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

[Ryan Hill <ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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

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