Brain fart regulator question Options

[mb911]

So was noticing I have less voltage while the car is running. I am use to seeing 13/14 volts as the pretty much normal. I have a fairly new marchel alternator and this year I am seeing 13v on the high side. Now I do have more electrical items, wide band o2, mega squirt, and active exhaust. Regulator going bad? Pictured in upper left. Hmm maybe I have them on the wrong pins? Might have messed that up?

[emerygt350]

A hair off topic, and not to hijack, but why is the vdo volt meter so wonky? Mine is running right off the battery but it still isn't reliable (it just doesn't respond to the brake/turn signals anymore).

[Superhawk996]

A hair off topic, and not to hijack, but why is the vdo volt meter so wonky? Mine is running right off the battery but it still isn't reliable (it just doesn't respond to the brake/turn signals anymore).

I’m confused. So you want it bouncing around? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

If you are running it right off the battery it should be stable. The battery (in theory) is an infinite current source and its voltage should remain unaffected by minor loads like a turn signal bulb.

The OEM red / white wire that supplied the volt meter ran a convoluted route from battery to fuse 9, to the stop switch, and then to the volt meter and is subject to variance and voltage drops across lots of wire and the fuse. That red / white wire also went to a number of other locations that could load it down.

Easy enough to go back to original if you miss the variability dependent on load. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[emerygt350]

A hair off topic, and not to hijack, but why is the vdo volt meter so wonky? Mine is running right off the battery but it still isn't reliable (it just doesn't respond to the brake/turn signals anymore).

I’m confused. So you want it bouncing around? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

If you are running it right off the battery it should be stable. The battery (in theory) is an infinite current source and its voltage should remain unaffected by minor loads like a turn signal bulb.

The OEM red / white wire that supplied the volt meter ran a convoluted route from battery to fuse 9, to the stop switch, and then to the volt meter and is subject to variance and voltage drops across lots of wire and the fuse. That red / white wire also went to a number of other locations that could load it down.

Easy enough to go back to original if you miss the variability dependent on load. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Yeah, I don't miss that, it's just that it isn't accurate. It's like it has to warm up or something. I will have the multimeter on the battery and it will be showing 13.7 and the gauge will be down around 12.5, and 5 minutes later it will be up at 13.5ish. eventually it gets its crap together but I can't really trust it. I cleaned up all the connections today and it's still like that. Maybe it's some kind of ballast to keep it from bouncing around?