Quick Alternator Wire Gauge ?

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

20

39

Feb 27, 2015

#1

• Feb 27, 2015

• #1

Hello all,
Had to take my 3g alternator in to verify its functioning properly and disconnected the wire that goes to the volt meter obviously. When I hooked it back up, the old wire seemed brittle so I wired up what I think is a 14g or possibly a 16g wire to the stock 18g or what appears to be 18g. Will I run into any issues having a lower and bigger gauge wire wired into a higher gauge wire on that specific line (to the volt gauge)?

 

89oem

Mustang Master

Dec 18, 2013

1,456

542

144

Feb 27, 2015

#2

• Feb 27, 2015

• #2

Yes, @mikestang63

 

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

20

39

Feb 27, 2015

#3

• Feb 27, 2015

• #3

Will that put more load then the 18 or 20g can handle? Here is a pic of the hackjob that was done by the previous owner



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

20

39

Feb 28, 2015

#4

• Feb 28, 2015

• #4

mods, feel free to move it to correct tech section. I goofed

 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician

Aug 27, 2012

11,606

8,859

214

In the garage

Feb 28, 2015

#5

• Feb 28, 2015

• #5

That is a fire waiting to happen.

If you want to run a 3G alternator properly, this is what you need to do

1. Only use the stator wire from the existing 2G wiring and use a facctory 3G plug or even a female spade connector. Solder the connection and cover with shrink wirap.
2. Tape off the other wiress and tuck them out of the way
3. For the power wire, use a 4 gauge wire with a 125 amp inline fuse- connect it directly to the + of the battery or the + of the starter solenoid where the + battery cable goes. There is a guy on the Corral- grn92LX i think that sells the entire power wire, fuse, and stator wire with the end rings already crimped on.
4. Add an additional 4 gauge ground wire from the block to the chassis ground behind the battery

 

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

20

39

Feb 28, 2015

#6

• Feb 28, 2015

• #6

So I apologize but the stator wire from harness is the white with black stripe correct? That wire appears to be 18g on the factory harness. From there I connected with a crimped butt connector to a 14g wire about 3 inches in length then crimped a female connector and placed that onto the male connector of the alternator. Does that make sense? Im wondering if that 3 inches of a bigger gauge wire is of concern. Everything else has been done correctly per your list. @mikestang63

 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician

Aug 27, 2012

11,606

8,859

214

In the garage

Feb 28, 2015

#7

• Feb 28, 2015

• #7

Yes the stator wire is normally the whire wire with the black stripe.

I would recommend using the same gauge wire and solder and shrink wrap the connection, The larger gauge the wire, the more current/load it will carry. If you can't solder, at least use a crimped butt end connector with shrink wrap,

Again, you do not want to reuse the existing 2g black/orange power wires/plug in the new 3G alternator,- only the 4g power wire. You will reuse the D shaped regulator plug.

Image courtesy of jrichker

 

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

20

39

Feb 28, 2015

#8

• Feb 28, 2015

• #8

Thank you for the picture. It is run correctly with the exception of the larger gauge wire I installed. I will pick up a smaller gauge and solder it. Thank you