Alright fellas, I've read and read and read and I'm still just as dumb. I bought a 12v conversion for my recent father/son project (1949 F1 w/ 226 4-speed). It had no spark and I finally got it running but the generator was bad. Long story short is that I'm switching to 12v. I bought a kit from Vintage Auto because I'm dumb when it comes to electrical. I'm installing 12v electronic ignition/coil/wires from Pertronix. The kit included a GM style (yuk I know) alternator and the diagrams are very vanilla. I have some pictures to show what I have for wiring and was hoping someone could help me figure out what goes where.

The first photo shows my voltage regulator after I disconnected the ARM and FLD wires that ran to the gen. The one on the far left went to the gen. as well and the directions didn't say to remove it. The one connected to the BAT terminal actually runs to a "J Box" of sorts as shown in the 2nd photo. It is connected to the same terminal that the key switch is attached to.

The kit included a reducer for the gauges so I can retain stock and I know I'll have to change out the bulbs all the way around, but any other help/info you can provide is much appreciated! Thanks,

 

Also, there was a wire that ran straight from my key to the coil. Not sure where that one should go either since the diagrams show the alternator running to the coil and nothing gong right from the key to the coil. I know folks have talked about a wire in the distributor that shouldn't be connected, but which one? It's not the wire from the - post on the coil to the outside of the distributor is it?

 

Bumping you back up to the top so hopefully someone more knowledgable than me will chime in. I put a Ford 1G alternator in mine and it used a sealed regulator with 4 wires. It was plug and play except that they have the 4th wire connector sealed over in the plug and it wasn't charging. I had to add a wire there (exciter wire I believe) and then it worked fine.

I don't recognize the alternator you have, but here is a diagram for the Ford 1G:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ford...99%3B656%3B339

Electrical is not my favorite. I was probably lucky that the PO butchered everything in my truck, so I didn't even try to work with it. I just bought a Speedway kit and started over.

 

I'm not sure which GM alternator you have but most have the voltage regulator built in (see picture). Running though a second voltage regulator confuses things. Attached you will find wiring instructions for using a GM-style alternator.

Also attached is a document that shows what else needs to be changed. After reading it you may decide to stick with 6v positive ground for a while. Lots of the folks on here can attest to the original 6v system being just fine.

 

Some suggestions:

1 -- using all the same color wire for everything is not going to help down the road when you are troubleshooting.

2 -- There is a wire labeled "Generator" attached to ground, the lower left mounting screw for the old regulator. If you connect the battery you will see smoke... The new wire from the big terminal on the alternator goes to the post on the circuit breaker where you have a wire labeled "voltage reg bat".

3 -- you appear to have a 3-wire alternator. That will require an "idiot light" on the dash to work properly.

4 -- the white wire on the alternator does not go to the coil directly. See below. You need a light bulb (idiot light) in the circuit. It "may" work without the light, but I can't say, I suspect it will not charge correctly. There needs to be another wire to the coil (+) terminal from the "IGN" terminal on the ignition switch to power the ignition. The "fuse" shown in the diagram is usually a #12 fusible link (check ratings, the link should be 2 wire gauges smaller than the wire from alternator to the circuit breaker).

 

dmack9, petemcl, ALBUQ F-1,once again, thanks fellas! Although I'm still distressed to say the least. I posted a picture of the diagram that came with the conversion kit, and that is what I've been trying to use but it's not quite a reflection of my set up. It is nothing like the two you guys sent.......
- I do plan on rewiring the truck sometime in the near future with a EZ wiring harness or something similar. That should help with the wires all being the same color. They look ok from the outside, but are getting quite corroded, plus there is a good bit of original wiring still spliced in here and there.
- Yeah the "generator" wire was a definite brain fart on my part and I've done away with it. I'll take your advice and put it on the circuit breaker. I was thinking about putting it on the key, but I'm not smart on the subject as you can tell.
- I'm sure you've seen the diagram I posted with this that said to put it on the coil, but again I don't really trust their diagrams as they are for several different applications. If you can zoom in on the picture though you will see several bumps in the white wire. I believe that is in lieu of the idiot light. I'll go back and read the instructions again to verify, but I do remember it being mentioned. I'll get the inline fuse put in as well.
Thanks again! You guys are great, and the diagrams are awesome (I can read pictures good....)
I've attached a photo of my electronic ignition for anyone to giggle check for me. I left one wire in there that was grounded, and took the other one out that went from the points to the post that the grommet replaced.
Anymore feed back is appreciated.

 

If they say you don't need an idiot light, then go for it. Your diagram agrees with the one I posted otherwise.

But the one that worries me is the one labeled "generator" that is going to a grounded screw. See arrow below. What is that connected to??

 

I have removed that wire altogether. It was connected to my generator and the instructions never said to take it off, but they specifically mentioned taking off the other 2 from the regulator. Either way I have done away with it, so hopefully no fires will be started......

Can you explain a bit about the idiot light? I know the info that petemcl passed mine mentioned it as well, but it's the first time I've heard of it. I'll take a picture of the "bumps"in the white wire and post it too.

I'm not too sure about how things were wired before in the truck....... if I took the belt off from the gen to water pump/crank the generator would immediately spin until I disconnected the battery. You ever heard of that before? So who knows what they had going.

 

Here is a picture of the "bumps" and the part of the instructions that talk about them (diodes) and the part that says to connect to the + side of coil if you're not using an external ballast. Let me know your thoughts.

 

The "bumps" in the wire are the diode (center bump over your middle finger) while the rest are just the heat shrink tubing conforming to the wire under it.

As Ross is suggesting the idiot light in the system, you may want to call or email the manufacturer and ask about that.

On the generator spinning, it sounds like you are getting power to the wrong place. I believe a generator is basically an electric motor wired backwards. If it is actually moving like a motor (spinning when power is applied without the drag of an attached belt), it is wired incorrectly. I am by no means an expert so hopefully someone else will jump in.

 

Yes, it sounds like your old regulator was not disconnecting the generator when shut off.

 

Hey Sere,
Looks like you are deep into the wiring now. Our '50 was just a mess & I spent some time trying to do what you are doing - re-working some interesting existing wiring. I got frustrated after a few weeks & gave up & just went with clean start & a totally new Wiring harness like Dmack.

Good luck up there in Alaska! Don't get too frustrated.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

So to clarify then the diode can replace the #12 fuseable line, or is it something different all together? And you guys recommend not connecting the white wire to the coil but taking it to ignition instead?

 

Right you are Ben. I went and did it, and now I'm stuck........ To answer your questions from before, my boys are about to turn 15 and 13. I'd love to teach'em how to double clutch in this old guy, and soon. Our summers are short here in AK.

 

The diode is not in the line that would have a fusible link, look at the diagram. The diode is in the Field feed, the fusible link is in the alternator output line (the big wire, probably an 8 gage wire). I see now that the diode is providing the function of the light bulb, in some ways, so you can live without the idiot light.

Yes, I would run a separate wire from the ignition switch to the white wire. It doesn't need to be a big wire, maybe a 16 gage.

What is your alternator's rated output?