Name a car that has a one-wire from the factory. Most one wires don’t allow indicator lights, and those that do require all the same wiring as a trio alternator. They need to be revved to start charging, which is unaesthetic in a refined car. These aren’t common alternators, you probably won’t find one at Pep Boys. They are all either rebuilds or build-ups using aftermarket parts. The regulators were never OEM designs, yet are sold for high $ as “new GM” units. The pretty powder coating causes grounding issues.
The only advantage over a common trio alternator is that the wiring doesn’t challenge limited skills. But with all the wiring already available, it makes no sense. If a replacement becomes necessary, a common Delco 10SI is dirt cheap, available literally everywhere, and can be installed with a minor change to the stock wiring. Or the Bosch conversion is a forever solution. In this particular case, I think all the components will work, and all that’s needed is patience and electrical tape.
In this case, it seems like the PO screwed up the relay wiring. Get the terminals right, install better connectors, tape up the bad insulation, and it’s almost certainly good to go. Have our skills atrophied to the point that the only way we know to diagnose a charging problem is to slaughter a chicken and show the entrails to the Sybyl? I don’t think so, we know how to fix this. Help him out, don’t spend his money.
I love you
It’s time to get into the 20th century
I don’t care what Chris uses but in the year 2021
You have 2 options basically
A rebuilt Lucas 45 amp alternator
Connected to an external 1950s regulator
It’s then connected to a 3wire resistor can to flow to an idiot light
All that wiring is 55 years old
And by the butchery in those pictures and Bosch relays added ….unless as I said originally
If you don’t Rewire the car ……oh well
Buy a Gm 1 wire , add a brand new wire from Alt to battery post
All the CRAP in section 1 goes away
He says he wants reliability not originality plus nothing of his is original it’s A mess
Bit that’s my opinion
35 years of 1 wires , they never go bad and if one ever did I go to CBS pharmacy and it’s on the shelf😍
I’m thinking the problem is semantics: I consider that Delco to be a one-wire alternator. That said, strictly speaking it has multiple wires so I’m guess I’m saying I’m not exactly sure what you’re referencing as a one-wire alternator.
I tend to refer to ‘one-wire’ alternators as those that are internally-regulated, which is nearly everything in the past couple of decades.
You’re confusing an internally regulated trio alternator with a one-wire. A one-wire alternator doesn’t depend on external power for field excitation. Instead, the rotor core is made of a permeable iron and it has a modified internal regulator. The core’s residual magnetism is sufficient to bootstrap the alternator, but only if it’s revved high enough. As a result, it requires just one wire, B+, and nothing else. A Delco trio alternator is most commonly used as the donor, which is why they’re misleadingly called “GM”, although GM never made one of these.
Step 1 is to see if the voltage regulator is telling the alternator to create charging Voltage.
With ignition on, but engine not on, and can you check the voltage across the two yellow arrowed connectors (the metal part of them)? If you get 12 volts, then Regulator is telling the alternator to generate charging voltage and you go to step 2. If you do not get voltage, then either the voltage regulator has failed, the ignition relay that connects the regulator to the field is not working or you have bad wiring.
Step 2, (which you only do if step 1 finds 12 Volts)
With ignition off, pull off the two arrowed connectors, put the voltmeter into check resistance mode and check the resistance of the two male spades that come out of the alternator (ie exposed when you pulled the female connectors off). You should read about 3 or 4 ohms. If you are not sure about using the resistance mode, send me a photo of the voltmeter dial and I will tell you how. If you do not get the 3 or 4 ohm reading, either your brushes have worn out (easy fix) or the wired field in the rotor has failed.
In case it helps here is how the connections look on my Feb 1968 FHC. I am pulling back the boot on the two wire connector. It may be a little ratty looking but I don’t think the harness, etc has ever been altered. My gauge and plug in voltmeter read 14 volts when I run above 1000 RPM. The gauge reading lags behind the plug in a little bit especially at start up and after idling at 700 RPM for awhile.
Hey Mike, I too have been working through alternator/generator issues and have found your remarks as well as a number of the papers contained on the Cool Cat website to be very educational.
Thanks Mike Dennis n Limongelli- all great helpful points. That last one from Mike made sense n matched up what mech said- relay wasn’t hooked up right.I learned a lot tho- checking voltage, ohms, schematic.
Get a 60 amp Hitachi, lose the voltage regulator (except for authentic looks) and use the Lucas for shot putting practice at the Highland Games. $70 at NAPA from an 85 Nissan pickup truck. Your troubles are over.
Ahhhhh
Now I’m going to drive in the rain
Ahhhhhh
It’s a pleasure without exposed cut and sliced wires and Home Depot non insulated connectors
Imho:grinning:
