<VV> voltage regulator problem with "late model"

[UltraMonzaWest@aol.com]

  then I went to  my local alternator /starter rebuild shop.he has
done work for other corvair club members and did excellent work at a great
price .so i have no doubt about his ability to work on a corvair.
so I picked up a  nice new "interstate" battery. I did this because in my
opinion if its "smoken" its shot. so he could check it out with a good
battery... also we checked out the grounds to the motor and body . we even ran
a ground direct , to be sure it was grounded.
         so i had already went to advanced auto to get a new one. it was a
"sorgensen" type"
we put it on and it only cut it down to 14-16 range.. at a idle..and jumped to
17 at 2500 or so rpms...so we tried the one that he uses as a tester in his
shop. it worked fine and  cut the current down perfect. the meter read a 12.5
and 13.5 max at higher idle.. . so I head back to "advanced" to get another
one ,  put it in and it didn't do much better then the first one I bought  and
it still doesn't work . readings again at 15-16 and higher at fast idle..so by
now I am just at a loss.. I returned the 2- sorgensen type. and the went to
"o"rielys  for the "borg warner" type"  and with that one the reading were
just as bad or worse  15-16 range and it cost lots more.
so the guy at the shop gave me his "tester regulator" to drive it home with. I
am go to get another "borg warner" type and pray it cuts down the voltage
correct way.. is this normal ? when running in the 15-17 volt range..isn't
that over charging ?  thus cooking off my battery.. or is 14-17 range
acceptable ? is this where the new out of the box voltage regulators are set
at ? are they adjustable ? or do need to just get a internally regulated
alternator and by pass the whole thing. ?  thanks for you time  ...I could
really use some feed back.. thanks o lot...

dan avallone
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1  Did you change the battery last night?  It obviously had a "shorted cell"....that was your problem!

2  14.3-17 volts is NORMAL [ your mechs regulator is too low! Maybe good for all highway driving...but not around town!  It takes a minimum of 13.6 volts to "charge" a battery...anything lower and you get a "surface charge only"

3  The "NEW"  battery is NOT fully charged....drive it 1 hr..then check...

4  GROUNDED???  It's "internally grounded"...mounted by the factory with 3 RUBBER mounts....FORD/ CHRYSLER  products of the 50-60's were externally grounded!

5   35 miles and the battery was flat??  That should've told you it was bad!

Matt N.