Electrical Issue (Please help)

[LandonL]

Alright, after the wire burnt up from the alternator to the battery (red one) I went to replace it. I replaced it with 10 gauge automotive wire, and spliced it into the red wire going from the voltage regulator to the cab's clip like it was from the factory. I've gotten everything hooked back up and now when I put the battery cables back on one of them sparks, and begins to melt the terminal. As far as I know I didn't ground out the red wire anywhere, WHAT could possibly be the problem.. This trucks been driving me down the path to insanity..

EDIT:
I didn't change the regulator it's original. What happened was the connection to the alternator(red wire) was loose and it started sparking and the wire heated up and melted the casing all the way to the battery and the truck shut off.

[Sport/Truck]

I'm wondering if your regulator has failed? What was the issue before your replaced it?

[LandonL]

I didn't change the regulator it's original. What happened was the connection to the alternator(red wire) was loose and it started sparking and the wire heated up and melted the casing all the way to the battery and the truck shut off. Could the regulator be causing it?

[shiner2001]

Originally Posted by LandonL

Could the regulator be causing it?

Indeed.

[LandonL]

Well, I just unhooked the regulator wires and tried connecting the cables to the battery again..same result. How could it still be the regulator?

[Zoomin]

Does your truck still have the junction block mounted on the fender where the lead from the battery hooks to the front wiring harness? That may have melted during the shorted.

Anyway, don't hook up the battery anymore till you trace down the short with a volt meter, or you'll burn the next weak link up.
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[LandonL]

Yes, it has the junction block. No it's still intact it didn't melt.
If I unhooked the charging wire to the battery would this determine if I grounded anything on my new wire setup if it doesn't spark?

How can I find the short with a volt meter exactly, electricity is not my thing. I do have a volt meter.

[LandonL]

UPDATE:

I unhooked the wire at the junction block which charges the battery and hooked up the terminals and no sparks.

I believe I've ruled out the regulator, so what could I have done wrong with my re-wiring?

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by LandonL

UPDATE:

I unhooked the wire at the junction block which charges the battery and hooked up the terminals and no sparks.

I believe I've ruled out the regulator, so what could I have done wrong with my re-wiring?

You can trace our steps back using these diagrams.

http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...ng_diagram.pdf
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...ng_diagram.pdf
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...g_diagram2.pdf
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...ng_diagram.pdf
s/t

[LandonL]

According to the diagram I wired everything correctly..

[LandonL]

Could the alternator possibly cause the problem? I'm not going out to the shop again tonight to check.

[GruntMoanCough]

I would suspect the regulator, as mentioned above. However, since the wire to the alternator is disconnected and here is no short, I would think the alternator is shorting out. Try plugging the regulator back in. May need a new alternator and regulator now, or upgrade to a newer one.

[LandonL]

Well, when I removed the clip going to the regulator it still caused the terminal to spark/melt. However the wire was still going to the alternator when I did this. So I suspect something in the alternator to be causing this now as you suspected grunt.

[LandonL]

I said I wasn't gonna do it but I went back out there and unhooked the wires from the alternator. Tada, no spark. I'm going to O'reilly's tomorrow to have the alternator tested and if it fails, have it replaced.

[tonypaul]

Originally Posted by Sport/Truck

You can trace our steps back using these diagrams.

http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...ng_diagram.pdf
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...ng_diagram.pdf
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...g_diagram2.pdf
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/ch...ng_diagram.pdf
s/t

Just wanted to thanks for posting those links! Im starting to put in my new harness tomorrow and its going to be a little more easy now figuring out what is what on the old harness...

[red71cheyenne]

Originally Posted by LandonL

I said I wasn't gonna do it but I went back out there and unhooked the wires from the alternator. Tada, no spark. I'm going to O'reilly's tomorrow to have the alternator tested and if it fails, have it replaced.

Sounds like the diodes in your alternator have shorted to ground. Not very common, but it does happen. If it were me, I would also replace the regulator and verify your splices in the harness are not melted as well. Once the wire gets hot like that, it adds resistance and your system will not work as well as it once did. Hope you get it figured out.