Unless I cut the black plastic wrap around the two wires and pull the wires further apart. Could then wrap them with some friction tape as a precaution.

 

I guess that's another reason to be glad I have a pair of these Powerprobe pierce adapters for my Meterman DMM.




I could use the alligator leads to connect to any power source and the clip-on pierce probes will attach directly to the banana end that would usually go to the meter.

Darn things are really handy for automotive diagnostics.

 

I know, I got a huge toy list of all the tools I want to buy, but works been slow lately havent been pulling in much cash. Then with this move going on and having to take time off it doesnt help either. Be easier on me taking time off if boss would actually remember that I informed him. Took friday last week off to take that travel trailer to the ground, he didnt remember and asked my buddy where I was. I told him monday after we closed up before we left that I will take the rest of the week off for vacation to go work the land with the new tractor. Im sure hes at work bitching where I am at because it got busy Monday.

Sorry, I been there since July 2013 and I have yet to take a vacation till now. Plus I am not worried about getting fired, Im moving hopefully by December so its not like I will remain working there.

On a side note, I think I will go ahead and play with the spot lights once it gets dark tonight.

 

It really doesnt matter what they say those are, any LED lamp with that type of diffused lens is a flood beam. You cant cheat physics. You bought tractor lights. Thats why they are called 'work lamps'.

Told ya:

Spend the money, buy a couple of Rigid driving beams, which have an actual focused beam with real optics, and you will be very happy.

 

The diffused part of the lens does not cover the LEDs and their reflector cones though. I tested them out again tonight but didnt get to do the range test as I am not on the ground yet. I will hopefully be there tomorrow night and can test it out and see how they light up a few hundred feet away. If anything I can use them on the new tractor we got or I could put them on the roll bar as flood lights for working the fields.

 

There you go.

I didnt mean to sound as if I was being a smartass, but I've gone thru a few of these missteps in years past, myself.

I'm just trying to save you some aggravation, and yes, it will cost a few more dollars but keep in mind the full wiring harness comes with the Rigid pairs and these lamps work really well.

I prefer the driving beams, but the wide beams work well also. I use the wide beam Rigid Dually D2 on my sidecar motorcycle and the Rigid Dually D2 driving beams on my van...and they put out a lot of light even to the sides, but a good concentrated beam of forward lighting for about a quarter to a half mile or so.

During some vehicle changes, I had discovered that I had misplaced one of the mounting brackets. I still had the stainless steel bolts and nuts. I emailed the company website, asking if I could order a new bracket. The next day they emailed me and said if I would send along my mailing address they would send me a new bracket...for free.

A few days later a small box arrived with TWO new brackets and all the stainless hardware needed for a complete new install.

Now thats customer service!

I cant recommend them highly enough.

 

I probably will end up going through a company like Rigid in the end. While these were not cheap they should be good for field work or I just thought of this today, I could mount them on the new trailer we got for the tractor and use them as illumination for night time loading. So not a total loss on my part.

 

I know this is a very old post and I probably shouldn't revive it but I am going to revive it as I had a few questions and I didn't want to publish another thread.


I have already many pages ago decided to do the 95A small case 3G upgrade and I will be bypassing my Ammeter as well as using a fuse for the main wire from the alternator to the solenoid.


How ever I know my current draw for all lights I currently have is 36.57A at 12.8v. I know that I have seen it stated that theses small case 95A alternators can put out well over 100A in stock form at full output. Question is if I decide to push my power requirement for lights to be a max of 60A not including draw for the ignition system, A/C, blower motor and maybe future addition of electric fans, would I see a extra load on my engine having this 3G alternator put out 60A for just the lights at peak? Probably a stupid question but I am curious.


My next question is I am looking right now online and on ebay but haven't found anything yet but I am curious if there is such a thing as a plug and play 1G to 3G harness adapter. I could run the excite wire back to the alternator output lug but I don't like the thought of having to rev my engine up just to get the alternator charging.


I probably will have other questions as I am starting to piece my 1G to 3G conversion together.

 

There are about 750 watts per horsepower. (745.699872, but who is counting?) Keeping the math easy, 60 amps x 12 volts = 720 watts. So, at 12.8 volts and figuring in inefficiencies you'll pull about 1 HP off the engine.

As for a plug & play harness, I've heard that there is but don't remember who makes it.

 

Ok that's good to know, I am trying to figure where my limits should be placed on amp draw to ensure no additional load on the engine. Wouldn't want to cause a performance issue on this dog of a engine let alone kill fuel economy even more.


I found a few plug and play harnesses but I requires you to crimp the green wire to a key hot wire to excite the alternator.






I also on ebay found a guy based in Dallas that sells 65 to 85 Ford Mustang 3G Small case alternators but hes selling ones that are listed as 160A putting out 75A at 800rpm idle. I am a little weary of if this would be a straight drop in since I recall the small case 95A is a straight drop in.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/65-85-FORD-MUSTANG-3G-HIGH-OUTPUT-SMALL-CASE1-ONE-WIRE-ALTERNATOR-160A-1V-PULLEY-/111651966870?hash=item19fef9cf96&vxp=mtr

This is the one I found, I am not too big of a fan of one wire alternators as in the past I have had them over charge batteries and in other cases they don't self excite till you hit atleast 1500 rpm. I also read a few people stating in conversion articles that the one wire alternators do not regulate as good as the conventional multi wire hook up.

 

PA Performance makes the fake regulator box for swapping a 1G to 3G.
The problem with using a 95A (small case) to deliver more that 100A -except for a short surge- is that the heatsink and fans are not large enough to dissipate the heat created by the windings and diodes.
Insulation fails, solder joints melt, bearing lube becomes water.
Self exciting (one wire) alternators all display poor idle output and regulation.
This is why I've suggested you look at Gary's thread a number of times. That you use a large case alternator if you expect to install aux lighting AND Electric fans. And that you have Rocketman convert your ammeter to a voltmeter.

 

I will look for Gary's thread, I didn't want to run a one wire alternator. But I do want to do the small case for ease of bolt in conversion. As of now my power draw is just 36.5 amps @ 12.8 volts for every light available in the truck being on. That just wont be possible as its hard to have every bulb lit up at the same exact time. So I was thinking the 95A alternator would be well more than enough especially if I keep my light draw to a max of 60 Amps that will still leave me 35 Amps for the other systems. As of now I wont be installing electric fans I have just played around with the idea to see if it would improve the A/C cooling.


I just got back into this lately and I am now thinking of actually doing the alternator upgrade mainly because I found a guy selling 9" spotlights which is what would be put on my roll bars but hes selling 225W spotlights for just $35 a piece on sale at the moment. The cheapest up till now I found was 96W for $100 to $120 a piece. I don't think I want to do this because if I run four of theses 225W spotlights that is going to put me right at 30 amps just for the spotlights alone.

 

I have been reading Gary's thread and now I am currently up to page 20.


I might have over looked it but I had a question on the mega fuse. I would assume I should get a amperage that would be blow alternator failiure but I also believe at the same time it shouldn't be too low or the fuse would be blowng all the time.


So if I end up with the 95A small case altenator then I should go with a fuse of around 100 - 120 amps correct? Not a 225 Amp right?


I haven't got to the alternator mounting point yet so I don't know what work is required to put a larger case 3G alternator in but I do know I want to keep modifications down incase I have to swap back to a 1G for some unknown reason.

 

Yes, the megafuse should be able to handle the full output of the alternator and then some.

 

AH ok just wanted to make sure because I will be getting a stand alone megafuse holder that will be mounted some place close to the solenoid as I don't see the need at the moment for having a whole power distribution box.