External Voltage Regulator and LED

[PaulProe]

I am using an external Motorcraft regulator in my build. It is the electronic type, not the relay type. For the charging light, the dash light had an LED in it rather than the normal incandescent bulb. Put all the pieces together and everything worked fine.

After starting the motor a half dozen times, now the idiot light stays lit all the time. After a lot of cussing, testing, more cussing, I finally figured out there apparently is enough leakage thru the electronic regulator that the LED remains lit, even though everything is fine. Changed to a incandescent and it works as it should.

I can see if the leakage current on the gate used in the regulator was high enough, the regulator would still be good but the LED would light.

What confuses me is it worked fine for the first few times, then began acting up.

Has anyone else run into this. Really would prefer to use the LED, it looks better and resolves the burned out bulb issues. Should I be looking for something else or do you think I hit on the problem with the gate leaking and the LED subsequently lighting.

? ? ?

Paul

ps: before anyone chimes in about using a 1 wire alternator, I am building a period correct replica so the 1 wire doesn't fit the scheme of things.