The Ford Barn

tb40 · 02-21-2011, 05:09 PM

Hey all
You guys have been such a big help to me I can never thank you all enough.
A question for you guys
I have a 40 that I have never been able to get the charging system to work.
I was looking at photo of a restored car and noticed a short ground wire connected to a terminal on the side of the voltage regulator .I think it was running to a screw that holds the regulator to the fire wall.
I have the terminal on the side of the regulator but I do not have the short ground wire.
Could this prevent the system from charging?
I have NOS regulator,New harness from RI wiring.Gen has been bench tested etc.
I was thinking the side terminal was used for a noise suppressor for radio interference.
Your thoughts are very appreciated.

Travis
KY

Bruce Lancaster · 02-21-2011, 05:29 PM

My thoughts are here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ghlight=ground

Ford decided it needed a direct ground not very long after your car was made.

Bruce Lancaster · 02-21-2011, 05:33 PM

Noticed the NOS...I have found various NOS electrical contacts tarnished from age. A set of ignition points that I installed and then left sitting in the basement for about 20 years actually showed zer conductivity! The ones in yor regulator may need a very light pass by a contact burnisher.
G marked uninsulated trminal is ground (your generator case is from a car that originally had a ground) that originally ran to a screw in the side of reg baseplate, missing from many regulators. Aything that giges good direct contact with reg base will do it. For non-original overkill, run a wire from there to termination of battery ground cable.

rotorwrench · 02-21-2011, 08:08 PM

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Most of the old three pole regulators were rubber mounted to the firewall so they had to connect a good ground to insure continuity in all the right places. The ground wire from the 8BA type generators (black with a red tracer) goes directly to the regulator ground. The other black ground wire from the regulator ground terminal connected to the terminal block for the head lamps, turn signals, & horn. All of those items were high current draw items. As was mentioned earlier, the grounds were just connected to the VR base after they quit putting terminals on there. They also pretty well quit rubber mounting them too.

If you have charging system problems, you will likely have to check the continuity of all the major wires in the charging system plus find someone with the equipment to test all three poles of your regulator for proper function. Rhode Island Wire makes some beautiful reproduction stuff but all things made by man can be suspect of problems when troubleshooting. All it takes is a terminal installed with some crud in it that blocks the current flow or just a plain old broken wire to ruin your day.

Kerby

02-21-2011, 05:09 PM	#1
tb40 Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 33	Voltage Regulator Ground Hey all You guys have been such a big help to me I can never thank you all enough. A question for you guys I have a 40 that I have never been able to get the charging system to work. I was looking at photo of a restored car and noticed a short ground wire connected to a terminal on the side of the voltage regulator .I think it was running to a screw that holds the regulator to the fire wall. I have the terminal on the side of the regulator but I do not have the short ground wire. Could this prevent the system from charging? I have NOS regulator,New harness from RI wiring.Gen has been bench tested etc. I was thinking the side terminal was used for a noise suppressor for radio interference. Your thoughts are very appreciated. Travis KY

02-21-2011, 05:29 PM	#2
Bruce Lancaster Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 5,230	Re: Voltage Regulator Ground My thoughts are here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ghlight=ground Ford decided it needed a direct ground not very long after your car was made.

02-21-2011, 05:33 PM	#3
Bruce Lancaster Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 5,230	Re: Voltage Regulator Ground Noticed the NOS...I have found various NOS electrical contacts tarnished from age. A set of ignition points that I installed and then left sitting in the basement for about 20 years actually showed zer conductivity! The ones in yor regulator may need a very light pass by a contact burnisher. G marked uninsulated trminal is ground (your generator case is from a car that originally had a ground) that originally ran to a screw in the side of reg baseplate, missing from many regulators. Aything that giges good direct contact with reg base will do it. For non-original overkill, run a wire from there to termination of battery ground cable.

02-21-2011, 08:08 PM	#4
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,566	Re: Voltage Regulator Ground Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Most of the old three pole regulators were rubber mounted to the firewall so they had to connect a good ground to insure continuity in all the right places. The ground wire from the 8BA type generators (black with a red tracer) goes directly to the regulator ground. The other black ground wire from the regulator ground terminal connected to the terminal block for the head lamps, turn signals, & horn. All of those items were high current draw items. As was mentioned earlier, the grounds were just connected to the VR base after they quit putting terminals on there. They also pretty well quit rubber mounting them too. If you have charging system problems, you will likely have to check the continuity of all the major wires in the charging system plus find someone with the equipment to test all three poles of your regulator for proper function. Rhode Island Wire makes some beautiful reproduction stuff but all things made by man can be suspect of problems when troubleshooting. All it takes is a terminal installed with some crud in it that blocks the current flow or just a plain old broken wire to ruin your day. Kerby