Re: [Chrysler300] Thanks for the memories...(related question)

[Paul Holmgren <paulholm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ryan Hill wrote:
> While on the subject, I've had quite a few '60's Mopars over the years and have always been frustrated by the dimming of the lights at idle. My '65 300 is not too bad but the worst yet is my '68 Charger. Even with a good battery and at cruising speed the interior lights are dim. At idle, you wouldn't even know they're on (at night!) Is there likely a problem with my electrical system? It doesn't seem to matter whether the headlights are on or not. Could there be a problem with the dimmer.....too much resistance?
> 
>  
> 
> Technically it's not a '300' question but relates to 300's with the same problem. Anyone have a simple fix?
> 
> Ryan Hill 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> To: c300@xxxxxxx; robert.blohm@xxxxxxxxxxx; 2HsandaHeritage@xxxxxxxxxxx; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> From: lettercars@xxxxxxx
> Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2009 08:44:07 -0400
> Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Thanks for the memories...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bob and All:
> Yes, thanks for the great explanation. 
> I would add that the very rare Chrysler 300F Specials (400HP 4spds) were 
> the only other Chrysler products equipped with alternators in 1960. 
> 
> I kind of prefer a generator myself, and certainly 
> prefer the ammeter over the voltmeter. (Maybe that is because I never 
> figured out how a voltmeter tells me anything!) I do, however immediately 
> understand the meaning of the ammeter needle going to the "discharge" side of 
> the gauge. If that happens at night, one better be close to home, or take 
> the next exit. Just a couple thoughts on a nice morning here in 
> Tallahassee, FL. 
> 300ly, Gil C.
> 
> 
> In a message dated 4/18/2009 2:19:35 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
> c300@xxxxxxx writes:
> 
> Bob:
> 
> Thanks for sharing that specialized tidbit of knowledge from your long 
> years
> with Exide. This club is fortunate to have so many members who have and are
> willing to share their unique and valuable work experience from the 
> earlier
> days of our brutes. 
> 
> I recall Valiants had alternators in 1960, and I think Chrysler offered 
> them
> across the board the next year. I think we rapidly learned to just ignore
> the Ammeter for a while after starting and this led to "idiot lights" that
> didn't require any interpretation. 
> 
> My 2005 Durango has a Voltmeter as does my '86 Chrysler T&C Shelfpaper
> woody. Computers manage current distribution now and Voltage probably 
> tells
> us more than we need to know as to what's happening. In the '50's, it was
> common to have short circuits, a bad battery and/or
> generator/generator-regulator problems, so watching and interpreting the
> ammeter was a necessary skill to know when to have the electrical system
> serviced. Drivers from those days retained a desire for "Ammeters" 
> although
> the Ammeter gradually was changed to a Voltmeter to avoid the necessity of
> carrying increasingly high current to and from the instrument panel. I do
> notice that charging/running Voltage does tend to be slightly lower in warm
> weather. I presume this is due to higher underhood temperatures affecting
> diode performance.
> 
> C-300'ly,
> Rich Barber
> Brentwood, CA
> 1955 Chrysler C-300 (with a totally undamped instrument panel--fuel gauge
> dances with generator regulator action and/or turn signal flasher operation
> and lights dim at idle--just like the good old days)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Blohm, Robert
> Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 7:15 PM
> To: 2HsandaHeritage@xxxxxxxxxxx; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] 300H amp gauge
> 
> Doug, I have a 61 Imperial that does exactly the same thing. The alternator
> was invented and first used by Chrysler in either 60 or 61. GM caught up in
> 63 and Ford in 64 for some models. When you start the car you take some
> power out of the battery. This suppresses the battery voltage slightly. 
> With
> the engine running the regulator now puts on full field excitation to the
> alternator and the alternator puts out full power thus you see the ammeter
> swing up to high rate of charge. Since the battery is only slightly
> discharged it immediately responds by increasing its voltage. The regulator
> immediately cuts back to low charge thus the ammeter drops back to center,
> however, the battery voltage now drops back slightly lower than the
> regulator would like and it responds by going back to the high rate of
> charge. As soon as the battery has recieved enough power to replace that
> which was removed during starting (a couple of minutes) the voltage will
> hold up high enough that the regulator will not call for the high rate
> charge and now the ammeter settles down in the center. Later cars had some
> damping in the ammeter to suppress these swings and make them less
> noticable. Late 60's went to solid state regulators which eliminated this
> characteristic. The solid state regulator is continuously variable while 
> the
> early mechanical (relay) regulators where more of an all or nothing
> situation. I worked for Exide Battery for 44 years, all though I was in the
> industrial division, but spent a lot of time working with charging methods
> and response of a battery. Hope this helps explain it. Bob Blohm
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of 2HsandaHeritage@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:32 PM
> To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Chrysler300] 300H amp gauge
> 
> Hi Group,
> 
> My amp gauge needle rapidly moves back and forth when the engine is 
> started.
> 
> After driving a mile or so, the needle settles down and remains near the
> center of the gauge.
> 
> Can anyone explain what the cause might be?
> 
> Doug Warrener
> 
> Fair Oaks, CA
> 
> 300H

I do recall that its more a problem of WHICH alternator you currently 
have in your car.
There is a 'thin' alternator and a 'thick' unit, the thin one is the 
guilty party almost all the time.
(Yes I had this problem on my 'hot-rod' frankentruck.
Cured for the most part by using the 'thick' unit.
the eye can tell the difference when looking at the laminates
exposed between the front/back of the alternator housing.
only a few, like 5 or 6 or so, laminates, and you have the 'thin' one,
and if my daughter ever returns 'frankentruck' then I can count the 
laminates in the current one and give you a clue as to the 'thick' one

-- 
Paul Holmgren
Mine: 2 57 300-C's in Indy
Hers: 05 PT GT R/T HO
Hoosier Corps L#6


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