Alternator/voltage regulator

[PLTO6]

1964 Ford Thunderbird 390 convertible. Car was running fine then for some reason I am getting 16 to 17 volts at the battery. I have tried two new voltage regulators and I'm still getting the same thing. The alternator is Motorcraft and the voltage regulator is electronic one. Besides replacing the alternator does anyone have any suggestions on what might be causing this problem. The battery shows good voltage when the cars is off but when I first started it up it goes to 16 to 17 volts at the battery and stays there. I have also tried a different voltmeter and they both read the same.
Thanks
Boyd

[simplyconnected]

Sounds like the alt is putting out, but it also sounds like the Field is shorted to +12 (which makes the alt put out as much as possible at all times).

This will trash your battery and possibly blow your light bulb filaments early.

All this should be regulated at the Voltage Regulator. Check along the harness for frayed wires that are touching each other. - Dave

[Ian M Greer]

Boyd, years ago I experience a near fire in my 63 hardtops engine compartment . Turns out the main wiring harness was shorting under the front fan shroud. Again a short as Dave is suggesting , just some where to possibly check . Ian

[PLTO6]

Update

Thanks for all the advice, after searching the wiring harness I could not find a short so I ran 2 wires directly from the alternator to the regulator and everything is back to normal so I guess there is a short somewhere in the harness, but instead of tearing the wiring harness completely out I will just run 2 new wires alongside the harness from the alternator to the regulator. If anyone has a better idea I'm willlng to listen.

Boyd

[simplyconnected]

...after searching the wiring harness I could not find a short so I ran 2 wires directly from the alternator to the regulator and everything is back to normal so I guess there is a short somewhere in the harness,..

I guess you proved it to be so.

Glad you're good to go. Now, I hope you don't have live wires hanging out in the breeze. As soon as you can, get to that harness because if the insulation is that far gone, the wires need to be replaced with new copper. You can splice into the connectors if you want but please keep solder far away. Use crimp connectors. - Dave