Alternator Wiring
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2010
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Alternator Wiring
I posted in electrical but didnt get alota help.
I bought a new alternator and hooked it up the way it was before, but the battery isnt staying charged. Does anyone have a diagram of how these wires should be hooked up? or have pictures of theirs?
I bought a new alternator and hooked it up the way it was before, but the battery isnt staying charged. Does anyone have a diagram of how these wires should be hooked up? or have pictures of theirs?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
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From: Northern California
What year is your truck?
And does it have ammeter and oil pressure gauges, or Idiot lights?
The voltage regulator can run anywhere from $20 to $50 depending on where you buy it.
Some places can test the regulator as well as the altenator.
A tip, have the parts guy test the new altenator for you. I've seen bad ones out of the box.
And does it have ammeter and oil pressure gauges, or Idiot lights?
The voltage regulator can run anywhere from $20 to $50 depending on where you buy it.
Some places can test the regulator as well as the altenator.
A tip, have the parts guy test the new altenator for you. I've seen bad ones out of the box.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2010
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The truck is a 78/79. However the engine is a 360.
Truck has an ammeter but it doesnt read anything. Need to track that wire down, has an oil pressure guage(mechanical) works good (after market).
I tested the alternator already, its working fine.
The battery seems to be charging intermitently, could that be becuase of the VR?
Truck has an ammeter but it doesnt read anything. Need to track that wire down, has an oil pressure guage(mechanical) works good (after market).
I tested the alternator already, its working fine.
The battery seems to be charging intermitently, could that be becuase of the VR?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
Yes the voltage regulator can cause that problem, or a bad ground. Make sure where the VR is bolted to the truck that it isn't excessively rusty.
The Ammeter wires are:
Red/Orange stripe
Yellow/Black stripe
They are hooked to the Black/Red stripe wire that goes from the altenator to the starter solenoid. They are placed on opposite ends of a shunt that is inside the Black/Red wire, in the altenator harness.
It is normal for the ammeter to die and no longer read anything after this long. You can test it by hooking it up very breifly to a 1.5v aaa battery just long enough to see if the needle swings. However good news is the ammeter will work from the following vehicles, if you remove the ammeter and transplant it into your truck.
1973-1979 F-100/F-350
1975-1991 Econoline
1978-1979 Bronco
Hope this helps.
The Ammeter wires are:
Red/Orange stripe
Yellow/Black stripe
They are hooked to the Black/Red stripe wire that goes from the altenator to the starter solenoid. They are placed on opposite ends of a shunt that is inside the Black/Red wire, in the altenator harness.
It is normal for the ammeter to die and no longer read anything after this long. You can test it by hooking it up very breifly to a 1.5v aaa battery just long enough to see if the needle swings. However good news is the ammeter will work from the following vehicles, if you remove the ammeter and transplant it into your truck.
1973-1979 F-100/F-350
1975-1991 Econoline
1978-1979 Bronco
Hope this helps.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2010
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Yes, that helps alot actually. I will look at her tomorrow and see if I cant figure her out. The wires that are back there are so corroded and have so much crap on them i doubt if ill even be able to tell what they are without SERIOUSLY scraping them down. But well see
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,261
Likes: 15
From: Big Sky Country
Sand the mounting surface of the voltage regulator down to bare metal so it's properly grounded otherwise it will cause electrical issues for you.
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