6 amps max with full battery voltage applied. Might their be anything in your electrical add on's that might be generating big voltage spikes ? Stuff like that can kill solid state electronics like your regulator.



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