The Ford Barn

runmikeyrun · 05-17-2018, 01:35 PM

So I’ve got a cluster voltage regulator like the one pictured on out ‘42 Ford. I have my +12v coming into the single terminal, and the dual terminals feed the gauge cluster. It’s powering three gauges total- the fuel and temp are in parallel and the oil pressure is on its own. When I turn the key on I get 12v on both terminals, then a second later it shuts off. It will only reset if I turn the key off. I’ve tried adjusting the screw in and out, no change at all to the voltage. I’ve tried reversing the leads and no change. I’ve tried grounding directly to the frame (was only grounded through the cluster before) and still no change. Any idea what is going on here? I opened up the regulator to check the internals and everything looks ok.

(Note- when I uploaded the picture I noticed that it says “ign” next to the double terminal. It appears I’ve had it hooked up backwards- could I have killed it doing so?

Thanks in advance.

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flathead 53 · 05-17-2018, 06:27 PM

Im not sure that hooking the wires up wrong ruined it ,but I bought one for my merc comet from ebay for about twenty bucks ,and it failed right away. then I ordered the NOS type one for forty dollars and it worked.

runmikeyrun · 05-17-2018, 08:45 PM

Mine was $58 from the parts store. I wish there was a way to test it, I’m not even sure what parts are supposed to connect to what

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JeffB2 · 05-18-2018, 01:55 AM

Here is an image of the diagram for hook up.

scicala · 05-18-2018, 12:46 PM

I sounds like China is making everything now.

Sal

rotorwrench · 05-18-2018, 02:03 PM

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Most of those units are pulse type function very similar to the old King Seeley gauges were. They control voltage by opening and closing the circuit real fast. The modern Runtz solid state type constant voltage regulators work very well but their output amperage is low so a person has to use only one per gauge. There are generally only three gauges that need them so it's not that big a deal to do this. Randy Rundle at 5th Avenue Internet Garage makes & sells them for $18. You can buy the CVRs & make them yourself but it takes time & a few more materials to get it done. They will deliver a constant voltage to each gauge which will make them operate in a more stable fashion than one of those old chopper type voltage regulators.

KULTULZ · 05-19-2018, 04:18 AM

Here is some TECH INFO- http://squarebirds.org/Electrical/CV...StateRetrofit/

19Fordy · 05-20-2018, 11:50 AM

Wow! That is excellent info. Thanks.

runmikeyrun · 05-21-2018, 05:37 PM

Thanks for the info guys. I was kind of in disbelief that it was toast, but I actually had a 7805 voltage regulator at home (I build guitar electronics) so I wired it up and mounted the chip to the inside of broken regulator’s case, connected the leads to the terminals, and so far it’s working ok. I’m not sure of the current draw the gauges have but if it doesn’t burn up I’ll count it as a win. While the original truck probably supplied 6-7v the gauges seems to be reading pretty accurately at 5v.

Thanks again for the advice!

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rotorwrench · 05-22-2018, 02:00 PM

The King Seeley gauges worked best on lower voltages. That' why they opted for the CVR (which wasn't actually a CVR at all). The 7805 or 7806 have both been used successfully. It seems one volt doesn't make much difference. I think King Seeley just didn't want them to operate at too high a temperature so they used less voltage for their systems. Most folks use one per instrument to keep reliability up. They should last longer than the instruments do.

05-17-2018, 01:35 PM	#1
runmikeyrun Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 124	Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds So I’ve got a cluster voltage regulator like the one pictured on out ‘42 Ford. I have my +12v coming into the single terminal, and the dual terminals feed the gauge cluster. It’s powering three gauges total- the fuel and temp are in parallel and the oil pressure is on its own. When I turn the key on I get 12v on both terminals, then a second later it shuts off. It will only reset if I turn the key off. I’ve tried adjusting the screw in and out, no change at all to the voltage. I’ve tried reversing the leads and no change. I’ve tried grounding directly to the frame (was only grounded through the cluster before) and still no change. Any idea what is going on here? I opened up the regulator to check the internals and everything looks ok. (Note- when I uploaded the picture I noticed that it says “ign” next to the double terminal. It appears I’ve had it hooked up backwards- could I have killed it doing so? Thanks in advance. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05-17-2018, 06:27 PM	#2
flathead 53 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: central nj Posts: 734	Re: Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds Im not sure that hooking the wires up wrong ruined it ,but I bought one for my merc comet from ebay for about twenty bucks ,and it failed right away. then I ordered the NOS type one for forty dollars and it worked.

05-17-2018, 08:45 PM	#3
runmikeyrun Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 124	Re: Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds Mine was $58 from the parts store. I wish there was a way to test it, I’m not even sure what parts are supposed to connect to what Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05-18-2018, 12:46 PM	#5
scicala Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Detroit suburb, MI Posts: 3,794	Re: Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds I sounds like China is making everything now. Sal

05-18-2018, 02:03 PM	#6
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,411	Re: Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Most of those units are pulse type function very similar to the old King Seeley gauges were. They control voltage by opening and closing the circuit real fast. The modern Runtz solid state type constant voltage regulators work very well but their output amperage is low so a person has to use only one per gauge. There are generally only three gauges that need them so it's not that big a deal to do this. Randy Rundle at 5th Avenue Internet Garage makes & sells them for $18. You can buy the CVRs & make them yourself but it takes time & a few more materials to get it done. They will deliver a constant voltage to each gauge which will make them operate in a more stable fashion than one of those old chopper type voltage regulators. Last edited by rotorwrench; 05-21-2018 at 08:54 AM.

05-19-2018, 04:18 AM	#7
KULTULZ Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: IN A GALAXIE FAR, FAR AWAY Posts: 7,386	Re: Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds Here is some TECH INFO- http://squarebirds.org/Electrical/CV...StateRetrofit/ __________________ ***** "Last Sunday, I caught him makin' eyes at Idell Bushey durin' preachin'. And I know what they do up there in the hills when they say they're possum huntin'. They're just sittin' around the campfire, drinkin' hard cider, hittin' each other on the shoulder and hollerin' 'flinch!'." ― Charlene Darling (Daughter of Briscoe Darling)

05-20-2018, 11:50 AM	#8
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 11,605	Re: Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds Wow! That is excellent info. Thanks.

05-21-2018, 05:37 PM	#9
runmikeyrun Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 124	Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds Thanks for the info guys. I was kind of in disbelief that it was toast, but I actually had a 7805 voltage regulator at home (I build guitar electronics) so I wired it up and mounted the chip to the inside of broken regulator’s case, connected the leads to the terminals, and so far it’s working ok. I’m not sure of the current draw the gauges have but if it doesn’t burn up I’ll count it as a win. While the original truck probably supplied 6-7v the gauges seems to be reading pretty accurately at 5v. Thanks again for the advice! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05-22-2018, 02:00 PM	#10
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,411	Re: Cluster voltage regulator quits after a few seconds The King Seeley gauges worked best on lower voltages. That' why they opted for the CVR (which wasn't actually a CVR at all). The 7805 or 7806 have both been used successfully. It seems one volt doesn't make much difference. I think King Seeley just didn't want them to operate at too high a temperature so they used less voltage for their systems. Most folks use one per instrument to keep reliability up. They should last longer than the instruments do.