My Willys 3A and 3B Community
3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations => Topic started by: garage gnome on July 08, 2013, 09:20:37 PM
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My 49 started to charge the battery at 50 amps today on the ride to work. I had a spare voltage regulator that I put in it and it is still doing the same thing. What could be causing this?
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Internal short in the battery?
Just a guess....
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My guess, the generator is "full fielding". First thought would be stuck overcurrent relay contacts in the regulator, but sense it's been changed, I would look for a short to ground in the field circuit wiring between the generator and regulator (very possible) or a internal short between ground and the field coils inside the generator itself (not as likely, but still possible). After charging 50 amps on a 35 amp genny,� I would pull the brush cover band and look for evidence of thrown soldier from the commentator, just as a precaution. As usual, this is a W.A.G. Hope it helps!!!
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I was thinking maybe the Same thing Gary. The harness between the gen. and voltage reg is really crummy. It is the original and the insulation is all cracked and decayed. Fortunately, I have a spare new one I can throw on and age to match the rest of the wiring if it is the problem. ;)
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Hopefully it's a easy fix, I'm sure the wiring is way past its prime.
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Well, the old harness was still good. I put the new one in anyways. It was still overcharging. I put the generator on it from my '53 (since I switched it to an alternator) and the problem went away mostly. It is still charging at 20 amps or so, but with the lights on and high beams, it brings it down to 5 amps. At an idle (no lights), it is zero, lights on, it showing a discharge of 5-10 amps. I still have the somewhat burned up spare voltage regulator in, so that might be the rest of the issue. I'm surprised the original generator from my '53 still works! It hasn't been used in years.
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They were made in US!
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I think I'm going to fix it with this...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Volt-60-Amp-Negative-ground-1-wire-Alternator-/250565979786
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I know I am new here and I could get in trouble for this but IMHO that is about the ugliest thing I have ever seen ! ;). Sounds like your problem might be more than just the generator. If it is your generator you could have it rebuilt for that price.
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I'm running a delco 10si 12v alternator on my '53 and love it. I is nice to have good lights at an idle. ;)
When I swapped generators, the problem went away mostly. It is still charging high, but I think that is because of the bad regulator I have now.
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Yeah it is nice to have good lights at 2000 rpm too, good thing you don't have to see too far ahead in a CJ3. ;) But I am a 6V guy all the way, don't want to spin that starter too fast and adds some drama to your life, will she or won't she?
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Just to add my .02 cents worth (and that's all it really is worth), you wouldn't be "fixing" it by using the alternator. You would be altering it by using a different component. Those alternators wear out also and will also have to be fixed.
IMHO, I'd check in with an electrical shop to see if they can repair your equipment for less. That way you'll know if the alternator swap out is worth the price.
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To kill this, I took the voltage regulator from our 8N and put it in while hooked to the old generator from my '53. It charged perfectly. I'm still going with the alternator though just because I am going to be driving this a lot.
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I put the alternator in. It works great!
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/7ACC4AB3-DC8A-400D-84AF-EC8BE583A8A2-6416-00000E3E2E42CAD8.jpg) (http://s748.photobucket.com/user/willyscjmj/media/7ACC4AB3-DC8A-400D-84AF-EC8BE583A8A2-6416-00000E3E2E42CAD8.jpg.html)
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Looks great, Nice and clean using existing bracketry.
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Thanks! I didn't use the original bracketry though. I made a steel bushing that took the place of the rubber one on the front engine plate and then made a bracket similar to this one on the 3B page. I did this for my '53 also, but in 12v.
You can use the original wire from the voltage regulator that goes to the battery. I had to take a chainsaw file and open the hole up some so it would fit on the alternator terminal.
(http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/Photos/Tech/Electrical/AltBracketFront.jpg)
http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/alternator.html
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What did you use for a belt, Nate? Is it the same width as the stock belt with a wide pulley on the alternator?
Would like to see your bracket if you have a pic of it. If not I get the idea....
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I used a B sized belt. It was what I had.
The bracket isn't too pretty. I wanted to try to make it look like is was cobbled together at a maintence facility for forest service vehicles. It kind of matches the oil filter bracket. The one on my 53 looks much nicer and is of the same design.
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/F0C6131F-0C54-42DC-80AF-A689ECD42D39-6551-00000F1390629012.jpg)
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I left the original voltage regulator in place too to make it abandoned in place.
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/52312906-3BE1-4887-9EC4-4BCD2E3508C6-6551-00000F1586F9BB70.jpg)
And then here is someone's oil filter bracket. I added the new support rod to it. These types of modifications have that maintence garage look to them.
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/3602F81D-3831-4B12-A437-E2B83082A669-6551-00000F158BDCF75D.jpg)
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That oil filter bracket looks like the same one I have seen many times on plow equipped jeeps where they had to move the oil filter to the fender.
Is a B Belt the same as stock or narrower? I don't know belt sized by letter...
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Narrower. The correct size for the alternator pulley though.
This jeep never had a plow. I think the oil filter was moved for ease of changing the filter.
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Here are pics of my nice clean Alt. instalation. ;D Super bubba at his best.
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee428/birddog77/Bubba%20Stuff/image-5.jpg) (http://s1227.photobucket.com/user/birddog77/media/Bubba%20Stuff/image-5.jpg.html)
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee428/birddog77/Bubba%20Stuff/image-6.jpg) (http://s1227.photobucket.com/user/birddog77/media/Bubba%20Stuff/image-6.jpg.html)
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That was a good move Nate. Going to a 6v alternator solved the problem and it will charge at idle now.
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Yeah it was! Last night I was out four wheeling with some friends and the lights were super bright! I was really happy with it.
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Yeah it was! Last night I was out four wheeling with some friends and the lights were super bright! I was really happy with it.
6 V lights were super bright?? Sounds too good to be true..
That's right... you are one of them young whippersnappers, that can actually still see, aren't ya... ;D :D ;)
Did you get the alternator from the ebay dude or did you find a better local source?
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I got it from the ebay dude. 8) The lights were far better than before when the generator was functioning properly.
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Just wanted to give an update. The 6 volt alternator is the way to go if you want to stay 6 volt but have better lights. It has been working great and no more stupid generator issues to worry about!
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Nate,
I went to the single wire alternator several years ago, never looked back. I had converted mine to 12 volts in order to be able to use modern accessories like winches and lights, haven't gotten that far yet , but I do like the reliability of the alternator. And if you have to its pretty easy to convert it back.
Todd
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I did a delco 10si (single wire) 12v alternator swap on my '53 years ago. Love it and I'll never swap that back.