Alternator wiring

[Docholiday72tx]

Has anyone attempted adding one of the General's 3 wire alternators to our trucks? If so...belly up to the bar and spill the beans!

[heep70]

"bump"

[heep70]

Did you read this article? http://www.madelectrical.com/electrical ... wire.shtml

Seems they are mainly pushing the fact that you can have a alt warning light. In the pictures it has the main possitive wire and a jumper coming off that to excite the alt so it will charge. Wow almost a one-wire. Then the other wire is for the gauge. Looks pretty basic. The only thing I am not sure of is if it will work properly with the amp gauges in our Fords.

[Docholiday72tx]

Hello there Heep!
Yep....I saw it. I'm still trying to figure out if that will work properly with a guage. I saw another similar article that said a diode and fusible link are also mandatory in this set up.
I don't have a clue what a diode is, where to get it, or where to put it.
Doc

[heep70]

If I can catch my neighbor this weekend I will ask him. He is a cheby freak, but he knows his stuff when it comes to automotive electrical stuff. Especially the three wire alt.

Here is his website (below) and a link to contact him. If you also want to drop him a quick email he would be glad to help you out. Tell him heep70 sent ya so he knows it cool. He custom builds racing safty equiptment for just about any type of rig mainly vetts. I will also try to catch him.

Vetteworks

[68F250]

(Just thinking out loud, never done it before)

The gauge should work fine, it doesn't know what kind of alternator is connected. Use the existing harness but only connect the heavy alternator output wire, fold back and tape up the other wires.

The remote sense should attach the the battery side of the starter solenoid.

You need a switched power source to turn on the alternator. Lucky for you, trucks with the gauge have a little different wiring and there's a wire perfect for that. It's the Green/Red stripe wire that goes to the "S" terminal of the existing regulator. Cut off and lengthen that wire and connect it to the alternator. Fold back and tape up the other wires going to the regulator.

[Docholiday72tx]

Heep,
Thanks for the address. I'll give that a try.
68F250,
Your logic makes pretty good sense to me.
I've got the green wire with the red stripe going to my regulator.
I've got 1 big wire on my GM alternator that is held on with a nut. I know this wire gets hooked up to either my battery or solenoid.
I've also got a plug with 2 smaller wires in the side of the GM alternator. One wire loops around and goes to the big wire that is held on to the alternator with a nut.
The other wire on the plug is just loose.
Which one should be hooked up to the green wire with the red stripe that goes to my regulator?
Doc

[68F250]

Ok, lets go for it but we'll call it a Delco-Remy instead of those ugly initials.

First thing is disconnect the battery negative cable.

Unplug the connector to the existing regulator. Cut the Green/Red stripe wire from the connector (leave a couple inches of wire on the connector side in case anyone in the future wants to go back to stock). Splice on a new wire to the Green/Red stripe wire with enough length to reach the alternator. Use the same gauge wire as the existing wire is. Tape back the rest of the wires and connector out of the way of anything.

Disconnect all the wires from the existing alternator. You will only be using the thick wire that was connected to the BATT stud on the alternator, all the others can be taped back out of the way of anything.

Now on your Delco-Remy alternator, the one big stud and nut is the output, this is where you will connect that thick wire. The smaller wire from the two prong connector that loops to the stud is the remote sense. You can leave it this way for simplicity sake but it won't be remote sensing. The other wire from that connector which is hanging loose is the place you want to connect the new wire you just added.

That should be it, don't forget to reconnect the battery negative cable. If you find that the charging voltage is a little low, we can go back and connect up that remote sense differently.

[Docholiday72tx]

68, I agree. Delco Remy sounds much better. I feel so dirty using that other term.
I don't know how much of an electrical Guru you are, but your theory on how this should be carried out makes excelant sense. If I couldn't get any one to answer me....That was going to be my first plan any way.
Thanks a ton for your idea on the situation. It definately sounds possible.
Doc

[68F250]

You're welcome and Good luck!

Like I said, I've never done it before.

[Docholiday72tx]

By the number of responses it would apear as though no one has attempted it.
I don't know whether it will work or burn the truck down....but there's only one way to find out.
I'll try iy here in the next week or so and let ya'll know what happens.

[Docholiday72tx]

Barry,
I got it hooked up and it reads 13.98 volts at the battery at idle with all accessories running.
How ever....I still can't make the amp guage work. I tried hooking up the alternator to the green wire with the red stripe that you mentioned. The amp guage doesn't work that way, plus the truck won't turn off with the key with that wire hooked up. Any ideas on what to try next?
Mike

[68F250]

Hi Mike!

I must be brain-dead today because after reading over the last few posts, I still can't visualize what we were trying to do! Right now I'm thinking if you connect to the green/red stripe wire, you'll be back-feeding the ignition. Let me decompress a little and think about it.

[72hiboy4x4]

"I don't have a clue what a diode is, where to get it, or where to put it."

since a diode is like a one-way valve for eclectricity, you should be able to get one (rated for the anount of current used in this circuit) and splice it into the red/green wire near the alt., and it should prevent the back-feed into the ignition. this is probably where the fusible link comes into play, also.

as to where to get it, sorry I don't have a clue. LOL
but maybe radio shack, or even the parts house might have something you can use. maybe try an electronics parts supply house???

[Mohillbilly]

CLICK HERE.

This is the closest thing Radio Shack shows online, but in my book it's a little under rated. Since the output of the alternator can run as much as 100 amps, at about 14.5 volts, I would try an electronics parts house and ask to speak to an applications engineer.

http://www.diodes.com/products/catalog/ ... result.php

These 2 devices should allow sufficient overkill to keep you safe, and then the fused link will protect the diode and alternator from backdriven voltage.

The picture shows the silver band at the end of the diode body. This indicates the polarity. It will conduct electrons INTO the end with the band, but will BLOCK current from the other direction.

Hope this helps without confusing the issue.