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one wire alternator hook ups


Angie

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Very curious, who is/has ran/running a 1 wire alternator hook up in their trucks? and how did you wire it in? I read so many different ways to wire in the 2 wire plug that it is confusing with so many options.

Pros and Cons of how to hook it up?

I have not wired it in, however I did wire in a under 11 volt warning light through the volt meter wiring system.

cheers

(examples of what I am talking about)

 


Andrew.V

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Hi I have been running a gmc 10 s alternator for about 3 year in my 88 I got one with a self exciting module in it so i only have one wire running to the battery solenoid on the fender. only con i have with it is I have to rev my engine to 1000-1200 rpm to excite it other then that full voltage all the time. Another way you can wire it is with the two terminals run the one to the dummy light and loop the other directly to the battery terminal on the alternator then it will excite when you rev the engine up like mine hope that makes sense if not ill try and answer any question you have.
 

RonD

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1 wire alternator just needs MEGA fuse(in line) and it hooks to Battery positive, which is usually on the Starter Relay post on inner fender

Same as B+ wire on back of a regular alternator, the wire on the stud/nut terminal, in fact you can use that wire if its still there, it is already "fused" so ready to use


All alternators have an ON/OFF switch, that's the Battery Light wire(light green/red wire) on Fords
The 1 wire also needs an ON/OFF switch as well, an RPM switch, centrifugal switch, is used for that
This is one issue with 1 wire units, if idle is too low it stops charging until RPMs are higher, RPM switch is OFF
So do NOT use with smaller crank pulleys, lol


The Yellow/white wire on Fords is for the voltage regulator "monitor", but there is no reason this can't be internal, so on 1 wire version it is
You need to check that internal voltage regulator is working, after start up you should see 14.5v or so, after driving before shutting off should see between 13.5v and 13.9v, under 14v, over 14v long term will ruin your battery

When using a 1 wire alternator it is recommended to use an accurate Voltage Gauge in the cab, stock one is not that good, digital read out volt meter is best, or use an AMP gauge
You are losing the Battery Light so you have to have some way to monitor vehicle voltage in case it drops too low

So really the only thing different in the 1 wire is the ON/OFF switch

What fails on an alternator is usually the bearings or the fields/diodes, so no more or less reliable than the 3 or 4 wire models

But they are a WAY CLEANER looking hook up with just the one wire :)
 
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Bird76Mojo

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I wish I could get Ron to help me make my factory 1987 ammeter working again after my 92 5.0 swap... :bawling:
 

racsan

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both of my tractors with 12V conversions run 1 wire alternators. I know the allis is a delco unit , the ford most likely is too, Ive not looked that closely at it.
 

RonD

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I wish I could get Ron to help me make my factory 1987 ammeter working again after my 92 5.0 swap... :bawling:
I don't think Rangers ever used a calibrated AMP Meter, so they didn't need a calibrated Shunt
Rangers just had D for discharge, and a C for charge, needle moved from center spot towards D with key on engine off, then moved towards C with engine on, IF alternator was working
Like this one: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attachments/snapshots-69/186209d1501440305-1987-led-gauges-1.jpg

Non-calibrated is important because its much easier to install
A calibrated AMP meter would have numbers, i.e. -80amps to +80amps, these require a calibrated Shunt

A "shunt" is any wire or connection used between the two wires of an AMP meter, so its not a specialized device, its just what you call the wire between the two amp meter wires, the wire that most of the electricity passes thru is "the shunt"

In this application the Shunt is the B+ wire from alternator to the Fuse or fusible link

All the amps from alternator go thru this wire to the battery, the amp meter has two wires, one connected to B+ and one connected to Alternator side of the Fuse/Fusible link
The direction of the flow of electricity thru this "Shunt" wire is the D or C, so if AMP Meter seems to read in Reverse, then just reverse the 2 wires, no harm done

Diagram here of Ranger AMP meter wiring: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/EDiagrams/files/diagram_charging_1983to1985_1.JPG
Black/orange(BK/O) wire is the Shunt wire

Alternator(B+ terminal)\------------(black/orange wire)---------------/Fusible link------Starter relay post(battery positive)
.................................................\--------------AMP Meter-------------------/

You need AMP meter wires protect by the fusible link, you could add a 5amp fuse on either Meters wire for more protection
You CAN cut the Black/orange wire in one place(near fuse) then use butt connector to splice in the amp meter wire, or in two places, that's what Ford did on their factory wiring
This is technically a Charge-Discharge meter since it doesn't display actual AMPs, lol, like starter relay or starter solenoid


When you do an AMP meter then you need a Shunt wire of a calculated size/resistance to match the AMP Meter
The smaller size Shunt FORCES a known percentage of AMPS thru the AMP Meter, so it can show an actual number, like +30amps, or -10amps


You can buy AMP meters with built in Shunts, however..............................you would need to run LARGER wires than on B+ now, from alternator into the cab to the AMP Meter and then back out to the battery, lol
Years ago these were used in cars and trucks but alternators were 30-40amps then, not the 70-130amp models now-a-days
 
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