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BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER.... A's, G's & E's


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    Idiot light for alt

    Mr Hill Billy
    Mr Hill Billy


    Number of posts : 213
    Location : Oklahoma
    Registration date : 2009-12-23

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    Post by Mr Hill Billy Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:15 pm

    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?
    donivan65
    donivan65
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    Post by donivan65 Fri Oct 01, 2010 1:33 pm

    ,,,,,,,,,,,your secret is safe with me,,,,,,,,,the idiot light goes to the #1 terminal on a GM alternator,,,,,,see if your alternator has one that still works ,,,,,,but basically a voltmeter is way better than an idiot light or ammeter.


    Idiot light for alt 3rd_ge11
    Mr Hill Billy
    Mr Hill Billy


    Number of posts : 213
    Location : Oklahoma
    Registration date : 2009-12-23

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    Post by Mr Hill Billy Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:10 pm

    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
    donivan65
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    Post by donivan65 Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:45 pm

    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,,,,,,
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    Post by Guest Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:34 pm

    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
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    Post by donivan65 Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:17 pm

    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,,,,,


    Idiot light for alt 3rd_ge20
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    Post by Guest Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:45 pm

    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. Mad
    donivan65
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    Post by donivan65 Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:59 pm

    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,,,,
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    Post by Guest Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:05 pm

    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
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    Post by donivan65 Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:13 pm

    Ok, if you got this alternator, make sure you got 12 volts at the output wire ,,,,make a jumper from that output to #2,,,,,,then with the engine running,,,,jump #1 temporarily to the output,,,if that Alternator is good,,,,it will charge


    Idiot light for alt 3rd_ge21
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    Post by Guest Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:18 pm

    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
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    Post by donivan65 Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:10 pm

    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,,,,
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    Post by Guest Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:07 pm

    Hooked it all up just like you said and I'm cruisin' with volts to spare. Thanks Donivan65!

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