Hello all. First post here and really need some help…..I just started working on this 1976 F100 4x4. My first project is to swap out the 1g alternator for a 1 wire alternator. I need some help identifying these wires in the fusible links. My goal is to simplify this once I put the new alternator on. I would appreciate any suggestions or experiences with this. Thanks


Would like to lean on ya’ll expertise of the best way to simplify this

Just got it 2 weeks ago….gonna be a fun project

 

Welcome to FTE. Sorry I don't have an answer to your question but there are lots of good knowledgeable people here on these forums who should be able to get you pointed in the right direction. Nice looking truck BTW.

 

Do you have images of the other end of the wires? Does the white one possibly have a black stripe?

 

Here is the other end of the plugs and YES. The white wire does have a black stripe

 

I don’t recognize all the connectors, because there’s a big difference between a 76 and a 79 and some small areas. FORD did have a habit of changing their charging system orientation over the years. Even though they used basically the same alternator, they had different locations For voltage, regulators, and some earlier models, used a third component that I don’t recall ever working on.

but basically, your white with black stripe wire is the state door wire, and has either one, or two functions. Depends on whether you have gauges, including an ammeter, or a battery warning light. My guess is you have the ammeter, because of a couple of the other wires.

so in general terms:

Green with red stripe is powered with the key in the ON position for the voltage regulator. The yellow wire next to it is probably the battery sensing wire and goes to the voltage regulator as well.
The large yellow black with yellow wire is power to the cabin.
The red wire and yellow wire that are adjacent to that one, are very likely, the ammeter shunt wires.
there’s often a yellow wire attached to the battery side of the starter relay, but it’s typically by itself and power is a horn relay. But here again, FORD had different orientations for the horn relay. When they even used one!

hope that helps.
Is your new Alternator a standard internally regulated version? Or is it a true “one wire “Alternator?

out of all of those wires, and depending upon what alternator you go with, very likely the only wire that you will reuse is the large black with yellow stripe wire.
It still has to remain connected to the battery side of the starter relay/solenoid. But the other half, probably the half that you have in your connectors, would have gone to the alternator’s BAT terminal. That goes away and you will use a heavier gauge cable to charge the battery.

so what Alternator are you going with?

 

Thank you so much. That was the answer I was hoping for! I am on a mission to reduce the rat nest of wires that I discovered when I got the truck.

Here is the alternator that I ordered. It is definitely NOT high end but will bridge me through long enough while I work on some other things: https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/1016..._psugg_q=10165

 

That one should be fine for a long time. And an appropriately decent output as well.
We can still get along just fine with only 60 amps, so 100 should cover most of your needs.
Your ammeter will no longer function, but most of them don’t work anymore anyway!
It can be replaced with a voltmeter at some point. Or you could go all in, and re-do the shunt wiring to make the ammeter work again.

I mentioned the need for a larger charge wire, so check the instructions to see what they recommend.
My personal preference would be to use either 8ga, or the easier to find 6ga as your new charge wire.
FORD, and most of the others, preferred to use a fusible link to protect that wire. For ease of replacement, I prefer to use a mega, or midi fuse setup.
So while you can get away without using it, I wouldn’t.
Might as well protect all the new wiring that you’re installing.

 

i definitely plan to use a mega or midi fuse set up for the charging wire. I am also considering installing a small fuse panel under the hood for future add ons like upgraded audio equiptment, electric fans, etc

In regards to the ammeter, I see that Rocketman Innovations (rccinnovations.com) sells a voltmeter that replaces the ammeter in the gauge cluster. He is currently not accepting orders in April so unless i find that option somewhere else, it sounds like a project in may.

I really appreciate your input on this! This is my first project truck and while I consider myself pretty handy, I am definitely doing a lot of learning

 

An interim option for lack of electrical system, monitoring, would be simply to insert a digital voltmeter into the nearby, cigarette lighter socket.
Gives a nice little illuminated read-out constantly monitoring your voltage.
It does stay on all the time in our old vehicles, of course, but it uses so little power that it would not drain a battery quickly. However, if the truck sits for months at a time, I would certainly unplug it.
Luckily, it’s pretty well lit so you’d notice right away when you exit the vehicle that the gauge is still in contact.

 

The new alternator works like a charm and REALLY simplified the wiring! Thanks!

 

Great to hear!
Now, on to the next 13 things on the list.😉🙄😩

 

if it were only 13!!! HAHAHAHA