ok... quick question about alternators I am ditching my Ford factory alternator for a 1 wire alternator and I have one wire coming off the harness that goes towards the cabin (everything else terminates at the starter solenoid). Before I start ripping into more harness, which I will of course, does anyone have any insight to what the lone wire may lead to?
Why...the one wire is no match for a properly wired Ford alternator in a street-rod... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Need more info. Which "1 wire" alternator (GM, Ford, etc), what car, and do you have an alt light currently?
I'll just terminate, get the 1 wire alternator installed, then trackdown what that lone wire leading to the cabin is for. Like I said, just trying to get some thoughts on what it could be. before I get to install the new alt setup this weekend.
The one wire alternator is super simple and appeals to a lot of people. I used tons of them on the ranch equipment. I have a supplier that could get me the things I needed to convert regular GM alternators to one wire alternator. But how you wire them in depends on if your vehicle has a a ampmeter . Most of our tractors had ampmeters. If you have only a volt meter, just run a ten gauge wire from the out put of the alternator to the battery/ solenoid. Easy Bones
Ford, 32 Roadster hotrod (nothing stock), the motor is a early 70s 429 out of a Lincoln) and yes I have an alt light on the Speedway gauge cluster.
To answer that question, depend on which circuit you have, Ford had several, it probably is a wire coming from the ignition switch to the regular to turn it on! Maybe! Bones
post some pics of what you are working on - also, get yourself a copy of "How To Wire Your Street Rod" booklet from speedwaymotors.com - don't let the use of term street rod bother you - it gives good basic info for wiring Fords, Chevy's, MoPar
Oem s were notorious for using too small of wire. Like I said Ford had several charging circuits. To determine what you have, first you must determine which circuit is in your vehile. If going with a volt meter , just eliminate most wiring between the old alternator and regular.One wire to the battery. Bones
You just bypass all of those regular alternator /regulator wires and run from the bat post on the alternator straight to the battery, to the post the positive cable connects to on the solenoid or to a block that the hot lead from the battery connects to and that the power leads that go inside connect to. Whichever is simplest. https://www.tuffstuffperformance.com/files/pdf/1-wire_alternator_instructions.pdf As Boneyard51 said those were used on farm equipment long before the street rod brigade picked up on them. Mostly for changing a tractor with a magneto over to 12 V as you just needed to charge the battery and maybe operate lights if the tractor had lights and that was the simplest way. That was where I saw them years before the hotrod/street rod brigade discovered them
Why not keep the Ford alt ? My old Morris had a 140 amp Lincoln alt. The wiring is simple. Note the regulator mounted on a cut down A/C and power steering mount bracket
Tractors had most everything first! Hemi heads, roller rockers, posi-traction, rack and pinion steering , headers, turbo/super charging. It’s amazing the “ speed “ equipment that was pioneered in the late 1800/ early 1900s. Bones
Most one-wire Delco alternators are rated for 63amps and 10ga wire is correct. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
If it's a long run I use 6 gauge. My '34 has a one wire powergen that goes through a 4 post kill switch at the back of the car and then to the trunk mounted battery after passing through a 150 amp breaker. The one wire lead can go directly to the fuse panel (the method recommended by the manufacturer of my fuse/relay panel Coach Controls) or starter power lug but I wanted to utilize an actual kill switch and those two methods would not kill a running motor.
I'd say that ten gauge is MINIMUM and then only when you have minimal equipment to draw a constant load. It doesn't really matter what the amp rating of an alternator is it is only going to put out the amps that the systems on the car demand. Basic coupe or roadster with no more than a basic radio, heater (if that) standard headlights and a point type ignition will probably get along fine and never stress a 63 amp alternator. That means a 10 gauge wire is plenty as it never handles a bigger load except for the few minutes that the alternator is working to bring the battery back up to snuff after starting. Hard starting lots of cranking it and the alternator has to work a bit. Start adding accessories that each draw amps when they are working like high powered halogen lights, a sound system and heat/ac and other trinkets and the amp draw shoots up. Billy Bandit made a good point in that the longer the run to your connection the larger wire you want to use.
I recommend ten gauge wire, as he would only be running it about two feet, and that is the usual size that Ford uses. BUT, I am never against using bigger wire. In fact I’m guilty of using bigger than needed wire most of the time. Doesn’t cost that much more and can prevent problems! Bones
If you have an electric fan and fuel pump you are almost at amp rating for 10 gauge throw in lights and ignition where are you at. Your 60 amp alternator is going to try to keep up and these are all constant loads at night.
Like I said a 140 amp Lincoln alternator will handle all of your electrical needs. A/C. power everything , electric fuel pump etc. Scour the salvage yards shouldn't be hard to find. I bought the whole car delivered to my shop for $ 500.00 off Craigslist and when I got everything off I needed.302 roller motor, AOD trans wiring and some other stuff. sold the car for scrap and got 200 back.
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