Regulator

If a voltage regulator is bad will it just quit working or can it work sporadically?

Other day my tach was dead. As instructed by a search on here I pulled the harness off and started the motor held red lead of my Fluke meter on purple, black on black. Got 1 to 2 volts which told me it was probably bad. Put it back together went to lake 2 days later. Tach still no workee. Voltimeter in dash and on Garmin 240 reading about 12.3volts. I know it should read about 13. Back at ramp ready to load 'er on trailer, look down, tach works fine. Rev it up a little tach works. But I honestly think my regulator might be shot.

Just want some thoughts before I park the boat and send off for another credit card to buy one. If that is the case, I'm pissed I have to go on vacation next week and spend my boat repair money. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/mad.gif

Josh, which motor do you have?

The volt meter test on the tach wires should be...Red lead.... from meter to Gray wire, black lead from meter to black wire, reading should be about 9 volts at idle.

Yeah I meant gray wire instead of purple. And I knew it should be about 9v but the most I got was 2v and it went from 1 to 2 and back. Its a 92 150 Faststrike.

There is a good chance the rectifier/regulator is gone, you may want to disconnect the cranking battery until you can replace it, would not want any other problems. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/wink.gif

The test Must be done with the Tach wires disconnected.

You mean disconnect the batt while its sitting.

Yes, Please!

I guess I'm one of them kind of guys that has to know why. What could happen if the battery was still hooked up?

You freaked me out enough on one of the topics that came up when I was seaching for info on this by saying the regulator/rectifier could catch on fire if you ran it and it was bad.

I could catch fire and where its located it will cause more damage, be safe and unhook the battery. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/wink.gif

Buy a new BRP Reg/Rect and it will not have a purple wire and its not supposed to.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fiddlefarter &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I guess I'm one of them kind of guys that has to know why. What could happen if the battery was still hooked up?

You freaked me out enough on one of the topics that came up when I was seaching for info on this by saying the regulator/rectifier could catch on fire if you ran it and it was bad.</TD></TR></TABLE>


If a diode was shorted to the B+ inside the regulator, current from the battery would feed thru the stator and heat things up while running down your battery.

If the diodes were "open" and you ran the motor at high rpms, the stator voltage would climb over 100 and start arcing inside the regulator, making mucho heat and eventually catching the potting material on fire, if conditions were right.

Since your motor has a few years under it's belt- it would be wise to pull the flywheel and visually inspect the stator for melted insulation around the black coil assemblies on the frame.

Most regulator failures are from voltage spikes caused by loose or corroded connections and that is why for almost 20 years, Johnson and Evinrude requires locknuts, not wingnuts, on battery connections. That is specified in owners manuals, service manuals, seminars, training schools, etc. and some in the business still finger tighten wing nuts. Those funny shaped finger fasteners can easily cause $1000 damage to regulator, stator, and wiring.

Is that enough explanation?

Well I went to bed last night and after thinking about it laying there I got back up and went out in nothing but my drawers and disconnected the battery. I'll call Reeda when I get back from vacation and get a new one.

Save some Vacation money, the part number 439561 Reg/Rect is $249.10 and you will need the gasket for it part number 350357 $ 2.05.

I knew it was about that much. And what perfect timing. I'll be hitchin' a ride for a little while. At least till I can get back and maybe do a survey job on the side. You know, you'd think they'd throw a $2 seal in the box with the $250 part.

Would that be the same part as a reg/rect on 175 Faststrike? WITCHDOCTOR has some parts posted for sale on the Motor Parts Forum


Modified by fiddlefarter at 4:07 PM 7/9/2005

Sometimes it comes with the gasket, The one Witchdoc has will fit but it still has the purple wire in it and has the potential to do the same thing.