1999 duallie

Hey Guys

Here's a strange one for you.

Amp gauge on center, radio screaches (LOUDLY) and goes dead, amp gauge moves to charge (just a tad over/above from center mark). Radio comes back on intermitently and repeats same scenario.

Windshield wipers can be heard on radio. Windshield wipers intermitent function TOO intermitent and uncontrollable.

Burned out two headlight highbeams at the same time, twice!

Just now(yesterday) had a brand new (Dec 13/12 install) battery explode (litterally blew the case appart) under the hood after about five minutes driving!(blew the throttle cable link to bits).

Put another new battery in today and it seems fine, except we still have same radio and wiper issues but amp gauge is stable.

Way back when, voltage regulator was moved to inner fenderwell and disconnected main harness VR connections from alternator due to overcharging (boiling battery)and this seemed to work fine for several years. No current/apparent overcharging(boiling battery) signs prior to battery explosion

Last year heater core was changed and associated wiring disconnected and reconnected. (correctly I hope)

That's it in a nutshell.

I'll be checking the running voltage (tommorrow morning) and see if it spikes.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Peter

haultruck

I had pretty close to the same thing happen a few years ago in a 72 Chevy with an external voltage regulator that was bad. If it's not that then I wouldn't have a clue. Good luck man

2mtrucks

Had a 1990 that boiled the battery, fried the headlights, caused the radio to not work right etc....replaced the recently replaced voltage regulator and that solved it. Digital voltage meter should tell. Shoulnt be more than 13.8 volts when charging and it doesnt take much more than that to do some damage.

j_martin

If your volt meter is centered, it's lying to you. You don't blow a battery with 13.5 volts.

Radio noise and intermittent things scream "bad grounds."
Radio noise is usually caused by arcing, ie alternator brushes.

1999 duallie

Well, the regulator was/seems to have been the problem. Digital voltmeter was climbing past 16 V at just above idle. We'll see how the rest of the system is shortly(pun).

Thanks a bunch guys.

1999 duallie

Well now, today it's charging at 14.6 volts with a new regulator again.

The regulator I removed was putting out 15.5+ volts at high rpm's..


The ammeter gauge is showing first mark to charge side at idle and second mark at higher rpm.s

We had a battery explode it's case several months ago, and this charge situation seems continual.

Any and all help greatly appreciated!


Peter

Greed 93

Running a ground from the regulator to the block helps.