Subject: 1969 Delcotron Generator with Integrated Voltage Regulator
Model and Year: 1969 Corvettes
Source: Inter-Organization Letter - San Diego Zone, Los Angeles Zone, Pacific Coast Region
Page Number: NA
Date: January 3, 1969
The writer’s supply of complete Delcotron assemblies have been used in exchange for defective units removed from ’69 Corvettes. I have no more complete units available at this time.
We have not received any specific information back from Delco regarding the units returned. Engineering, however, has indicated that the following method for establishing the source of the battery discharge does not work properly when used on a ’69 Corvette. The test involves installing a volt meter between positive battery post and the cable then disconnecting things until the electrical discharge shown on the volt meter disappears.
On a ’69 Corvette such as test will always show a 10 volt draw because the design of the regulator provides a constant path to ground, and thus a constant current drain; however, the resistance of this path is very high and limits the current to an extremely small value. Most generators tested measure 5-10 milliamperes. A 10 milliampere drain requires 2000 hours to discharge a 20 ampere hour battery.
This doesn’t explain all of the dead batters in ’69 Corvettes, and we have requested Engineering to supply us with an alternate method of testing which takes into account the constant current drain built into the generator. Further, we have been advised complete Delcotron assemblies for ’69 Corvettes are available through normal parts channels, but apparently are stocked at Otterburn.
We have also asked Detroit to do something about supplying some parts with which to make repairs on these units once the cause of failure has been determined. In the meantime, it may help to get a customer on the road quickly to know that Pontiac has a 55 amp Delcotron with integrated regulator part #1100830.
Article ID: 1133
Created: January 25, 2015
Last Updated: January 25, 2015
Author: Rob Loszewski
Online URL: https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/knowledgebase/article.php?id=1133