Willys Truck Gauge Clusters

[bmorgil]

This is a good read on the Regulator. Larry has a few write ups in the Tech Forum on the Generator/Regulator.

https://willysjeepforum.kaiserwillys...volt-Regulator

[LarrBeard]

Thanks, but the regulator I have has screw adjustments.

CHEAT!!! Most don't have a screw adjust, you have to bend a tab that sets tension on a spring.

Good work - that screw is there for a reason and it turns in both directions. You'll be glad you reset it.

[56willys]

I did an experiment with the voltage reducer by wiring a headlight to it. Then with the extra voltage draw it dropped to 6v. The reducer I have is ceramic with a wire filament that only drops volts when it has load on it. Like for headlight or heater motor. So I think i need to find an electronic reducer that will reduce volts constantly.

[LarrBeard]

What you have described is a resistor, not a voltage regulator. It reduces voltage, but it does not regulate the output voltage. The voltage at the output will vary with the current drawn by the load. Think of it as a ballast resistor for an ignition coil - like the one that we saw mounted on the firewall of a lot of cars way back when.

An electronic unit is a very good choice if you are working with a 12-volt to 6-volt conversion, but in the case of a 6-volt system you only want to drop a couple of volts and most of the readily available voltage regulators need a higher input voltage that the normal 7.4 - 7.5 volts you see in a 6-volt system at normal charge levels.

If you are dealing with a 12-volt system, this would be a good choice:

https://www.amazon.com/SMAKN%C2%AE-D.../dp/B014ZQ6TFY. Tie it down to a good ground, the case is an electrical connection.

But, if you are still 6-volts, I poked around a bit and I found a couple of units that will probably do what you need at a cost that won’t break the bank.

This one is the original relay style. While it is an Old School approach, it will work just like the defective one you have. This one appears to have an adjustment screw to fine tune the output voltage if you need it.

https://www.npdlink.com/product/regu...e/100930/50625

REGULATOR, Instrument Voltage, repro, original relay style, located on back of gauge cluster, reduces voltage to 5-6 volts at the gauges.

1948-1952 F1-F3 AS VOLTAGE INVERTOR
1957-1964 F100-F350

Another choice is an all-electronic unit:

https://www.npdlink.com/product/regu...c/177873/50625

REGULATOR, Instrument Voltage, electronic replacement, no adjustments necessary, more reliable than the original relay style regulator, output is a constant 5 volts as required.

1948-1952 F1-F3 AS VOLTAGE INVERTER

For both units, the IGN terminal is the straight tab and the “curled” tab goes to the gauges. Get it backwards and it won’t work. And, the tab is an electrical connection - screw it down to a good ground point.

Let us know what you find out…