<VV> Voltage regulator

[JVHRoberts at aol.com]

The 20 or so ohm resistor is to allow the thing to charge in case of bulb  
failure. And a stop light draws WAY too much current for this, mostly due to its 
 VERY low cold resistance. A cold stop light 1157 filament draws something 
like  20 amps or more when the current first hits it. I doubt any regulator 
would be  happy with that! Try something like a true indicator light with that 
resistor in  parallel. I'll bet everything will be VERY happy. <G>
 
John
 
In a message dated 12/17/2006 5:57:39 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
chartzel at comcast.net writes:

I'm  working on a dune buggy and just got the Corvair engine running.   I
wired everything by hand (no stock harnesses) and wired a stop light bulb  to
the voltage regulator.  The hot wire from the ignition switch is  wired to
the bulb and the socket is grounded to the #4 terminal of the  regulator
simulating the stock idiot light.  The alternator is  charging fine (16 volts
pegging my meter) but I can't get the idiot light  to go out.  I tried seven
regulators.  One didn't work and the  other six won't put the light out.  I
checked all the wires from the  alternator for continuity and they seem fine.
The battery is a brand new  Optima gell cell (fully charged) so the light
should go out.  I read  somewhere I might need a 20 ohm resistor parallel to
the idiot light to  make the light go out.  Any comments from the electrical
geniuses  here?  My knowledge of electrical stuff is water thru a pipe and
don't  connect the positive to ground!
Clark Hartzel