ok ford guys please don't flog me, or run me out of town,or infest my armpits with the fleas of a thousand camels. P.o. installed a 1 wire chevy alt on my van and I was wondering how to hookup the idiot light or would it be easier to convert back to a ford alt?
2 posters
Idiot light for alt
Mr Hill Billy- Number of posts : 213
Location : Oklahoma
Registration date : 2009-12-23
- Post n°1
Idiot light for alt
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12218
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
- Post n°2
Re: Idiot light for alt
Mr Hill Billy- Number of posts : 213
Location : Oklahoma
Registration date : 2009-12-23
- Post n°3
Re: Idiot light for alt
Thank you donivan65 for keeping my secret and the help also..and yes i agree with the voltmeter but that is later down on my list. I just want to get everything working right first
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12218
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
- Post n°4
Re: Idiot light for alt
The deal is,,,,,a 3 wire GM alternator needs juice from the idiot light to turn on the internal regulator through that #1 terminal and they might of bypassed that circuit WHEN they converted it to a 1 wire alternator. So if you can't get it to work, you could put a standard 3 wire one on there if you wanted too. ,,,,,and have the best alternator known to mankind,,,,,,
Guest- Guest
- Post n°5
Re: Idiot light for alt
donivan65 wrote:The deal is,,,,,a 3 wire GM alternator needs juice from the idiot light to turn on the internal regulator through that #1 terminal and they might of bypassed that circuit WHEN they converted it to a 1 wire alternator. So if you can't get it to work, you could put a standard 3 wire one on there if you wanted too. ,,,,,and have the best alternator known to mankind,,,,,,
So, if you only have wires hooked up to the main Battery + terminal it won't ever charge?
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12218
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
- Post n°6
Re: Idiot light for alt
A REAL 1 wire Alternator requires that you run the engine up to 2000 RPM to get it to start charging,,,,this 3 wire GM has a jumper wire hooked from # 2 to the output post AND # 1 gets the idiot light hooked to it,,,,,to test this alternator just touch the#1 with 12 volts to start the alternator to see if it charges,,,you can't leave 12 volts to it all the time-it will kill the battery,,,,,Peoples use a 10 Ohm, Radio Shack resistor on a wire from the ignition switch IF they don't have an idiot light,,,,to power that #1 terminal on a 3rd Gen GM Alternator,,,,,
Guest- Guest
- Post n°7
Re: Idiot light for alt
That makes more sense. There never has been an idiot light hooked up since I bought the van, but the charging problems are recent. I have two mystery wires leading to the main + post on the back and that's all. The PO wrapped everything in electrical tape like his life depended on it so I need to trace the wires back a long ways, four feet or so, before I can see where they are supposed to go. I bet it's just not triggering the start of the charge. I will give it a shot. Otherwise, this van may be up for sale. The guys at the parts store know me by name now because of this van.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12218
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
- Post n°8
Re: Idiot light for alt
Are we talking about a Ford, Chevy or aftermarket Alternator? If a vehicle has an Ammeter, it don't have an idiot light,,,,so you need to make the wiring work if you change the original Alternator or Generator to something different,,,,
Guest- Guest
- Post n°9
Re: Idiot light for alt
It's an econoline with the same alternator that you pictured abouve (chevy). No ammeter, just idiot light. Used to have a generator with regulator, now just an alternator.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12218
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
- Post n°10
Re: Idiot light for alt
Guest- Guest
- Post n°11
Re: Idiot light for alt
Right now, I have a heavy gauge wire coming of the starter solenoid going to the battery, should I also run another + as well?
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12218
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
- Post n°12
Re: Idiot light for alt
Just as long as there is 12 volts at that output terminal on the back of the alternator,,,,normally you would run a 10 gauge wire with a Fusible link on the end of it and hook it up to the big terminal on a starter relay where the positive battery is,,,,that output terminal on the alternator needs to get to the positive terminal on the battery,,,and usually the place where the positive battery cable ends is a good place to connect the wire that is coming from the alternator output terminal,,,,
Guest- Guest
- Post n°13
Re: Idiot light for alt
Hooked it all up just like you said and I'm cruisin' with volts to spare. Thanks Donivan65!
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