Lighting issues

[jszarecki]

ok, i installed some driving lights and fog lights on my z.

i turned them on and drove with them for abtou 5 miles, mayeb a bit more, and the lights shut off. the fuses did not blow they just stopped working. they woudl not come back on. the next day they worked again...

im scared to drive at night cause now i have no lights that i can trust.

these lights are wired seperately from all Z wireing.

lights-relay-fuse-ground and battery-switch

thats my horrible way of showing you aflow chart of how i wired it.

any ideas?

[Arne]

Jay, if I add this to the other electrical problems that I recall seeing you post, I think it's possible that your Z has a serious overcharging issue. I suspect that it is putting out so much voltage that all your electrical parts are overheating or burning out. You need to get the charging system tested professionally, including (especially?) the voltage regulator.

[SteveJ]

Jay, pay attention to what Arne wrote!

[jszarecki]

got it. i just figured since i replaced my charging system i shoudl be good. but ill look into it

[SteveJ]

Jay,

You said you replaced the alternator, right? If so, there is always the possibility you were sold an internally regulated alternator, especially if you just told the guy at the parts counter that it's a 280Z. The internally regulated alternators started with the 78 280Z.

If that is the case, that would cause the overcharging problem you seem to be experiencing.

[KDMatt]

Hey, I'm just going to play devil's advocate here for a second (or something like that), so please excuse me...

If he had an internally regulated alt, how would that cause overcharging?

I mean, the only difference beside the internal/external regulation is that the later alts produced around 60 amps instead of 50... Are you trying to imply that those extra ten amps are what could be causing the overcharge? I'm just wondering, because then what would be entailed in installing a "high-output" 220 amp alt?

[sblake01]

Hey, I'm just going to play devil's advocate here for a second (or something like that), so please excuse me...

If he had an internally regulated alt, how would that cause overcharging?

I mean, the only difference beside the internal/external regulation is that the later alts produced around 60 amps instead of 50... Are you trying to imply that those extra ten amps are what could be causing the overcharge? I'm just wondering, because then what would be entailed in installing a "high-output" 220 amp alt?

If you put and internally regulated alternator in a car that already has and external regulator it should cause some kind of problem. I don't know if it would cause over charging. Are the connections the same for both types of alternator? That's something I never had cause to research. And on the other subject, the 220 amp alt, I hope you were just being facetious!

[SteveJ]

Hey, I'm just going to play devil's advocate here for a second (or something like that), so please excuse me...

If he had an internally regulated alt, how would that cause overcharging?

I mean, the only difference beside the internal/external regulation is that the later alts produced around 60 amps instead of 50... Are you trying to imply that those extra ten amps are what could be causing the overcharge? I'm just wondering, because then what would be entailed in installing a "high-output" 220 amp alt?

Perhaps it would have been better if I said "overvoltage". In my more Z ignorant times (I'm still Z ignorant, just less so than 5 years ago.), I installed an interally regulated alternator in my car without knowing it was internally regulated. I bolted it in, started up the car, and blew out one of my headlights. OOPS!!! I checked the voltage at the battery with the car running, and it was at about 19 volts. So, I quickly got online, did the research that I should have done in the beginning, and found the solution.

Now, if Jay is running the "double regulated" electrical system long enough, perhaps it is causing the electrolyte in the battery to boil, and the overpressure is popping off the battery caps.

[jszarecki]

nah...my batt is charging a abotu 13.5 or so..at idel. since my tach blew out, i cant determine what its charging at while running....

[SteveJ]

Jay, don't worry about the tach reading. Have someone rev the engine while you're taking voltage readings.

[KDMatt]

If you put and internally regulated alternator in a car that already has and external regulator it should cause some kind of problem. I don't know if it would cause over charging. Are the connections the same for both types of alternator? That's something I never had cause to research. And on the other subject, the 220 amp alt, I hope you were just being facetious!

I thought it was implied that one'd d/c the VR if he/she installed an internally regulated alt :laugh:

As for the 220 amper? ... Nope, I was being serious, I've seen 'em! The intended market probably being someone bizarre enough to put 1200 watt subs, tons of extra lighting (i.e. neon under-lighting), and electric windows on their Z's ... No, no and no!

Ugh, and let's not forget imitation Knight Rider lights!

[sblake01]

I really don't know what was implied. Let's see, we started with a fog light installation which failed in about five miles. He was told to check his charging system but he'd already done that checked it (13.5v at an idle) tach is blown (whatever that means) so he doesn't know the idle speed (I guess). Based on that I really have no recommendation. Sounds like screwed up wiring to me. I know that sounds really general but it is so commonplace on these cars. It's really hard to troubleshoot when I'm not actually looking at the car. But then again, I've never had the problem that is being described here. My comment was merely about the two types of alternators and what would happen if one got them mixed up. As far as the 220 a.h. alternator, it ain't going in a Z without a major rewire!