Re: alternator voltage regulator mod

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.gmi.edu>]

On Thu, 2 Jan 1997, human wrote:

> Has anybody else noticed that the article in the Jan EC (p 128) on going to
> an outboard voltage regulator applies to most (all?) our cars as well? 
> Looks to be a nice way to get 14.7 volts or whatever the US regulator
> supplies rather than Bosch's 12.001 volts (all right 13.5 or so).
Huw,

	The regulator on my 5KCSTQ's alternator regulates to 14v 
nominally.  Actually on a cold day at startup, it will make 14.3v until 
all the acessories start up.

	The HVAC display really bothered me for a while even though I 
knew it was faulty, but when I put a couple DVMs in the car (one on 
the alternator output, the other on the battery) I found out that the 
alternator actually handles the car's electrical requirements pretty 
well.  I was getting nearly 13.5v even with all the high current 
accessories on.  Also, I was getting almost exactly 0.1v drop from the 
alternator to the battery.  I figured that wasn't too bad considering the 
length of that wire.

Later, ---------------------------------------------------------- 
Graydon D. Stuckey 	'85 Mazda RX7 GS, no toys 
graydon@apollo.gmi.edu 	'86 Audi 5000 CS Turbo Quattro, has toys
Flint, Michigan USA	'89 Thunderbird SC, lotsa toys