Could we have a section for "Stupid Questions" ?

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Snake Farm

Ol school snake charmer!
Joined
Nov 16, 2010
Messages
4,256
Location
Paradise Road.....last house
I was thinking maybe a section where one could ask a stupid question and their user name doesn't show up........just date joined and post count maybe :eek: But the user name of everyone else that replied would show up so we would know who gave good answers and who was messing with ya :D

So, yes I have a stupid question:eek: I'd like to get a working alternator on my Willys and was thinking about having the local guy to make me a one wire. My stupid question is, where does that one wire go? Does it just go the the hot post on the battery or does it go down to the hot wire on the starter?? or :confused: Hate to ask the local starter guy cause I have to see him all the time :eek::D

Thanks in advance,

Ray
 
There are no stupid questions. No one knows all the answers....lord knows I've asked my share of easy questions that I should have figured out by myself!:eek::D
 
Jeep wiring diagram.

http://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/12v-wiring-diagram_topic19145.html

Google is your friend :p

Cliff Notes:

I went to my local auto electric shop with whom I have dealt with many times. I bought a 1 wire Delco alternator from him. The BAT wire goes through the Amp gauge to the Pos terminal on the battery. You do not use the Field or Sense wires. I also had him set it up so produce current at low RPM, this is important as a lot of alternators have a coming in speed above 1500 to 2000 RPM. Mine will be producing juice as soon as it is turning. Takes a little rewiring inside, which the auto electric shop did for me.

Yup my solenoid is set up that way.

Without looking at the Amp gauge I believe it is BAT wire to + and then on through to the positive terminal on the battery.

You can run the BAT wire directly to the battery if desired, just will not have a charging indication from a gauge. I like having the gauge
 
If it wasn't for stupid questions I wouldn't have anything to ask ! :eek:

What I do on a one wire is run an 8 or 10 gauge wire from the single post on the alternator to the positive battery post. That way the alternator has a direct path to recharge the battery with less connections than going to the starter positive post first.

CR55 is right, we all have stuff to learn, no matter how long we have been doing this. I just learned something last week. There was a thread on the HAMB where a guy said he tried putting his exhaust manifolds back on his sbc and the holes wouldn't line up. Someone posted "You need a manifold stretcher." I thought they were giving a smart*** answer, but come to find out there IS such a tool and NAPA sells it ! Who knew ??

Don
 
SF I'll bite :)
All GM internally regulated alterantors are really only a 2 wire hook up any way. Save the money spent for a 1 wire for something else ;)
The alternator lug (Bat) can go straight to the battery or to the starter (presonal preference) the exciter wire goes to a +12v ignition switched wire. At this point you're done unless you want an amp meter then do what maverickmk said.
I prefer a volt meter over amp, it's easier to hook up plus smaller wiring :)
 
SF I'll bite :)
the exciter wire goes to a +12v ignition switched wire. At this point you're done unless you want an amp meter then do what

Dont forget to either run it in series with a bulb or put in a resister or youll get "runon" from the alt backfeeding the ign sys.
 
Someone posted "You need a manifold stretcher." I thought they were giving a smart*** answer, but come to find out there IS such a tool and NAPA sells it ! Who knew ??

I need a wallet stretcher... wonder if NAPA has those?!? :eek:[S[ddd:D

BoB
 
wallet

I need a wallet stretcher... wonder if NAPA has those?! Tripper;

no, napa don't sell a wallet stretcher, but the do have a wallet reducer:D:eek:

Later :cool:
 
Just to clear things up a bit........ not sure if anyone said this..... didn't see it anyway.

It does go directly to the battery, which can be a connection on the starter. Not all starters have a direct battery connection on them, for example mine on my rat does not, nor is there one on my jeep (79 cherokee).

Some vehicles have the solenoid mounted on the starter in which case you can connect your alternator there. If it does not when you hook up your alternator once you start your car and you have the alternator wired there it could, probably will, reengage your starter :eek:.......

Just saying........
 
Can we get some more info on what you mean by this?

I put a small red LED next to my volt gage in my exciter wire with battery power on the + side. When the alt is charging, there is system voltage on both sides and the LED is out. When my alt sterted to fail last year, the alt output dropped to less than battery voltage and the LED lit. It doesn't backfeed the ignition since an LED is a diode and only lets current flow one way.

Blue
 
I know a lot of guys run the one wire delco and are happy with them. But everyone I know who has one has to rev the engine up to make it start charging. Seems pretty annoying thing to put up with just to save the time to wire it properly.
Also I don't recommend running wires to the battery. The small wires almost always end up corroded off. Go to the other end of the positive battery cable, where ever that may be, starter, starter relay, or where ever the factory used to tap off for power.
 

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