Voltage Regulator???

[Bartenfeld]

Why is there a "voltage regulator" on these trucks? Are there voltage regulators on other vehicles? How does it work. any info??? please and thank you

[1963c-10]

If it still has the external regulator, you'll find it on the radiator support (driver side) next to the horn relay. Held on by 3 screws. If its an internal regulator, it will be inside the alternator.

[Corts60]

What year are we talking about? If it is '60-'64? these trucks had generators that produced DC voltage and the external regulator was mounted on the pass. fender well I believe.

[1963c-10]

Good point. Im sure about the 60-62 models, but on the 63-66 models normally on the driver side. Alot of people have gone to the 1 wire alternator with the internal regulators, so you might look at the back of your alternator to determine if its the old style or newer 1 wire style.

[Captainfab]

The '60-'62's originally had 12v generators. The '63-'66's originally had 12v alternators. All of them were externally regulated, but the regulators are not interchangeable between the generators and the alternators.

If the alternator or generator is in need of replacement, I would recommend upgrading to an internally regulated alternator with a higher amperage output.

Originally Posted by Corts60

What year are we talking about? If it is '60-'64? these trucks had generators that produced DC voltage and the external regulator was mounted on the pass. fender well I believe.

[ChevySixty6]

I think he's wanting to know the "why's" of what a voltage regulator does, and
what it's for. Apart from the the obvious, "it regulates voltage", i don't know how it works. I'd repost the question over on the ( Electrical ) part of the forum, they'll give you all the info you'd ever want to know about them.

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by Bartenfeld

Why is there a "voltage regulator" on these trucks? Are there voltage regulators on other vehicles? How does it work. any info??? please and thank you

First of all welcome to the forum.

The answer to your original question is that external regulators were a means to mechanically control electrical output from the generator (and later alternators). This was done with mechanical switches comprised of coils and contact points. Since they were mechanical, they wore out or burned out over time. With the development of electronic methods the entire auto industry moved to electronically controlled regulation. Ultimately components became small enough to mount as part of the alternator.

Here’s what a regulator looks like with the cover on and off: