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1 wire alternators

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Old Jul 26, 2004 | 03:23 PM
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1 wire alternators

Has anyone made the switch to the 1 wire alternators? Would like to know what wires to and from the existing alt and regulator have to be changed, or done away with. I have a '72 F-100 390. New alt is 100 amp Ford with 1 wire terminal.
 

Last edited by baitmaster; Jul 26, 2004 at 03:39 PM. Reason: more info
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Old Jul 27, 2004 | 10:35 AM
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Unhook all the rest of the junk. Take a nice large wire from the alt. to the battery. You're DONE!!

Granted your dash gauge/idiot light will no longer function without the regulator hooked up. Need to install an aftermarket amp or volt meter to keep tabs on it.
 
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Old Jul 27, 2004 | 05:56 PM
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Tried the large wire to battery deal, that left me with dead truck, no starter, no cab anything. Have 2 pigtails that unhook from regulator/alt to solenoid area. One or more of them must get 12v to fuse block?
 
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Old Jul 27, 2004 | 10:33 PM
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My starter doesn't work either now that I switched. I'm still experimenting, I'll let ya know.
 
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Old Jul 28, 2004 | 02:28 PM
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Tried the large wire to battery deal, that left me with dead truck
I had the same problem. I used an alternator out of a 74 Chevy. I just got power to my new Painless Harness and still have to get some other stuff done before I re-fire the engine. The Painless Harness made the conversion easy since I bought the universal harness. I followed the Ford directions for everything but the alternator. I hope, in theory it will work. I'll let you guys know when I have time to get it going. Working 6 days a week right now.
 
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Old Jul 29, 2004 | 10:32 AM
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Well, I would say that when you removed the wiring from the rear of the alt. and then regulator, you lost your power wire to interior...which means no power to anything else. Not good. You need to get the power wire back in the circuit.

Sorry, guess I was a little vague in my description. You don't need any of those wires to charge, but one of them will need to be kept in the circuit to power truck.
 

Last edited by Freightrain; Jul 29, 2004 at 10:35 AM.
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Old Jul 29, 2004 | 07:51 PM
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I have 2 connectors in the wiring from the alt/reg heading to the wiring harness on the top of inner fender. I think I will just try giving them 12 v and see what happens. I did check out the tech articles on this website. A guy did a late 60's switch, and it sounds very close to my setup. Going to follow that info as close as possible.
 
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 12:20 AM
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Here ya go:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles/2003/7.php
 
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