I hate electrical gremlins: What the Heck is This Edition

"rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S" (rb1971) 11/23/2014 at 17:24 • Filed to: None

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This box (which appears to be a relay) is mounted above the steering column on my 1949 Hudson. Clearly it is newer, and I don't think the electrical in this car is close to stock (fault of prior owners), but it is still a 6V system.

Anyone have any idea? The reason I asked - it started making a spring-like intermittent (about every 10 seconds) noise this morning while driving the car. Nothing else appears to have happened, although it is possible the directional indicators are flashing at a different rate.

My first thought was that it is a turn signal relay, but it appears to be wired in line between the generator and the ignition switch. Also, it makes the noise whenever the battery is connected (i.e., switch off/switch on but car off/car on).

It is in fact in focus IRL.

For Sweden > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/23/2014 at 17:32

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Best I can do http://hetclub.org/burr/manuals/1…

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > For Sweden 11/23/2014 at 17:36

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Thanks. I'm a member of the HET club. Just trying to fix it myself on a Sunday afternoon.

I expect this is either extremely easy and I will feel stupid, or involves a part that is NLA or otherwise will require extensive rewiring.

RacinBob > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/23/2014 at 17:57

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If you look at the schematic, there is a set of contacts going to the F(ield) terminal on the generator. I did not see where the relay is, but I assume its function is to kill the field power when the ignition is off and draining your battery. Sooooo, if its clicking, maybe your generator is dropping out.

Its hard to tell if its original, if its not, I assume someone added it so that the field current didn't have to go through the ignition switch.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > RacinBob 11/23/2014 at 18:30

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Thanks. I think that might be it. The generator is definitely old and is on my "to replace" list.

Cé hé sin > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/23/2014 at 18:35

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Are you concerned at all that your car seems to be steadily converting itself to iron oxide?

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > Cé hé sin 11/23/2014 at 18:51

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Nope. That's surface rust under the dash. Not worried about it. It's meant to be a 3-4 condition driver.

RacinBob > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/23/2014 at 21:51

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I don't think the clicking is a sign of a generator problem. The relay needs a signal to pull in, and if it is clicking, it means the signal is intermittent. Its like a light bulb that is flickering. If its flickering, its not the bulb, its the switch. Either the relay is bad (unlikely) or whatever is providing the signal is (more likely) or possibly the relay ground is bad (certainly possible). To rule out the ground issue, take a wire and connect it to a good clean ground and fasten it to the case (or stick it under the case) and see if it makes a difference.

Bad72AMX > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/23/2014 at 23:27

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Looks like a voltage regulator. Does your GEN lamp work? If not, replace the bulb with the closest thing you can find. On a lot of older stuff, the bulb itself is the load in the field circuit so maintaining similar to factory resistance can be important.

Bad72AMX > RacinBob 11/23/2014 at 23:29

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I don't want to be pedantic, but this is an important point. The component in question is a mechanical voltage regulator, not a relay. A relay uses a low current circuit to switch a high current circuit. The regulator uses a spring loaded thermal controlled arm to vary voltage.

RacinBob > Bad72AMX 11/24/2014 at 22:01

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Here is a voltage regulator on ebay for a 6 volt vintage hudson. Note the terminals on the side, not on the top. When I saw a silver box with two studs on the top andheavy wires and I concluded its some kind of relay.

Below is a similar vintage Nash regulator, note the two contacts instead of three?

Remember the schematic shows a field contact to the generator. I think the Hudson regulator included the field relay in the regulator, hence the third coil. So. when it was repaired/rewired, whomever replaced it installed a "two coil nash style regulator. They would still need the relay right?

So what if we are looking at the relay they added? Perhaps a its a old relay similar to this brillman relay having two studs looking like this......

I think we are looking at a relay and not a regulator .

Bad72AMX > RacinBob 11/24/2014 at 22:48

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To clarify, it is almost definitely not original. That style metal case looks to be 60's or early 70's origin to me. Probably a parts store generic replacement. I do think you nailed it with your link , though, but the name is old school and generator specific. A cutout relay is a self resetting circuit breaker used as a simple voltage regulator, not a relay in the sense it is used today.