Flickering lights

So tonight was the first time I actually drove my '72 (H code) when it was dark enough to need the lights.  The headlights, dash lights an interior lights flicker when the engine is running.  It gets worse when the turn signal is on. I suspect that the voltage regulator may not be be working properly, or the alternator isn't working properly, or a combination of the two.  Suggestions, ideas?

Thanks for your help in advance.  

Bob

Voltage regulator may be the issue. Also the design of these cars back in the day was not what you see on current vehicles. I has the issue that my lights would dim at idle and get brighter as RPM increased. So I wired my headlamps (both std and brights) through a pair of relays. This way I am pulling full 12v off the battery terminal when they are on and using the stock headlight switch as the signal for the relay.

Voltage regulator may be the issue. Also the design of these cars back in the day was not what you see on current vehicles. I has the issue that my lights would dim at idle and get brighter as RPM increased. So I wired my headlamps (both std and brights) through a pair of relays. This way I am pulling full 12v off the battery terminal when they are on and using the stock headlight switch as the signal for the relay.

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Thanks Jason.  Think I'm going to replace the voltage regulator.  It can't hurt.

It can be the voltage regulator, alternator, battery, or corroded 40+ year old connectors/fuses/circuit breakers, or a combination of them. Check the voltage drop at various places in the circuits with the battery used as reference voltage.

Voltage regulator may be the issue. Also the design of these cars back in the day was not what you see on current vehicles. I has the issue that my lights would dim at idle and get brighter as RPM increased. So I wired my headlamps (both std and brights) through a pair of relays. This way I am pulling full 12v off the battery terminal when they are on and using the stock headlight switch as the signal for the relay.

Click to expand...

Thanks Jason.  Think I'm going to replace the voltage regulator.  It can't hurt.

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After looking closer at the regulator, it looks newer, but the connector that plugs into the side of the regulator isn't in very good condition. It looks like it may the original connector.  It doesn't fit snug, so I'm going to replace that first (it's a $3.00 part). I did push it in so it was as tight as I could get it, started the car and did not have any flickering.  I should mention that I've only had the car for 8 months, and the previous owner did do a lot of work under the hood.  I haven't had any real big issues with the car, just addressing thing like this when they come up.

Cars are like that. You just chip away at the issues as they come. Hopefully you can stay ahead of them.