Convert GM 3-wire to 1-wire

I searched for this and im sure its been answered, but i couldn't find anything. I have a brand new GM 3-wire alternator on my truck, and right after i put it on i pulled the battery cable off, and it died. So im guessing that i have some wiring messed up somewhere. So, i'd like to convert it to a one wire, if anyone knows how to do this or has some pictures, your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Shane

 

You will need a 1 wire alternator

 

No, i've heard of it being possible to turn a 3 wire into a one wire, just not sure on how to do it.

 

Listen U, (always wanted to say the), You can do this go to an alt/Starter rebuilt place or an Auto Electriclal Shop, and let them know what you are doing. Its a clip with a diode, so all you do is hook up the battery to the Batt. Term on the alt. and plug the clip in with the diode. The Place I got mine was From George Huest John Deere on Spring Grove Ave. Cincinnati Ohio 6 dollars for the plug

 

Just so you know, you shouldn't pull off the battery cable while the alternator is working (ie when the engines running). It causes all kinds of bad things inside your voltage regulator to happen.

As far as turning a 3 wire into a one wire, I don't think it's possible without changing things internally (like the regulator). That's what makes it one wire. We just went through this on my (OT) Mustang. My car has a 3 wire, my neighbors has a 1 wire. They are totally different alternators. And mines 50+dollars more expensive...

Good luck, I'd like to know the answer myself, as 50 bux is 50 bucks.

Jay

 

Just put a ballest resister between the ignition wire going to the coil, your alt has a internal regulator.

 

This works on a 6 volt conversion, not sure on your app,, or if you have a light in the circuit(alt/gen dummy light) then that can bee the energy feed of , but but the 6 dolar piece, and buy extra they come in handy to blow minds with your buddies next time you do a 6-to12 converstion...

 

We are talking GM?

 

Leave it a 3 wire set up. The guys at Delco and GM were not idiots, they new what they were doing when they designed it. The large red wire goes to your battery to charge it. The wire from terminal #3 goes to your fuse block to test for voltage at the fuse block. if it's not 12 volts then it triggers the altenator to charge the battery. Without that trigger wire, the altenator doesn't know when to start charging. That's why your engine died...there was no charging voltage coming from the altenator. Without the proper 12 volts at the fuse block you won't have proper voltage at your distributor, that means low spark voltage and loss of power. If you've got a newer model with a computer, you're asking for headaches. Not to mention dim headlights. If you just want a one wire altenator because it looks cool, try wrapping all three wires in a colored loom.

 

check this out http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167753&highlight=alternator+gm

 

X2. It is a better system for charging.

 

I have bought reman alt's from the auto parts store, then bought the $8 regulator from the alt/starter shop and installed it myself. Works good.

I actually prefer to run the 3 wire setup though, because I can go to any auto parts store anywhere and get a replacement or a rebuild kit, and there's no wiring change in emergency.

 

Here's how I wired mine. The light can be replaced by a diode (Radio Shack 276-1661 stripe towards the alternator inside some heat-shrink tubing). I like the idiot light better.