H over charging

[ChasK]

I just redid the wiring on an H after getting a new alternator. (The old one literally went up in smoke.) I'm pretty sure I have everything wired correctly by following Bob M's diagram and instructions. However I've noticed after raking for a few hours, the battery is getting hot .

What did I do wrong here?

 

[henryv11]

Maybe left the generator on it. JK someone will know

 

[El Toro]

Check your charging voltage at the battery. Should be in the 14.0-14.5 range. Hal

 

[Dick S]

It may be you have a defective voltage regulator. At least some of those available now have an internal wiring defect. The coil connecting the L and BAT terminals (large wire inside the regulator) may be connected up backwards. This coil is intended to provide negative feedback and limit the current flow out the BAT terminal headed toward your battery and ignition (which is why there typically is no fuse used on the BAT-terminal wiring) but this wiring defect instead produces positive feedback (the more current headed out the BAT terminal, the more the voltage regulator wants to push more current out that terminal.

A way to check for this defect is to connect the wire which normally is connected to the BAT terminal to the L terminal instead and see if the problem goes away. Note that you will have no overcurrent protection on this wiring unless you install an in-line fuse as well. I don't recommend trying this unless you are comfortable with working with electrical issues.

I've had experience with two of these defective voltage regulators in the recent past, purchased from two different vendors, so I expect the problem is widespread.

Hope you have good luck resolving your problem.

 

[old]

First off hard to help with out knowing what alternator you used. They do not all wire up the same way.

 

[ChasK]

I used a Delco 10-SI.

 

[Bob M]

Check for voltage at the #2 terminal on the
alternator aux plug - it should show
battery voltage with the ign off.

If voltage is OK at the #2 terminal problem
is a bad regulator (inside the alternator).