1983 dodge d150 overcharged battery
When off battery and alternator both at 12.5v
When key is on batt 12.04v alt 11.99v VR 11.56
When lights on batt 11.8v alt 11.7v VR 11.2v
When ignition on batt 13.2 and rising alt 13.3 and rising and VR at 11.7v
Thanks for all the help so far guys. If this looks like a voltage drop between battery and VR I'm going to probably do the bypass for now until I have the time to really get in there.
OK, that may not be "voltage drop." WHERE are you measuring this? If this is right at the battery, then it is the battery itself dropping, and 11.2 is LOW. Either the battery is not fully charged, or old or something wrong with the battery
"Voltage drop" which causes VR overcharge is caused by bad connections in the harness connectors/ terminals, the ammeter circuit (if it is full current), and the ignition switch itself
To test for this, turn key to "run", engine stopped
Stab one probe into the top of the battery POS and the other probe on the key side of the ballast resistor. You should read very little, and over .3V (3/10 of one volt) you should track further.
The ground path can do the same. To check that, run engine at simulated low/ medium cruise, IE fast idle. Make this check, first, with accessories off, and again with lights, heater, etc powered on
Stab one probe into the top of the battery NEG post. Stab the other---hard--into the VR mounting flange. The lower the better, zero is perfect.