Need a little wiring help

[DieselRat]

I need a little help with pretty much the last piece to the wiring puzzle. I am hoping someone here is familiar with EZ-Wiring's harness. Heres what I am wanting reassurance on.

I have 2 wires from the fuse panel that are designated alternator connections.

1 is a heavier red wire (maybe 8ga) that says 'Alternator Power'
1 is white labeled EXCITOR.

I am retrofitting a GM alternator (10si) to my truck (mercedes diesel) So it obviously was never meant to be there.

This alternator has 3 connection points, I understand them as followed.
Main lug, to the battery. 1 is for the dummy light/excitor wire. The third is the sensing wire.


SOOO...The part I am stuck on is, does my 'Alternator Power' wire in the harness, go to the main lug on the alternator? Do I just cut the excitor wire, and put in either a diode or a light fixture in line, and connect to terminal '1' of the alternator? I understand the sensing wire part.

Or do I skip the harness all together and wire direct to my battery? and hook up the excitor wire the same?

I was going by this diagram I found, which makes this as simple of a job as it is, I just dont know how I should be tying my harness and the 'alternator' power into this. Seems kind of odd to run the alternator back into the fuse box, when there is no fuse designated to the alternator.



cliff notes: where does my ALT POWER wire in the harness connect in this setup. Or do I just electrical tape it up and forget about it?>!>! Thanks!

[OrrieG]

Look at my build thread starting at post 796, I used EZ wire and was confused too, another member straightened me out. Can't remember all the particulars,link to the thread is below, it is 3 pages in on my computer from the end (most recent) posts.

[DieselRat]

Thanks I will check it out, just doing some more reading I learned that there are the normal 3 wire, then 1 wire alternators that all look the same (single post and then the dual prong plug at the top) Anyone know what years were the self exciting alternators? Does that even matter? I got this one at autozone, DL7127M http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...er=333351_0_0_

[DieselRat]

Reading your thread, you have alt power to the main lug on the back of the alt.

and the excitor wire to terminal 2.

I still dont know which is right and or why lol!

[DieselRat]

Bound to figure this out on my own if I keep plugging away, maybe it will help someone else out.

Found this thread that basically says in a sense that BOTH ways can/will work.

http://www.311s.org/pmwiki-311/pmwik...EarlyThreeWire

I'm assuming these alternators can work either way, as 3 wire setup, or '1 wire setup'

In his case on the one wire it looks like hes looping the batt post to the #2 (sensing) post.

Which in a sense is doing the same thing as putting the excitor wire to terminal 2 as well, only then its only seeing power through the excitor wire when the ignition is 'on'

When its jumped from the batt post to terminal 2 it would see power all the time....

So I guess I am just going to use ORRIEG's way and do the ALT power to the main lug. and EXCITOR white to

[OrrieG]

The person that helped me said it will start, run and charge the way I did it the first time, but will keep running when the ignition switch is turned off, he learned the hard way. I have not fired mine up but have faith in the info given.

[starterman99]

The #1 terminal is the exciter from ignition often white wire,the #2 is a voltage sense wire often red .Battery output from back of alternator usually ties in at starter solenoid positive terminal & would be 8-10 gauge wire.on my 57 the alternator output went in to cab for amp gauge to work properly.

[DieselRat]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

The person that helped me said it will start, run and charge the way I did it the first time, but will keep running when the ignition switch is turned off, he learned the hard way. I have not fired mine up but have faith in the info given.

From everything I am reading the way you had it originally should be the correct way. Thats probably why there are 10,000 posts asking the same thing with 10.000 different answers on which way is right. I still dont know who is right.

Take away the harness and the wiring should be simple. Im just wondering why EZ has the alt power wire even in the mic when that wire SHOULD be going straight to the positive side of the battery.

[DieselRat]

Originally Posted by starterman99

The #1 terminal is the exciter from ignition often white wire,the #2 is a voltage sense wire often red .Battery output from back of alternator usually ties in at starter solenoid positive terminal & would be 8-10 gauge wire.on my 57 the alternator output went in to cab for amp gauge to work properly.

I think what your saying is hookin it up the way orrie had it the first time lol.

On the EZkit there is no wire inside the cab designated to a voltgauge. Which I thought was odd.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by DieselRat

I think what your saying is hookin it up the way orrie had it the first time lol.

On the EZkit there is no wire inside the cab designated to a voltgauge. Which I thought was odd.

Yes, that is the standard wiring for a 10 SI alternator. A lot of guys put a diode inline instead of the indicator light to cut power off to the exciter post when they shut the ignition off to prevent feedback to the ignition but that is a moot point with the diesel. I've never seen anything saying that you do or don't need or want a diode or indicator light in that circuit but one or the other wouldn't hurt anything.

[sqrlnts]

I also used the EZ Wire kit. I would suggest using the help line, they are great.

[Russell Ashley]

You don't need anything going to terminal one. Use just the short jumper that comes with the EZ wire kit that you connect from the alternator output post to terminal two.

I got some disagreements on this before but my truck is still wired this way and my charging system works fine.

[DieselRat]

So theres not even any use for the white excitor wire then? That would techincally do the same thing if connected to the #2 post? Its just feeding power to it to allow it to start charging? I want to understand whats going on as well as how to wire it. Thanks for all the input.

[OrrieG]

Just to add to the confusion! I am using the stock ammeter so the big wire comes from the starter, thru the ammeter gauge, then to the alternator. EZ also furnishes a jumper wire that they say is required if the alternator is greater that 65 amps (if memory serves me well, I am not a home to look at the EZ manual). Main power for the fuse box is also pulled from the ammeter pole.

[DieselRat]

Ive studied the 'directions' and know what your referring to. Even the EZdiagram in the directions shows to hook it up with the excitor wire on post #1. And use a jumper from main batt to #2.

[DieselRat]

http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...reewire2.shtml

for reference.

[_Ogre]

from your link way up

''Make up a 10 gauge wire to go from the output on the alternator to the positive battery terminal. Attach the wire securely.
Install the GM plug into the plug slot and connect terminal #2 sensing to the connection going to the battery with an eyelet and tape off or cut off the lead coming from terminal #1 field.''

i've hooked up many a gm alt this way. never had a problem charging

my crs prevented me from telling you what wire went to the charge post and what wire got cut

[DieselRat]

Gotcha, saw that. I thank you for all the help, and I was never doubting that you were right, i more so just wondering why this is such a misinformed topic when really its not that hard. Ive gotta make up a bracket for it first but once I wire it in and get everything running I will do some tests and update this thread for future reference.