One wire alternator vs the 3 wire one

My current alternator is going and I was planning on having it rebuilt BUT at the cruz night last night a couple of my HAMB pals mentioned changing my 3 wire one for a one wire one. Can someone please explain the pros of switching. Are there cons to switching?

Pros and cons of keeping my current three wire one and just having it rebuilt.

Thanks in advance.

 

Do a search! Ok just kidding

One wires are a cheap ass shortcut, read this http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml

 

Don't do it. Here is a link that has been posted here before that explains the pros and cons. I personally like the old 3 wire alternators better.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electrical-tech.shtml

 

Hotroddon beat me to the draw

 

since your car is already setup and wired for a normal 3 wire alternator,i say stay with it..either have yours rebuilt or get a good quality rebuilt one from an auto parts store with an nationwide warranty. if you ever have any trouble out on the road an replacement would be very easy to find, while a one wire would be very to find

 

The two previous posters beat me to it. Go with the three wire hands down. A one wire isn't much more than a battery charger.

 

I have both types. The only thing a one wire does differently is that you may have to raise the rpm up when starting the engine to get it to start charging. Where the 3 wire will charge as soon as it starts turning. This has to do with field current signal. The one wire , once charging will continue to charge when the engine comes back to idle, it's just the first time you start it that it has a problem.

 

fixed.

One wire alternators are great on forklifts & farm tractors. If you have the 3 wire setup now, stick with it.

 

Denise, I think the biggest reason some folks go to a one wire is to "clean up" the underhood wiring a little. Most folks on here will correctly advise you to stay with the 3 wire setup you now have. It could save you a lot of headaches if you have a problem out on the road somewhere, and we all know you do a little travelin'...Don.

 

I've had a 1 wire on the 58 for 15 years with no trouble. Have a 1 wire on the 32 Sedan for 6 years and ditto. However, yours is already wired for the 3, I'd keep it and buy a new/rebuilt unit from someone like Autozone. I might take some heat for that. Here is the reason. They are in nearly every city on this side of the country and likely across too. They have your warranty registered with your phone number and access to it nation wide. It paid off for me in Brooksville, Fl on a SUNDAY morning a few years back. Pulled in, used their tools and swapped it out. Was on my way withing an hour. N/C. My 2 cents.

 

...3 wires are Ol School!...heck I'm still usin external regulators!

 

Denise, I went w/a three wire on the new car. Better performance, better battery life. Having a sense wire watching voltage level at some distance from the battery makes things work the way you'd hope they would..

 

I went to one wire because I couldn't locate a correct, funtioning voltage regulator for my car. That was before the internet got big but I'm still rocking the single string.

 

the three wire are internal regulator as well. They just trigger differently and keep a better charge rate than the 1 wire.

 

Based on the fact you already have a three wire . Go with the three wire.
The three wire ( like the others have mentioned ) has a better "current" sense and does a better job of maintaining a new battery..

New hot rod with no accessories i would use the one wire.

Tons of accessories i would wire up the three wire.........

 

are you on crack? every parts store in town carries 1 wire alternators in stock on the shelf. I don't know why you think they're hard to find.

 

no i'm not...but thanks for your concern.

maybe i'm just not as smart as you , or have your diplomatic way of correcting what your consider such a grievous error. no auto parts store around here stock them , but i am so happy for you that you can get them so easily there

silly me, here i thought i was being helpful...thank you for setting the record straight

 

I love the internet. It seems that a couple of the NAPA's in Southern Minnesota have them sitting on their shelves. Hmmm... Seems that a few of the Advance Auto stores even have them, and the nice Powermaster ones to boot. I guess maybe you should try again. Maybe if you give us the town where you are I can tell you if your local parts store has them. They are on the shelves in Mankato, Gaylord, and New Ulm.

 

and what exactly is your fucking point? that you are some genius and i'm an idiot? i try to help someone out and all you seam to want to do is bust my balls.

let's all bow to the great and powerful zman....is that what you want?

 

I'm getting a bit more education here, too. I recommended 1-wire because it was a cleaner install, and never had a problem with any that I sold. I like more efficient and longer battery life, so I may change my opinion....

I enjoyed visiting with you and Scott last night.
Dan

 

I vote 3 wire, you will be glad you did.

 

3 wire hands down. And you really only have to have the exciter wired extra.

 

Denise, do a f***ing search, oh wait a minute, that is your line

I have to agree with Zman, even though it pains me greatly, that one wires are VERY easy to find. Unfortunately, the all knowing Zman has the diplomacy of a Brahma bull. Please consider me to be an asshole just because I agree with him.

At the same time, the three wire setup you are currently running is very sound and will likely suit you the best. I would hate to see you run low on current while idling around town listening to your favorite American Pie song. And who knows, someday you might pop for a power top and will need all kinds of electrical power.

Bottom line, pick up a good three wire from a popular national parts store. Do it NOW so you don't ruin your battery or get stranded.

 

Thanks for all the insight fellas. I'm for sure keeping the 3 wire now and will take it off on Sunday and dropped it off at the rebuild shop up the road. I don't see any reason for buying a brand new one right now though. If in fact it ever takes a dump on the road then I can purchase new then and instal at that time but since I'm at home and trust the rebuild shop I'm going to go that route.

I enjoyed our chat as well sweetie and really appreciate you taking the time to discuss Big Olds situation with me. I enjoyed your pal Ted and his wife too. Looking forward to hanging out with you again in a couple of weeks.

 

3 wire are for ol dogs. Happy ol dogs. Dont wake the sleepy ol dog.

 

i have to agree with you there...zman is not one of my favorites anymore

i do not understand why i was disrespected that way , face to face i will l not be talked to that way by anyone..that will not be put up with by me here, understand? i have nothing to prove to anyone here , i have posted many examples of my work...and i think for the most part i have given good advice and tried to be helpful to requests for help. if i give my advice or opinion is is because i'm trying to help. if you think i don't know shit...keep it to yourself. all my friends all say i have given away too much advice here for free...stuff that people usually pay me for. if you don't want it..that's fine , i'll go find something else to do. in the future i be more careful in the posts i chose to answer. i have enough stuff to work on , i don't need the abuse.

to say i'm on crack is completely across the line...that's what REALLY pissed me off. if you knew me personally you would know how offensive that is to me. i think i am owed an apology , but at this point i wouldn't accept it

i still say that 1 wire is harder to find than 3 wire

 

My point is that 1 wire alternators are stocked in a lot of auto parts stores. I guess you don't know what an emoticon is because you didn't get it and got all butt hurt.

Awww Bob, you know I think you're an ass anyway.

I guess you missed the and . The crack thing was a joke, that's what those emoticons are for. I guess if your skin is that thin and you can't take a joke get the fuck off the internet.

 

OK, calm down kids. Seriously though, I have never seen the reason to even bother with a one wire. The regular internally regulated only requires two wires, three if using an idiot light. That thing about blipping the throttle to get it to start charging would irritate me to no end.

 

damnit one question i actually knew the answer to and i missed it by 2 pages i was even going to say the part about how 1 wires are made for tractors lol i feel like the mediocre student who almost stands on the chair in class raising his hand and he still doesn't get called

 

funny thing is, Zman was chasing the wrong recommendation. Whether or not the one wire is easily found or not, the three wire is the way to go.

I agree that an apology is owed. This is not the first time an attack of this nature has taken place, whether in jest or not.

Zman, you possess a wealth of knowledge, especially regarding those great works from Flint, but please lighten up a bit.

This is making me give consideration to attending the HAMB drags just so somebody can make an impression on you...possibly on your forehead

36-3 window, please don't let it get to you and please continue to offer up advice. If the butthead can intimidate all the smart guys like you into silence, then he will become the smartest guy here.

sorry for the drama, Denise, now get the damn thing fixed before you are stranded and I have to rescue you.