Headlights kill Battery

ratwasp

I have a '54 Wasp with the original drivetrain and 6 volt system.  Car starts & runs well, generator keep battery charging just above 6 volts while running.  Problem is, when I turn on headlights the battery is sucked down to where the car will not start, barely cranks.  Any suggestions, regulator perhaps??

Thanks in advance for your help!

Kdancy

How long are the headlights on before killing the battery?
Does the amp guage take a dive when the headlights are engaged?

Lance

Is the original wiring still in the car? If so you may have heavy resistance on some of the bare non insulated wire due to corrosion Also you may have a drain on the power due to inadvertant grounding.

Geoff

 You need to get the charging system checked. How worn are the generator brushes - what voltage is the regulator set to?   This is the reason I always fit an amp gauge to my cars so I can see exactly what is going on. 

railknight

One place to check for bare insulation is the wires that feed the right front headlight, parking light and if equipped, turn signal.  These wires have their old insulation more exposed than elsewhere on your car due to their being in front of the radiator and being struck over the years by dirt, small rocks and other debris. 

I  had, for several years, a problem on my '53 Super Wasp with my turn signals in that I was burning out the flasher unit (boy would it get hot!).  Looked everywhere for a short, but where I should have to begin with.  Finally, I removed the front metal shroud before the radiator (which contains the female hood latch) along with some of the chrome bars to access these wires.  Much to my surprise, all four wires (headlight, bright, parking and signal) were shot and needed immediate replacement.  I'm amazed that I had a right headlight factoring in some of the two inch long areas of bare wire. 

I replaced all the wires with brand new period cloth, correct size and color wire purchased from a vendor at this year's 2014 Carlisle, PA swap meet (story of my trip there upcoming!) and combined them all into a flexible heat resistant conduit.   Now, no more problems with the turn signal flasher unit plus the security of knowing these wires were replaced.   

Dan

Park_W

The battery may not be getting fully charged.  When the engine's well above idle with no lights, etc. turned on, what's the voltage at the battery or at the BAT terminal of the regulator?  It should be nominally 7.2v.  Check the condition of all the battery connections, looking for looseness or corrosion.

hudsontech

I had a '69 Rambler with a similar problem - the idiot light would come on, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, and the battery would keep going down. I checked everything I could and couldn't find anything.  I finally wound up taking every electrical connector I could get hold of apart and cleaning them - even the snap in connectors (those can be taken apart using a small, thin screwdriver).  That took care of the problem.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

ratwasp

My wiring is original, and in very bad shape to say the least.  I will start there, especially the headlight leads.

The generator was rebuilt, while running the battery reads 6.43-6.50 volts.

Geoff

YOur  voltage is too low - it should be 7.2 to 7.5 volts.

ratwasp

YOur  voltage is too low - it should be 7.2 to 7.5 volts.

You think my generator is bad?

Geoff

No, not necessarily the generator, just the regulator needs a kick in the guts!  With the engine  doing about 30 m.p.h. equivalent, and headlamps on, you should have 7.2 volts at the Arm. terminal of the regulator.  Increasing the tension of the spring by bending the anchor arm is the way to adjust.   This is the voltage coil, at the opposite end to the very heavy-wound  cut-out coil.