HO alt, ext regulator, and lighting problems HELP!

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Ok, so I have a 300 amp alt with external voltage regulator.

So I have the voltage regulator hooked up with a 12v relay because the ext. regulator has no ignition, just power/ground/field.

With it all hooked up through the relay like it's supposed to be, my headlights pulsate severely at idle. Voltage is there. It does so in sync with the motor firing.

If I jump a wire from my battery to my positive on the regulator, the pulsating stops. Keep in mind, the + from the relay is still hooked up. If I disconnect the relay and use only the jumper from the battery, the pulsating still happens. It seems like the only way to get it to stop pulsating is run a power wire both with the relay and directly off the battery. Doing just one or the other doesn't fix the problem. I'm just sitting here banging my head on my explorer trying to figure out why life is like it is.

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[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Anyone?

 

[dbeez 5,000+ posts]

Gonna need some pics here bro and need details of how its all wired up.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Relay wiring. Accessories would be the voltage regulator. Ignition is coming from under the dash.

Both relay and regulator are grounded to the battery with 8 gauge.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

The field wire is hooked to alternator, and that's it.

 

[JG903 10+ year member]

I have had a few issues over the years with external regulators.

I see that you mentioned that you have 8 gauge on the grounds. I would make every connection 8 gauge. In the past I have gotten weird readings and performance from not running 8 gauge to everything.

Another thing is your wiring layout. IMO you have an easy way and a hard one. In my setup I just have a manual switch/circuit breaker inline with the regulator. Whenever I need alts I just hit the switch.

The other way is to use a relay. Make it easy and get a simple 4 pin relay.

Also another thing I would do is to turn the dial on the regualtor about 1/4 of the way up to get you started. Then once the vehicle is on and you can turn it up from there.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Thanks but I've done all of that man.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Ok, so I did extensive testing today measuring voltage put out by the alt, voltage put out by the regulator through the field wire.

The regulator is putting out very inconsistent and varying voltages. To top that off, it stops putting out voltage too in increments. That would explain my flashing lights. I tested what I powered the regulator, whether the relay or just straight wire from the battery, and I figured out that it didn't matter really. The regulator's field voltage is changing within 1v, so it would go say from 6.5-7.5v in milliseconds and sometimes turn off, giving out no voltage. So basically, since the field wire controls how much the alt charges, the regulator is consistently messing with the alt telling it all sorts of varying voltages, and then turning off and on again as well, for no apparent reason. Giving the regulator power straight from the battery doesn't change anything, so it has to be that regulator.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

bump