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alternator wiring

1K views 10 replies 3 participants last post by  John_Muha 
#1 ·
my battery is not charging, so i thought the alternator was the problem. i made it checked by a shop the guy told me it works OK. So i put it again in the car but i still only get 12V so i think my wiring must be messed? i know i removed useless wires some months ago maybe then i made smth wrong. Anyway i found in my chilton manual a wiring diagram, but my alternator set up doesn't correspond since i have only 2 wires connnected to my alternator.
DO you know the right connection of these 2 wires where they must go etc etc to the voltage regulator and battery ?

thank you
 
#3 ·
If you have an orig alt w/external regulator, John's suggestion is correct. I'll add: a large gauge red wire from the BAT terminal of alt to the horn relay buss bar. From there to the junction block in front of stock location battery on the radiator support and connected to positive battery post. All of this red wire being #10 AWG. Eight AWG would be better.

If you have a converted system with an internal regulator, then, you need a #8 AWG red wire from the BAT terminal to battery pos post, and the white(?) wire on the connector to dash light. The third terminal gets a jumper from BAT.

Do a search on Alt wiring as this subject has been discussed before.
 
#4 ·
thanks,
i search but didn't find infos.
My set up is a one wire alternator. The red wire is bolted on the alternator and the socket has 1 wire on it. 2 other wires were cutt on that socket. But so it was when i bought the car and it works so...
I guess i have a new generation alternator then with a internal regulator?? i have no idea. i know it is a one wire .

so what is the wiring?
 
#5 ·
i read and read here about alternators, found the tech article over it and one question remains : after the broun(or blue) wire connect to the idiot lamp, where does that wire go and connect? is it a ground wire?

and some people say the idiot light is needed some say no. Well i may try both.

Marc
 
#6 ·
I believe you might check at the driver side of the radiator support and check the original external regulator plug is missing or modified.

If I remember correctly, looking at the plug, a jumper or wire together, the two outside wires. The two inner wires of the plug do not connect to anything.

The "R" wire on the alt might get a 33-35(?) ohm resistor in series with the idiot light.
 
#7 ·
Originally posted by Everett#2390:
The "R" wire on the alt might get a 33-35(?) ohm resistor in series with the idiot light.
If this is an internally regulated alternator there is no "R" or relay lead. There is a voltage sense lead that ties to the large B+ wire. Older cars used a series 10 ohm lead across the bulb to the "F" terminal. This was to keep the alternator going if the lamp burnt out. They stopped using the series wire sometime in the 70s. It's not needed if you check the lamp when you turn on the car.
 
#8 ·
the brown wire is connected on the L plug of the alternator socket. I can't see any idiot light or i don't know where it is. The red wire (bat terminal) runs from alt to battery (i checked that) .
so the prob must be the brown wire connection.
Now i looked in the chilton manual to see where to connect the brown wire.
but here is the problem : according to chilton the brown wire is splitted in 2, one side goes to the ignition switch (brown white) and the other side to a resistance bulb then (pink) goes to another end of the ignition switch. that's clear.
However in my car i lost the brown wire when it enters the inside, (out of the fire wall) . Furthermore all the electricity in my car isn't original there are lots of pink/roze wires quitting the ignition switch. I'll never be able to fix which wire is which there are too much and innaccessible.
- first I need to know if the splitting is needed,
- second does that brown wire get connection to ground or to 12 V when ignition switch is turn on ? I gess ground.
- if so i can maybe iether find another wire that do the same or install a new wire on the ignition switch is that possible?

thanks to tell me.
 
#9 ·
"- first I need to know if the splitting is needed,"

Split is not needed to work. Just the brown lead to the light bulb.

"- second does that brown wire get connection to ground or to 12 V when ignition switch is turn on ? I gess ground."

If the engine is not running the brown wire is low (near ground). If the engine is running brown goes high (near 12 volts)

"if so i can maybe iether find another wire that do the same or install a new wire on the ignition switch is that possible?"

It's possible to attach a new wire to the switch and make it work if you have to. Best to use some resistance wire equal to 10 ohms for the wire under the dash. Your GEN light won't work if you wire it this way.
 
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