regulator upgrade?
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 18 10:48 am
I have a 73 charger 318 and going to fit a 95 amp alternator do I need to upgrade the regulator?
no
regulator only has to supply 0-5 volts to get the alternator to swing from 0 -14.5 volt output
however i'd suggest
1) a modern alternator would probably expect to be managed by an electronic regulator rather than the old mechanical points type vibrator.
2) do you need 90 Amp alternator? an alternator will only produce what is necessary dciated by demand at the time, so in a standard car with a standard not 80% flat battery its going to spend its life producing 10-30 amps depending on what i switched on, well within your wire looms capability. however if your battery goes flat to any extent it will when prompted thump way more than 30 amps through the 40 year old loom potentially spiking up to 90 amps. 2-3 x bigger than the 36 amp and 28 amp wires you have.
3) Suggest if you fit one you run a wire of 8mm diameter or more from its stud via a fuse direct to battery + or the starter relay stud which is connected to battery + this avoids most of the current used to charge the flat battery going through the reasonably delicate loom from the bulkhead up the dash and back. if you have a volt meter car maybe not an issue. but definitely on an ammeter car. the wire that runs up to the ammeter and down to the fuse box sits in the middle of a bundle of about 50 wires that cover off all switches and gauges in the dash. if it melts it takes out everything. new fully wrapped OEM style loom is $1000+, painless wire kit about 1/3 rd of that but a lot of work to fit. they are not plug and play they are not that painless.
4) if you need an 90 amp alternator due to big electric fans a huge stereo or hydraulic or air compressor pumps for your suspension. run the whole lot on a brand new additional loom with relays and fuses, disconnect the ammeter and do the wiring as in point 3.
if the alternator is cheap get it
if you have the choice work out the load and buy one of 10-20% greater output probably a 40- 50 amp one that is smaller and lighter than the big old birdcage you had if you want a recon big old birdcage i have one it is in the for sale section somewhere can't remember how much 35 quid i think
bulbs watts/voltage = current
motors you need to measure
but i think that your car probably consumed about 20-25 amps with the lights on the heater motor running, standard ignition and the wipers on full tilt. 30-35 with a flat battery limited by the 35 amp alternator
Dave