How to Bypass Volt. Reg. ??

[Clyde-2]

"An externally regulated alternator can be activated to full output by connecting a jumper from a strong battery to the 'field' terminal of the alternator. You should HEAR the alternator working. If you don't hear it and you're sure you connected to the field correctly then the alternator isn't putting out."

Honk wrote this recently in another thread of mine........someone please explain in a little more detail as to how this is done. Do you disconnect the volt reg ?
Do you disconnect the F terminal ? Just need a little more information to see if my problem is my volt reg...everything else has been tested and is ok.
Thanks.......Mike

 

[Rock_Hugger]

I would not do this on an alternator that is hooked up to your charging/electrical system. What that does is turns your alternator into a welder, I have been running a welder that way for 15 years. But as a second alternator.

 

[Pin_Head]

Personally, I do this all the time for test purposes only. It doesn't hurt to do it for a few seconds to check if your alternator is working. (But then again, I charge my battery with my welder sometimes too).

Just put a volt meter on the B + lug of the alternator and see if the voltage rises above the battery voltage. Yes, you unplug the regulator wire at the alternator and then run a jumper momentarily from the B + lug of the alternator to the F terminal of the alternator.

 

[honk]

Yes, disconnect the regulator. You can do it at the double connector on the alternator. I should have clarified that to do that test the alternator needs to stand alone, meaning it's only connection is to the battery through the large output terminal.

One or the other of the double connector is the 'field' connection. It's often marked with an 'F' but not always-especially not with aftermarket alternators. Your wiring diagram will tell if it's left or right, or you could ohm the field wire at the field connection to the regulator. The right wire will read 0 (zero) ohms or near that.

Once you're sure of the connection direct 12 volts to the field will switch on your alternator to full output. If you can read the output with an external ammeter it should be within an amp or two of the alternator rated output. If it's about half then a diode is gone but that's something you don't need to worry about at this point in the adventure.

Yep, an alternator can make a fairly lively DC stick welder. Bigger is better in that.

 

[laguna80]

interesting.