minegun2

OKey

I just picked up another new 96 Cherokee 4.0 4x4 on saturday. As you can see in the pictures. Previous Owners did some wacky wiring crap, cause the alternator stopped working. They tried running a external voltage regulator on it, with some real crappy wiring job. I need to know wth, this fuse line connector thing is plugged in to, i need to know what fuse block that is, and if that fuse block is HOT at all times, with what ever else circuity is related to or connected too. Cause ever since i messed with that wire to get the alternator running after messing with the wiring for 5mins. The battery will drain dead within an hour or two. I have a feeling what ever wire they have that thing plugged in to what ever fuse block, has to be hot all the time. which is causing the voltage regulator to be on all the time, which is killing the battery.

Thanks guys

P.S. yes i have tried googleing and searching and looking at every diagram online. and nothing really shows anything for that fuse block.

SirCyber

Need pics up to help you out...

minegun2

there are pics, im looking right at them on here. try refreshing the page

SirCyber

Oofka. NOW they show. Darn phone... Now to those pics. That certainly doesn't look very good. One thing you can do to test if it is that weirdness is with voltmeter. Test that cable leading from fuse box. Can be tested by disconnecting battery, make small Nick in wire, attach positive to the wire and negative to an exposed body bolt. Reconnect battery. If it reads any voltage it's running hot all the time. After test, disconnect battery, wrap the nick up with electrical tape. That's just to test it. What it is or what it's doing is gonna have to come from someone else here

Turbo X_J

Disconnect the battery, pull the alternator and have it bench tested.

minegun2

I was going to do something similar to that today, along with a amp draw test, and checking for draws. till i realised the battery got drained so much not even the smallest light in the jeep will turn on. I have a 1year warranty with advance with the battery. So i need to go swap the battery out tomorrow before i start testing. Cause my multi-meter wont even pick up anything, even on the lowest scale right now. Thats why im on here trying to figure out wth that fuse block in related too.

I understand what they were trying to do, but i dont understand why they tried running power to the voltage regulator, when it should be getting power directly from the alternators 12v, and yes the alternator works fine, after giggling the wiring around a bit. I also don't under stand how a 2 wire regualtor some how got 3 other wire going to it, off of 1 wire, don't understand that either.

minegun2

Well after testing with my DMM it was indeed causeing a huge battery drain, cause it was hot all time. now i need to find a fuse or relay thats linked with START and RUN so it dont kill the battery anymore.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

That's an external voltage regulator kit. I used the one found HERE and it works perfectly on my WJ that the internal voltage regulator failed on. This is a common issue on Chrysler vehicles that regulates voltage through the PCM. If it's drawing power while the jeep is off it was wired wrong.

Basslicks

My absolute favorite part of this rat's nest is that they put heat shrink tubing on it, but didn't shrink it.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

LOL you mean that's isnt how shrink wrap tubing works? The whole job looks like a mickey mouse install. Why not cut the wire down to the correct size instead of looping it and making a bundle? I feel much better about how I wired mine in after seeing this dumpster fire.

minegun2

Yea the wires a basket case. Yesterday I took that blue wire and ran it over to the other side and ran it under the dash and power it off of the 30amp fuse for the windows. Cause it was on of the ones that was running off the ignition. Alternators still charging, at 14.5 14.6 ish. Which is normal in therie.

But all the lights are pulsing at idle, And I can physically feel the pulsing on the voltage regulator. Which makes me think, that even thoe there a good ground to the voltage regulator to the alternator case. I think the wires to case is not big enough, for it to be properly ground the 14v+ it is taking in from the alternator. Something to do with grounds is cause it to be a little erratic. Thought guys?

And yes I am going to clean up the wirring. On my to do list. As well as hooking up the electric fan that they cut the wires off and didn't hook back up. And figure out why I'm not receiving any oil pressure on the cluster.

And fix the pinhole leak coming from the radiator hose or radiatorside it's self. All and all still not bad for a 600 dollars jeep. Runs better then my 2dr I had that I paid 3300.00 for.... -.-

SirCyber

I don't think that voltage regulator is working properly. Try running jeep without it yet? I'm in the dark for external, add on voltage regulator as I have never had one or dealt with one.

minegun2

I have not tried hooking the alternator back to stock yet. Far as I know the stock wirring is still hooked up they just tapped over the terminals on it. They claim the pcm voltage regulator is blown out with is why they ran this external one. Maybe they wired it wrong in the beginning and burnt something out in it. And then fixed the wirring and tried running it again. Might just be bad and need to be replaced.

I'm tempted to try running it back to stock. And see of maybe there a open wire some where and that's why it stopped charging. The alternator only 6months old. But it is from advance....

I think if the field wire to the pcm, is open then the alternator won't charge I don't remember which one it is. If it's field or sensing. One of them determine how much ground to put on the alternator to pull more voltage from it depending on the load.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

I wired mine in similar to the way they used the underhood fuse box but you only need to tap for power in the accessory position. If it's hot all the time there will definitely be a parasitic draw on the battery.

As for the flickering lights at idle, that's a weird one. Are you getting a reading of 14.5v at idle or at 2k rpm? I'm not sure if your external regulator is adjustable but if it is there will be a small **** on the backside of the big shiny box. You could turn it up small increments to see if that gets rid of your flickering. Mine came preset at 14.6 and it works fine at idle. First things first, clean up your wiring and check all your grounds. The regulator itself (shiny box) should be mounted to a metal surface as well.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

Don't be surprised if you actually encounter an overcharging condition. The guy I bought my WJ from put 3 different alternators on chasing an overcharging condition. Little did he know was that the PCM regulates voltage. I was seeing 18v out of the alternator which was making the jeep run like absolute garbage. Once I put the external voltage regulator on, she's running like a champ.