Alternator Question

[clayschmuck]

I've just recently purchased a new alternator from Summit Racing. I needed to upgrade from the stock 75 amp alt to a 100 amp alternator. Well, the new alternator is a single wire alternator and I have more wires than that coming off of my alternator connector. Help! I also ordered a better alternator wire kit (painless wiring) however, it came with no in-line fuse...I plan on getting that before I install everything so I can redo the wiring. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Clay Simmons

 

[stykthyn]

I use an inline 100amp fuse block that I bought from a stereo shop. I spliced that in line with the power wire going to the starter relay. if you ordered the painless wiring harness it should take care of your single wire connection probs. also make sure that it is a 4guage wire.

P.S- from one Clay to another. never put your real name on a message board.

 

[HISSIN50]

In addition: The single wire is a 'universal' type install. On your stock alternator, those other wires are the charge cables, stator loop, remote sense circuit and excite-wire. Your new alt doesnt need that stuff. It will self-excite when it sees a certain alternator RPM. You might be able to wire it so it excites with the key. If you can, I would really recommend that you do that. Check the instructions for options.

I agree with the fuse - you gotta have it. Fuse the weakest link in the chain.

Lastly, listing your name and schmuck together isn't very nice (to yourself).

Good luck.

 

[clayschmuck]

My confustion rests with the six wires I see attached to my alternator. I know there are 2 (possibly 10-guage) black/orange wires and one white wire that connect via a rather large 3-blade spade connector and there's a smaller connector (again, 3 wires). On my new alternator, there's the one-wire connector and a 2-blade (smaller) connector that probably needs to be connected as well. Sigh, I've checked out several sites that address upgrading to a larger amperage alternator - one I found on this forum has the wiring diagram but shows only 1 black/orange wire. I did find a better wiring kit (paperformance.com) that comes with an inline fuse. I just hate it when I buy a "kit" that's not complete!

BTW, thanks for the input...I'm still a bit miffed about the kit I bought....that and I had to recently modify the brackets that attach my new exhaust on my motorcycle!

As for my name, it beats "Henry"...

 

[fastford91]

id just upgrade to the 3G and be done with it! once you do this you will have no troubles with your charging system and can run any accessory you want to with no troubles! this is what i did! worth every penny! James

 

[clayschmuck]

Thanks for the input(s)....unfortunately, I've already bought the 100 amp alternator so I'm going to use it. It has to be better than the factory 75 amp alternator!!!

I added to my signature. I've never posted here before....a good friend of mine frequents this forum frequently (yeah, a tad bit redundant!) suggested I post the alternator question here.

 

[HISSIN50]

My confustion rests with the six wires I see attached to my alternator. I know there are 2 (possibly 10-guage) black/orange wires and one white wire that connect via a rather large 3-blade spade connector and there's a smaller connector (again, 3 wires). On my new alternator, there's the one-wire connector and a 2-blade (smaller) connector that probably needs to be connected as well. Sigh, I've checked out several sites that address upgrading to a larger amperage alternator - one I found on this forum has the wiring diagram but shows only 1 black/orange wire. I did find a better wiring kit (paperformance.com) that comes with an inline fuse. I just hate it when I buy a "kit" that's not complete!

Just go off the instructions for your new alternator. Whatever you need will be available in the OEM harness, and the other wires will not be used. The whole point of a single wire alternator is that you can install it on any vehicle that it will physically bolt into. You dont need to have an OEM wiring harness.

On yours, the smaller terminal/circuit might be an excite circuit. Once you confirm what the terminal is for, we can tell you what OEM wire to connect to it. Piece of cake.

Good luck.

 

[clayschmuck]

Again, thanks for the help....a friend just installed a "more betterer" alternator on his '85 Capri and we went through the wiring colors to see how he hooked his up. I'm going to trace my factory wiring to see where it goes and I also ordered a 4-guage wiring setup with an inline fuse kit...

The other 3 wires go to the factory internal regulator...he tried to bypass that and his car wouldn't charge....oh, another thing...here is a quote from the installatin instructions on my new alternator:

"Note: 1-wire alternators require only 1-wire to operate. Reconnect only the main output wire to postive lug and remove or tape off all other existing wires. Do not remove plastic cover from regulator terminals on 7127 1-wire models."

That's it!

Again, thanks!

Clay

 

[HISSIN50]

Clay, we know what every alternator wire does, but he issue is that you dont need to use any of them, sans perhaps one for excitement.

The simple matter is that a true one-wire alternator only needs a charge cable and that's it. If it won't charge, it should be tested.

For the charge cable, though you ordered one, you can make one from 4 AWG amplifier cable and an ANL or AGU fuse and fuse holder. I spent about 20 bucks on supplies doing this on the fox and about 10 bucks to do the 94 GT.

Good luck.

 

[clayschmuck]

Again, thanks for the input....I only posted the directions from the new alternator to show how vague they are. I understand that I do need only one wire however, I still wanted my battery charge idiot lamp to come on.

BTW, I just went out and traced all the wires. I just don't understand why Ford found it necessary to use 2 10 guage wires into 1....silly...

Oh, I went to various audio places around here in San Antonio...they looked all sorts of confused when I asked about a 100amp+ fuse....don't they install stereos in cars?

Anyway, I'm just waiting on my new cable (with fuse) to arrive and some new blue split convoluted tubing to tidy up my engine bay....the factory black tubing has gone tango-uniform (actually, sorta like potato chips) and I hate how everything looks around the relay so, gonna clean it all up....

Thanks again for the help...

Clay

 

[HISSIN50]

Again, thanks for the input....I only posted the directions from the new alternator to show how vague they are. I understand that I do need only one wire however, I still wanted my battery charge idiot lamp to come on.

BTW, I just went out and traced all the wires. I just don't understand why Ford found it necessary to use 2 10 guage wires into 1....silly...

Oh, I went to various audio places around here in San Antonio...they looked all sorts of confused when I asked about a 100amp+ fuse....don't they install stereos in cars?

Anyway, I'm just waiting on my new cable (with fuse) to arrive and some new blue split convoluted tubing to tidy up my engine bay....the factory black tubing has gone tango-uniform (actually, sorta like potato chips) and I hate how everything looks around the relay so, gonna clean it all up....

Thanks again for the help...

Clay

If better instructions are not available online (PDF's on the manufacturer's site, etc) then it'll take a call/email to them to confirm that the extra terminal is for the excite circuit. If so, your OEM excite wire should be lt grn/red (test it with a meter).

The old alternators were from the carbed days (no EFI, not big electric fuel pump, lesser ignition, etc etc). They were satisfactory for that. The charge wires were just an antiquated way of getting power out of the case.

You should have no issue finding a 100+ amp fuse. Common ones are 100, 125, 150. I get mine online (ebay works decent for crap like that. The sellers normally just toss them in an envelope so shipping is often listed cheaply or as free).

Tango-Uniform.

Good luck.

 

[clayschmuck]

If better instructions are not available online (PDF's on the manufacturer's site, etc) then it'll take a call/email to them to confirm that the extra terminal is for the excite circuit. If so, your OEM excite wire should be lt grn/red (test it with a meter).

The old alternators were from the carbed days (no EFI, not big electric fuel pump, lesser ignition, etc etc). They were satisfactory for that. The charge wires were just an antiquated way of getting power out of the case.

You should have no issue finding a 100+ amp fuse. Common ones are 100, 125, 150. I get mine online (ebay works decent for crap like that. The sellers normally just toss them in an envelope so shipping is often listed cheaply or as free).

Tango-Uniform.

Good luck.

It's a summit racing alternator...I'll look to see if there are any other directions online.

Hmmm...green red? Sigh...from the charging connector on the alternator there were 2 black/orange (or orange black) 10-guage wires and one smaller (16-guage) white/black wire that joined the other connector (going to the internal regulator). The green wire (coming from the internal regualtor) joins the mess of wiring that goes through the firewall. The yellow wire joins the black/orang wire over at the relay. Mayhaps, the white/black wire goes to the excite circuit??

Man, I hate beating this dead horse!

 

[clayschmuck]

One more thing...I love ebay! I've completely restored my interior (cept for seat covers, seat foam and carpeting - got that from 50resto.com) via ebay! I always look for some new piece of, um, crap that I can use to make my '89 look like it was when I first bought it back in November of 1988...

As for the alternator, it's completely different from the 3G one...I've already perused the "install 3G alternator thread (with great interest)" only to discover that I do not have a connection for the stator wire (white/black).

Just wanted to post this for what it matters!

Clay

 

[HISSIN50]

It's a summit racing alternator...I'll look to see if there are any other directions online.

Hmmm...green red? Sigh...from the charging connector on the alternator there were 2 black/orange (or orange black) 10-guage wires and one smaller (16-guage) white/black wire that joined the other connector (going to the internal regulator). The green wire (coming from the internal regualtor) joins the mess of wiring that goes through the firewall. The yellow wire joins the black/orang wire over at the relay. Mayhaps, the white/black wire goes to the excite circuit??

Man, I hate beating this dead horse!

You got it. On your 'charge' (rectifier) connector, you simply will not reuse any of those wires. Insulate the connector (since it's still hot) and set it aside (or remove the entire harness). You're correct - it has the two charge wires and one leg of the stator loop.

The excite wire is indeed in your regulator harness. The Yellow wire is the 'sense' circuit (it's a remote voltage sensing circuit that allows the alt to see how much voltage drop there is in the wiring. it adjusts output accordingly).

Again, the lt grn/red wire should be your excite wire. It will show voltage when the key is on and be cold with the key off.

Good luck.

 

[clayschmuck]

Whoo hoo! We have a winner...honestly, I'm not a complete idiot, really! All the work done to my Mustang has been done by me....just when it comes to the electrical part of the car, it can be kinda scary, especially when all the wiring is neatly bundled up behind 20 years worth of black electrical tape and convoluted wire cover. I just don't want to screw up my "charge rectum-frier"...

Cheers mate!

Clay