3 Wire to 1 wire alternator question

[slocrow]

What do I do now with the side plug and the two wires if I install the one wire version? I still want my volt meter to work and know that I have to rev excite to start the one wire type. The rebuild (former 3 wire) now has a ground to block tab attached to the case, which I'll hook up and also has a plug cover now where the GM two wire plug use to go.
Thanks, Frank

[rumrumm]

I would suggest running all three wires, especially if you have a number of electronics like A/C, electronic ignition, etc. Maybe you know this already, but a one-wire alternator will not sense the need for more voltage if you run a heavy load. With a 110 volt one-wire alternator, I could not run A/C with an electronic fuel pump and electronic distributor as it would pull down below 12 v and kill the engine. I switched it back to three-wire and have had no problems. Voltage never runs less than 14.2. If you have a bare-bone car, it may not make any difference, but I will never run a one-wire alternator again.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I would suggest running all three wires, especially if you have a number of electronics like A/C, electronic ignition, etc. Maybe you know this already, but a one-wire alternator will not sense the need for more voltage if you run a heavy load. With a 110 volt one-wire alternator, I could not run A/C with an electronic fuel pump and electronic distributor as it would pull down below 12 v and kill the engine. I switched it back to three-wire and have had no problems. Voltage never runs less than 14.2. If you have a bare-bone car, it may not make any difference, but I will never run a one-wire alternator again.

as I understand it on GM unit, internal regulated style...  

Batt wire (hvy gauge) to main stud... jumper wire from there to terminal #2.  OR run that smaller wire from terminal #2  all the way to the battery?  

The the feed wire to terminal #1  from ignition switch?

This gives the Alt a senser wire for power load increase or decrease?

[slocrow]

Thanks for the heads up Lynn and Tony, thanks for the wire routing info.

Can I just remove the plug cover and connect my two wire connector to return to a 3 wire setup?

I had two rebuilt in the spring and when this one was on the car it started to charge erratically after a while so I returned it for repair. When I got it back "they" had converted it to a one wire unit after replacing the stator, voltage regulator and something else (pretty much rebuilt it) and had added a small clip for a ground wire to be attached between the cases. For some reason "they" wanted to improve the ground of the alt. A cover plug was at the GM two wire connector location and I asked if I could just remove it and go back to a 3 wire set up to which "they" suggested not to do that. I don't know why but am interested in if I can do that or not.
Thanks, Frank

[wayne petty]

this is the test to perform on the charging system ..

http://i.imgur.com/WMDprhm.jpg

this is a conventional delco 3 wire alternator set up,.

http://i.imgur.com/xtrZQpv.jpg

the output of your replacement alternator needs to be known to calculate the proper wire size and the proper fusible link size..  or you will overheat the wire and eventually burn up the fusible link to the starter or battery and blow your alternator diodes ..


some self energizing voltage regulators used in One wire alternators will make the alternator light work as it did..

if you notice on the BROWN wire drawn.. to the #1 terminal on the alternator there are two ways to connect it shown.. its ONE or the other.  not both..

please verify the charging system is working with the six steps of the voltage drop test above..  you may want to increase the engine speed for a duplicate test on test SIX..  

i don't know if you have an underhood fuse box.. to feed the rest of the car.. so you may have to bypass test 5..

[slocrow]

Thanks Wayne! I did some research and found that before I can just remove the cover and reconnect the GM plug, I'd have to make sure that "they" didn't do a sensing wire internally from #2 to battery, #3.
This is not a good thing either internally or externally as the alt never sees downstream past any big draws and therefore never picks up the voltage as would be required. This is probably what Lynn was referring too that could draw down the battery if you are running a fan, AC and/or another big draw. And just to clean up the look of wires under hood, not me!
Not only that but without an ignition switched 12 volts to excite the field it could lose its magnetism from prolonged down time (Winter) and not be able to deliver a charge without a manual 12 volt jump to pin #1.
I think "they" were questioning my ground and that's why the extra clip was added for a ground wire.
Thanks again guys, Frank

[wayne petty]

in all reality..

a http://www.wagneralt.com/products/D08-03.asp voltage regulator should not draw down the battery when the engine is off.. it looks at the AC signal coming off the stator to turn its self on.. self energizing..  

there is no magnetic field to discharge over winter...  the regulator controls the rotor winding field size... the oyster shell shaped devices on the rotor become the north and south poles .. the ^v^v^v^v overlapping fingers create a sinewave shaped magnetic field that passes thru the layered stator windings...


if you are working with a  windmill version.. or a real self energizing version that does NOT have a battery to supply 12.65 volts for initial voltage regulator start up of the rotor.. magnets have been embedded in the rotor so when it spins it will create just enough electrical energy to power up the voltage regulator and start powering the rotor coil to create output..

i built one of these for a friends water wheel decades ago..   i think you have what you need now..

[taxpyer]

Here's some information that might be helpful.  Good luck.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml