TECH TIP FOR AUGUST, 1993

FORD VEHICLES WITH AN EXTERNALLY REGULATED CHARGING SYSTEM, WILL AT TIMES EXHIBIT A FLUCTUATING CHARGE INDICATOR (LIGHT, VOLT METER, OR AMP GAUGE).

THIS CAN BE CAUSED BY SEVERAL THINGS INCLUDING A BAD ALTERNATOR, OR A WEAK BATTERY BUT IF THESE CHECK OUT, THE NEXT MOST PROBABLE CAUSE IS A VOLTAGE DROP AT THE "A" (ARMATURE) TERMINAL OF THE REGULATOR. THIS VOLTAGE DROP CAN BE A CORRODED CONNECTION, A FRAYED WIRE OR CORROSION INSIDE THE INSULATION.

A QUICK CHECK IS TO STRIP BACK A SMALL SECTION OF THE WIRELEADING TO THE "A" TERMINAL RIGHT AT THE REGULATOR PLUG, AND WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, CONNECT A JUMPER FROM THE BATTERY POSITIVE TO THE BARRED WIRE. IF THE CHARGE RATE SETTLES DOWN YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM.

THE CURE IS TO CUT OFF THE "A" WIRE WHERE YOU HAVE STRIPPED IT,AND CONNECT THE REMAINING STUB TO THE BATTERY SIDE OF THESOLENOID USING #14 WIRE AND A FUSIBLE LINK.

BE SURE TO SECURELY FASTEN THE WIRE YOU CUT OFF, SO THAT IT CANNOT TOUCH ANYTHING, AS IT WILL STILL BE LIVE WHEN THE SYSTEM ISIN OPERATION.

ONE OF THE FAVOURITE PASTIMES THESE DAYS SEEMS TO BE INSTALLING LARGER ALTERNATORS THAN CAME ON THE CAR. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS AS THERE IS NO DANGER OF DAMAGE TO THE SYSTEM JUST BECAUSE THE ALTERNATOR CAN PRODUCE MORE AMPERAGE, THAT'S WHAT THE REGULATOR IS FOR.

THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN WIRE SIZING IS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THE SWAP IS MADE. GENERALLY THE LARGER THE ALTERNATOR, THE LARGER THE MAIN BATTERY WIRE LEADING TO IT. IF THE WIRE IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH, THE HIGHER OUTPUT OF THE ALTERNATOR IS WASTED.

AFTER ALL, IF YOU WERE TO SPLICE A 1" DIA. SECTION OF HOSE INTO A4" DIA. LINE, YOU WOULD NOT GET ANY MORE FLOW THAN IF THE WHOLELINE WERE 1". PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED CHART FOR THE PROPERSIZING OF WIRE.

WHILE WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT OF WIRE SIZE, REMEMBER THAT A CAR'SCHARGING SYSTEM IS A CLOSED LOOP. IF THE POSITIVE MAIN BATTERYCABLE TO THE ALTERNATOR IS OF A PARTICULAR SIZE, THEN THE GROUND PATH !! BE THE SAME SIZE.

MOST ALTERNATORS ARE GROUNDED TO THE BLOCK THROUGH THEIR FRAMES, BUT AT SOME POINT THERE MUST BE A CABLE LEADING BACK TO THE BATTERY, AND IF THIS CABLE IS TOO SMALL, OR THE CONNECTIONS ARE CORRODED AND FRAYED, YOU HAVE JUST SPLICED IN A 1" DIA. HOSE.

A LARGE NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND FAILURES, COULD BE AVOIDED IF THE SERVICE PERSONS WERE AS DILIGENT AT CLEANING AND SERVICING THE GROUND CABLES AS THEY ARE WITH THE POSITIVE CONNECTIONS.

IN OUR CONTINUING PROGRAM OF INDUSTRY EDUCTION, WE ARE ABOUT TO REVEAL A CAREFULLY GUARDED SECRET. ALMOST EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ELECTRICITY IS ELECTRONS MOVING IN A CONDUCTOR PAST A GIVEN POINT IN A GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THAT IS APPARENTLY NOT TRUE.

ONE OF OUR ASSOCIATES SAYS THAT ALL ELECTRICAL AND INTEGRATED CIRCUITS WORK ON SMOKE, AND WHAT'S MORE HE SAYS HE CAN PROVE IT. HE SAYS THAT IF YOU LET THE SMOKE OUT OF A PIECE OF ELECTRICALEQUIPMENT, IT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.

THE WIRES SERVE TO TRANSPORT THE SMOKE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER AND THE MORE SMOKE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ie. THE STARTER, NEEDS THE LARGER THE WIRE HAS TO BE TO GET THE SMOKE TO IT. JUST TRY LETTING THE SMOKE OUT OF THE WIRES AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM WILL STOP!!

SOME MANUFACTURERS SEEM WORSE THAN OTHERS AT KEEPING THE SMOKE IN THEIR EQUIPMENT. LUCAS (NICKNAMED "THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS") SEEMS TO BE THE WORST, HOWEVER, THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED.

LUCAS IS BRITISH MANUFACTURE, AND ALL THINGS BRITISH LEAK.BRITISH CONVERTIBLE TOPS LEAK WATER, BRITISH ENGINES LEAK OIL,BRITISH TRANSMISSIONS LEAK FLUID, BRITISH TYRES LEAK AIR, ANDBRITISH GOVERNMENTS LEAK DEFENSE SECRETS. SO NATURALLY BRITISH ELECTRONIC THINGS LEAK........SMOKE!!