Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site cylixd.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!akgub!cylixd!dave
From: dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Alternator Question
Message-ID: <325@cylixd.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Sep-85 11:20:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: cylixd.325
Posted: Thu Sep 26 11:20:42 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Sep-85 07:02:00 EDT
References: <687@ihu1m.UUCP>
Reply-To: dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby)
Distribution: net
Organization: RCA Cylix Communications , Memphis, TN
Lines: 22

In article <687@ihu1m.UUCP> heneghan@ihu1m.UUCP (Joe Heneghan) writes:
>I have a 72' Dodge, and occasionally while night driving, the
>dash lights get very bright and the alternator meter almost
>pegs itself to +40....

Forgive me for posting instead of mailing. Your mailing address is
too long for my system to handle.

Sounds like the voltage regulator to me. The mechanical VR in your
Dodge is essentially an on-off switch that supplies 12V to the 
alternator windings when the voltage output is too low, and cuts the
juice off when the output is too high. Sounds like the relay sticks
to the high side when you suddenly pour on an extra load, like when
you turn on the lights. Get that thing fixed before it burns up your
electrical system. An unregulated alternator can put out several
times its nominal voltage when you are going at high RPM.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Kirby    ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave)

(The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect 
those of RCA Cylix. They may not even reflect my own.)