I just purchased a 1 wire 100 amp. from Summit for my 73 f100 w/360. need info wiring/doing away with old wiring from external reg. and alt.
thanks

 

This is info I gathered for mine.
Near the regulator is a connector with an 18 gauge green wire with brown stripe paired with a yellow 16 gage wire. The green/brown wire operates the ALT light in the instrument cluster. I cut the Ford plug off and install a Weather Pack Connector on the green/brown wire. The yellow wire operates the horn and it is hot with the ignition on.Install a red 10 gauge wire with a crimp on ring connector from the battery post terminal on the alternator to the positive post on the starter solenoid. The green wire with brown stripe is paired with an 18 gage yellow wire that connects to the horn relay. High output 170 Amp 1 Wire Alternator
No modifications to the stock bracket or pulley system needed
Will put out 70-80 Amps at engine idle speeds.
All are assembled using the highest quality 100% new high amp components!
The manufacturer uses a state-of-the-art computer alternator dyno to measure the performance of each alternator they manufacture.
Output curves, engine idle speeds, and alternator pulley ratios are carefully considered to assure good drivability at idle and slow cruising speeds.

Technical Information Installing our high amp alternator will be a direct bolt-in installation unless otherwise notified before purchase. Proper performance, though requires more than standard installation expertise. Keep in mind that you are not installing a stock alternator and it will not function the same on your car as your stock alternator does. The most common problem you may experience on initial installation is low output at idle. This problem is easily solved with system upgrades that we describe below. If you are not prepared to make needed system upgrades or feel you will not need to make those upgrades for whatever reason, please do not attempt this project.

High amp alternators are very RPM, WIRE GAUGE and BATTERY sensitive. These three things are absolutely necessary for optimum performance -

#1 - The positive battery cable to alternator MUST be upgraded to heavier gauge wire according to the amperage of the new alternator. Please refer to chart on the technical information page for correct wire gauge size needed.

WARNING - IF THE POSITIVE BATTERY WIRE IS NOT UPGRADED, YOUR NEW HIGH AMP ALTERNATOR WILL NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY!!!

#2 - A smaller than stock pulley is used on the 200 amp and 250 amp alternators to achieve maximum output at engine idle speeds. A worn or stretched alternator belt that is working fine on your stock alternator will slip on a high amp alternator and cause a no charge or low output condition due to excessive torque created by the new high amp alternator. In some cases even a new stock size belt will slip. For that reason, in some cases a shorter than stock belt is needed. This is not always necessary on the 160 amp and 170 amp upgrades.

WARNING - UPON INITIAL INSTALLATION OF YOUR NEW HIGH AMP ALTERNATOR, IF YOU HAVE VOLTAGE READINGS OF 12V OR LOWER AND WHEN YOU INCREASE ENGINE RPM THE VOLTAGE READING INCREASES TO 13-14V, YOU HAVE A SLIPPING BELT OR INCORRECT PULLEY RATIO OR BOTH.
**** WHEN YOU HAVE THESE SYMPTOMS, THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT BAD ****

#3 - A fully charged heavy duty battery is a must. Alternators do not charge dead batteries and batteries must be fully charged with a battery charger before installation. If your battery is located in your trunk then you will have to consider that distance when selecting wire gauge size. If you are attempting to install a high amp alternator with a battery isolator, you must make sure that the isolator is installed and wired correctly.

 

Simple wiring instructions that have worked for me. 1) Remove wires from existing OE style alternator. 2) tape up the ends individually and tie out of the way. 3) Install 1 wire alternator 4) Run heavy charge cable from alternator output stud to battery on the fender relay. Heavy means 6 or 8 gauge. 5) include a fuse or fusible link in the charge wire. Fusible link 2 gauge sizes smaller than the fusible link or fuse rated 125-150% of the alternator output.

This has worked fine for me. Lots of stories from folks who have tried to remove old wires and truck won't run.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

One other thing that has made the 1wire unit install very simple is to buy a battery with the dual post set-up. With this, you can run the 1 wire to the side mount while using your top post for the starter solenoid. This will clean up the installation.

 

 

Thanks Rufus, like for mine to look that neat!

 

The instructions you listed do have one discrepancy. Well, not a discrepancy so much as an omission.
The Green w/brown wire is actually the Green w/red wire on our older rigs. And it is only for an indicator lamp if your truck is so equipped. On trucks using full gauges including an ammeter, the Green w/red wire is still a switched power source, but goes straight from the key to the regulator.
Ford even wires the regulators differently between them. Really screws with people. Even the mechanics that should know better after all these years.
Sometimes they may work on cars and trucks with lamps, and when they find one with gauges they connect the wiring incorrectly.

That's no nevermind on a 1-wire though, since you don't use any of the old wires. So as said already, tape them off or re-purpose them for use with other goodies.
So with your 1-wire (it does say it's a true 1-wire, correct?) you simply remove the old voltage regulator, do whatever with your old wires, and away you go.
Just be aware (if you were not already) that any 1-wire alternator (called a "self-exciting alternator") needs to be revved up the first time after starting up. This gets to a certain rpm level and kicks on the internal mechanism that tells it to start charging. So if you're ever idling right after starting and notice that the alternator is not charging, just rev up the engine until it kicks in.
This is one of the reasons that many will still use a basic "internally regulated" alternator, which does away with the fender mounted regulator, but still needs the Yellow and the Green w/red wires to activate things. With those, the alternator will start charging as soon as it's spinning.

When I do the swaps then, I take some power studs off of junkyard trucks (the old '80's GM trucks had one of the cleanest) and connect the old regulator wires to each post. That way you can connect other wires to the Yellow for power all the time, and the Green w/red just when the key is in the RUN position (but not ACC).

Good luck. Hope the alternator works out for you.

Paul