1800E Voltage Regulator (?)

[bells]

OK, stupid question coming up but I have some of the similar symptoms to this thread.

I have a RHD 1800ES - amp light on, battery not charging issues. Seen all the guidance in this thread and in the Lucas fault finding docs and will follow this investigation BUT, and here comes my stupid question.

Where is the Voltage Regulator?

Under my wings I have Horn Relay, Reversing light relay, Headlight Relay and heated rear window Relay on the passenger side, while on the drivers side I have Fuel pump and Injection relays - I can't seem to find any diagrams actually showing me where the main Voltage Regulator from the alternator is and the wiring loom combines all the wires and so I can't really chase the wires, hence not able to do most of the diagnostics...... I know I'm being stupid but please anyone, where's the Voltage Regulator?

[Ron Kwas]

bells (a name would be nice...!);

Welcome to this forum!

The VReg is located in the engine compartment of an ES, typically a rectangular box on the inner wing, but as yours is a RHD, it is somewhat outside my normal area of experience, you'll have to look around and locate it...but let the wire colors between Alt and VReg (Grn , Yel) be your guide.

Reference Wiring Diagram: http://www.sw-em.com/Wiring_Diagrams...iring_Diagrams (I believe this WD is valid for RHD also, but a RHD owner might chime in to verify).

To troubleshoot Alt based Chg Sys of the ES, see: https://sw-em.com/123GT_Charging_Sys...g_System_Notes ...first, I'd assure Alt Field excitation 12V is present at D+ with Ign ON (engine NOT running) to verify Fuse 4 and associated connections are intact...

Good Hunting!

[sleek lemur]

Hi there. On my E, voltage reg is on LH inner front wing.

[bells]

Thanks, is that LH looking forward (i.e. passenger side)?

Paul

[bells]

Thanks Ron, I'll follow up on wire colours, good thought - though I might have to do some cleaning to confirm colours!!! It was just that I thought I'd identified all the relay/regulator boxes under both wings and none seemed to be VReg.

Paul

[sleek lemur]

Yes, LH side looking forward. Passenger side on RHD car.

In fact these parts do seem to wear. I'm on my second replacement in 3 years. Probably cheapo knock-offs!

[142 Guy]

If you have the Bosch external regulator alternator, the Df and D+ / 61 wires - the two small ones on the back of the alternator, typically go into a separate small PVC jacket which heads directly to the voltage regulator. Find those two wires on the back of the alternator, trace the jacket and you will find the regulator.

For what it is worth, the original Bosch voltage regulator on my car started doing flakey things at about 180,000 km. I ended up replacing it with one of the adjustable solid state voltage regulators from Dave Barton

https://www.prancingmoose.com/AdjustableVoltage.html

That was back in 2014 - 2015. It has been running just fine since then.

[bells]

Thanks all, chased the wires to locate the right regulator (which on my figures was labelled as the rear windscreen heater!) and found that just out of sight the DF cable had slipped off the connector. Simple fix, back running.

Paul

[Ron Kwas]

Paul;

I'm happy that you located the source of troubles and were able to sort it fairly painlessly...but be advised, the lowly 1/4" quick-disconnect terminal does have a provision which should not allow the connector to simply "slip off"! I'd inspect and correct the situation which allowed this to occur, so that it cannot repeat! ...and my advice of course is to protect a clean, proper connection with ACZP.

See also: http://www.sw-em.com/voltage_drop_in...sh_on_terminal

Cheers

[142 Guy]

Hede the Sage's advice!

A correctly fitting spade connector should be a bit of a struggle to get off. If the spade connector was loose enough to slip off on its own it may be that the female terminal is suffering from old age. Aside from the nuisance factor, a non tight connector is a poor electrical connector. One of the terminals carries the field winding current which is not normally huge; but, can be high. A bad electrical connection can cause heating at the terminal leading to damage or the bad electrical connection may just increase the resistance which means that the regulator may not be able to deliver sufficient field current to maintain the voltage with high electrical loads.

I had an electric radiator fan and the control relay had a deficient spade terminal on it. Because of the high fan current, the high resistance spade terminal generated enough heat that it melted the plastic base of the relay eventually resulting in non operation because the stationary contact had moved so far that the relay could not close the circuit.