I have an issue with my pully on my alternator and I think the voltage regulator is starting to stick so I thought I would ask the question.
How hard is it to swap out our system to a 1 wire alternator?
What would be a good donor?
Thanks in advance for the help
Ken

 

It's as easy as it sounds, you hook up the main battery feed wire (thick red one) and tie the rest of them out of your way. Leave your regulator or chuck it, doesn't matter.

 

Be carefull with one wire alternators. Most are rated at 100 amps. Use larger than 10 gauge wire, 6 gauge works for me. DO NOT use an amp gauge that only reads up to 60 amps!! Unless u want to burn your ride to the ground! Use a volt gauge, not an amp meter. Make sure your grounds, engine to frame, and frame to body are clean and tight! GOOD LUCK DAHMER

 

Thanks for the replies.

I did this to my old Jeep and it was as simple as you say but didn't know if any of the wiring to the regulator had to be bridged or anything on the Ford.
I will look for an alternator this weekend.
Thanks for the quick response.
Ken

 

I did it to my 74, but I used a 94 amp 3 wire. It really only uses 1 wire, but has a 2 prong plug in the side. That supplies a wire for the guage. I think I paid $68 brand new. I think the model is a 12SI.

 

A one wire conversion it easy to do but not a good idea.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...hreewire.shtml

 

I did the 1 wire thing to my '72 about a yr ago. The 100 amp really delivers some charge power, and will charge the Optima very fast. I havent hooked up a volt meter up yet, and havent seen a amp meter big enough, so dont use one. i used a battery cable to run from alt to battery. Cheap and had the right ends on it. the only issue I have with it is a constant drain going somewhere. I thought it was the radio, but turned out not to be. So i have installed a kill switch between hot solenoid post and wire that powers the fuse panel and switch. That kills everything when the truck is not running, which is Ok, but I still have to run the memory wire from the radio to the battery, so it wont forget which programs i have on it. It has to be constant 12v. I have taken every fuse out of the block, but still get a spark from bat cable to hot fuse wire when I touch them together. So it has to be something in the alt/starting/ignition wiring. I guess this kill switch will make it harder to steal her, but just have to turn it off and on when I need to. I just turn it off when the truck will sit overnite, or all day, a few hours doesnt matter. it takes about 2 days for the battery to go down otherwise.

 

Are any of these 1 or 3 wire alternators based on a Ford alternator? Most that I have seen are GM based. The Ford would be an easier unit to mount.

 

there are lots of ways to mount a GM alternator

universal brackets

 

Thanks for the link to the article, oldhalftons. Some very interesting information there. Looks like I will be sticking with the three wire alternator. Appreciate it !!!!!

 

Don't get scared of running a one wire, lots and lots and lots of people are running them. They come in Ford styles - Mr Amp makes one. The wiring is easy. All the wires running to and from the alternator and the voltage regulator go. Clean things up around the batter considerably.

 

J*G's has one also. About $150 and its chrome