3 wire alternator to 1 wire questions

[chtucker]

The bearings went bad on Bronco's original alternator. (along with the water pump being throwing coolant everywhere yesterday)....BTW when you pull 1 new, 2 used water pumps and an alternator out of the shed while the wife is watching, she knows where I have been spending some money..

I had a single wire 140 amp that fit up with a spacer on the upper bolt.

There were three wires to the alternator. Large charge/ammeter wire, small ground, and a wire to the electric choke.

Electric choke obviously needs to go to key on source.

Ground, not needed, as well as external regulator.

Large charge/ammeter wire.... Truck wouldn't start without it hooked up to the positive post. Obviously provides power to starter solenoid, fuse block, and coil.....

My fear about leaving it hooked to + always hot is I don't want to be pushing 140amps through ammeter in dash.

If I run the single charge wire off the alternator to the positive post and separate wire to the constant + of the solenoid and double the old charge/ammeter cable to the post will I be running lots of current to the ammeter? I shouldn't I don't think.....

I need to find a mega fuse base to run between the alternator to battery, Napa did not have any fusible links above 60 amps...

Anything else I am missing?

[chtucker]

Doh the one wire that I thought was ground is the field wire on the old alternator from the voltage regulator.

Now in the short period that I was running with the single wire alternator hooked up, I never did see the voltage jump up (the alternator charging).. Do the single wires take a good voltage drop to start charging?

Howard

[jbosstyn@comcast.net]

Check out this website if you are still having issues, gives lots of good info on why NOT to use one wire alt. www.madelectrical.com Also has wiring diagrams on how to install.

[stargazer]

Check out this website if you are still having issues, gives lots of good info on why NOT to use one wire alt. www.madelectrical.com Also has wiring diagrams on how to install.

I'm trying to understand more about truck electrical systems so I can make decisions about an electric sander. I'm discouraged with how complicated it is.

This link goes to a very educational site that really makes an effort to be clear in its explanations. Very helpful.

Thanks jboss!