4kq intermittent electrical problems after alternator/battery replacement

[Jan Pinkowish]

Greetings all,
The patient is an '85 4ksq.

Since replacing the voltage regulator and battery, I have intermittent operation of my power windows, heater fan, rad fan, and wipers/washer.  They're all on different circuits, but when they cut in/out, they do so all at the same time.  It sounds like a relay or something is clicking on the fuse/relay board, but I can't feel anything when touching the relays.  Don't smell anything fishy.

Here's what happened.  The narrative is wordy, but perhaps it contains a clue to the solution:
--driving on the highway, and I look down to see the volt gauge is down to 12V.
--manage to exit and drive to a town center, but now it's down to 8V.  The dash lights dim and the tach drops to zero with the engine still running.
--I park, stop the car, and the starter doesn't respond.
--OK, so I figure the volt regulator is gone.  The battery is old and didn't have much life left.  Recharged the battery and figured I could limp the 10 miles home.  Only made it 5 miles.
--install a new battery and drive home with no electrical problems.  Everything works -- windows, rad fan, heater fan, wipers.
--park the car in the garage, remove the battery, and for various reasons, the car sits for 2 weeks.  It has sat this long before with no problems.

So I remove the alternator, take it apart and buff it up shiny and clean it, and install the new voltage regulator.  Reinstall the alt and new battery and go for a ride.  Everything works and the rad fan comes on.  I've got 13.5V at the battery terminals, 13V with everything on.  Next day, go for a ride and after a few miles, I notice the heater fan isn't on, the windows don't work, and the engine temp is climbing.  Make it home, and now I can't these things to work reliably.  They all cut out/on at the same time.  The engine runs fine; all gauges, power mirrors, dash/instrument/head/corner lights function.  Radio, flashers, turn signals all are OK.

When I turn the ignition switch to on(engine off), the heater fan/wipers/windows will sometimes just start working again, then go off, then go on.  Wiggling the ig switch doesn't seem to affect anything.  When these things cut in/out, I do hear a clicking near the fuse box, but I can't isolate it.

Here's what I've tried:
--pulled individual fuses/relays with no effect
--checked Bentley, and these circuits are all switched off the load reduction relay

Is this problem as simple as crapped out load reduction relay?  I don't have a spare, so I haven't yet replaced it.

Comments?

Jan Pinkowish
'85 4ksq