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Do I keep my old regulator, or switch to an electronic one? If switching to electronic, which one is best?
IMO...
The philosophy of changing to an electronic voltage regulator is to furnish a more stable system voltsge for the Mopar ECU and distributor to operate. Since your vehicle used a mechanical voltage regulator and a single field connection alternator, as stated previously, to use the Mopar style of electronic voltage regulator, you would need to use the two field connection alternator (isolated field alternator) and add the necessary wiring changes. OR...you could use the electronic conversion voltage regulator (looks like the origional unit but has electronic components) and your existing single field connection alternator. The electronic voltage regulator will provide the stable system voltage the ECU and distributor need to operate. These are available on line or from several eBay sources for ~ $20.00.
If it were my vehicle, this would be my approach. Plus it should be less costly because you woild not need to buy an isolated field alternator (two field connections).
The real problem with the old mechanical voltage regulator was lack of transient suppression as the contacts switched the resistors underneath the unit. The upper contact bypassed all resistance and applied 12 volts to the alternator field. When system voltage increased, the regulator's moving contact moved ftom the upper contact to allow the resistance to reduce the field voltage by approximately 7-8 volts which reduced the alternators output voltage to approx 13 volts. If system voltage continued to increase, the voltage regulator moving contact would move to the bottom contact turning off the alternators field. The voltage regulator's moving contact would constantly move between the upper and lower contacts and because of the alternators field which is an inductor arcing would take place at the regulator's contacts to yield an average field voltage and ultimately a 14.0 volts nominal alternator output voltage.Perfectly valid approach, and conservative. I started leaving the old regulators after I put an oscilloscope on the 12VDC and realized that the mechanical PWM circuit didn’t do a bad job after all.
Don't bet against RJ. Just my opinion, he knows what he's talking about. This "transient " crap can play havoc!The real problem with the old mechanical voltage regulator was lack of transient suppression as the contacts switched the resistors underneath the unit. The upper contact bypassed all resistance and applied 12 volts to the alternator field. When system voltage increased, the regulator's moving contact moved ftom the upper contact to allow the resistance to reduce the field voltage by approximately 7-8 volts which reduced the alternators output voltage to approx 13 volts. If system voltage continued to increase, the voltage regulator moving contact would move to the bottom contact turning off the alternators field. The voltage regulator's moving contact would constantly move between the upper and lower contacts and because of the alternators field which is an inductor arcing would take place at the regulator's contacts to yield an average field voltage and ultimately a 14.0 volts nominal alternator output voltage.
The electronic voltage regulator provids a variable alternator field voltage and output without any switching transients and a faster reaction time to varying loads which yields a more steady alternator and system voltage. Would be nice if it had an adjustable dead band or provisions for P-I-D. Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON
Don't bet against RJ. Just my opinion, he knows what he's talking about. This "transient " crap can play havoc!