I'm installing some aftermarket gauges in my '64 & started out with the VOLTS gauge & & right off the bat I see I have an over charging issue? Where do I start to figure this out & get it right?
I would find someone with a known accurate guage to compare the new one with first. If you find your new guage reads true then I would have the voltage regulator checked. The old style regulators can be adjusted to give you the needed 14.2 volts at approximately 1500 rpm of the engine. A lot of variables come into play = Alternator or generator, condition of the battery, condition of the grounds and wireing, type of voltage regulator, outside air temperature, drive belt tightness and condition, the diameter of the pulley on the alt. or gen., what other current draws are on in the vehicle at the time you read the volts, plenty more things but those are the first to pop in my mind. It would be worth your trouble to hunt an old school starter/ generator shop in your area and take notes while the tech put's the fix on your charging system. Oh, and make sure the power source for your volt meter switches off when the ignition is turned off. Volt meter pulls a tiny draw, about like a glove box light left on can kill your battery if left on a few days.
@ Blanco ... for info, what does the Volts gauge read when the key is in Run but before you start the motor? If that reads more than 12.6v then the problem is the gauge itself. To be sure, read the battery voltage (motor running) with another voltmeter. Or, temporarily move the meter to a different car. If the battery is old, this might even be considered normal behavior. IMO, not enough over to worry about.
I concur. 13.8-14.5 volts is the normal operating range of the charging system. It appears you have a VERY low quality gauge. They even misspelled the name of the company that they are copying, and that company is in Taiwan.
I checked and you are correct. I've never run into that product line from them. Usually a finding a misspelled word on a product is like buying a watch and noticing it says 'Rolodex' rather than 'Rolex'.
Many manufacturers offer new products and a cheaper alternative; Hyundai vs. Kia; Whirlpool vs. Kenmore, etc. Sometimes the differences are minor,...sometimes you're better off going with the Whirlpool (I speak from experience). When I was a kid, my Dad brought home a new Seiko watch he bought from this guy at the Ford plant he was working at. Told my Mom it was a $800 watch, but this dude needed some quick cash so he sold it for $100. Mom looked at it and asked, "Seiko isn't spelled S-I-E-K-O, is it?" Ha!
I think most Appliance manufacturers sell identical products, my Frigidaire Washer and Dryer are identically the same as Electrolux and Kenmore models. They use identical parts as I have fixed it a few times. Same part numbers for all 3 machines with different tags.
Whirlpool makes Kenmore, Amana, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Maytag, Kitchen-Aide, JennAir, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht, Gladiator. Many of the parts are interchangeable.
same with A/C units, there is the "big three" in almost everything. also, some gauge's have adjustability. i always refrain from cheapie stuff like this because you'll always wonder if its right and will probably have to replace it,, it'll probably melt and burn the car up,,,
trying to get back on track here.... Very cool it was an easy fix! (Good thing you installed the gauges!) overcharged batteries don't last very long or worse to crack and leak or blow up (seen this first hand on a new 80 trans am)
