A.C. 20A blade connector on fuse panel???

[pheengurs]

hey all!

okay, so I'm having electrical issues...

one of many wiring problems I've been neglecting over the years, while I pile on more and more electrical accessories...


so! here's my problem:

years ago, the P.O. swapped out original engine to 350, with HEI, and internally regulated alternator -- but did NOT eliminate the original external voltage regulator.

no prob right? plenty of threads and info out there to help right? well sorta...

there's a couple twists:

-- none of the 4 wires on the external voltage regulator (VREG) connect to the horn relay bus bar as per most wiring diagrams etc that I've seen.

--terminal 3 on VREG has an orange wire, that goes directly into what my stock 64 wiring diagram shows as an empty spot on the firewall connector that feeds the dash wiring... then when exiting that connector on the in dash side, it turns to a pink wire, that plugs directly into a blade connector at top left side of fuse panel called A.C. 20A

or at least, that's how I'm reading it the labelling on the fuse panel... ???

I have no idea why that wire would be plugging directly into my fuse panel, nor what this A.C. 20A blade connector is supposed to be for!

any help on defining what's what on the stock fuse panel, and what this a.c. 20a blade connector might be for, and why someone would run a line from the VREG directly to it???

first pic is of my wiring mess, and you can see the top left red wire off fuse panel, that's the one I'm talking about. second pic is a much better pic of someone's empty fuse panel, and you can clearly see the top blade connector, labelled a.c. 20a, OR perhaps that's for something else, and there are TWO IGN UNFUSED blade connectors?

[pimpston65]

i got a simply answer for the a.c 20. its for air condition. some models had ac and instead of having a seperate fuse on those model the fusebox makers and GM made all the boxes have the outlet, i didnt read all ur post just saw the ac part so im just giving input to that... btw some folks use it for other items as its a constent "hot". hope this helps

[pimpston65]

Originally Posted by pimpston65

i got a simply answer for the a.c 20. its for air condition. some models had ac and instead of having a seperate fuse on those model the fusebox makers and GM made all the boxes have the outlet, i didnt read all ur post just saw the ac part so im just giving input to that... btw some folks use it for other items as its a constent "hot". hope this helps

looks like a hot mess, u need to trace all the wires and start over. just my opinion...

[pheengurs]

hey Pimpston, thanks for the reply!

so A.C. 20A, would be exactly what it appears to be then...

I thought perhaps it had something to do with the alternator... In my factory wiring diagrams, it calls the alternator an 'AC GENERATOR' ... so I thought perhaps there was some kind of alternator circuit I've never heard of going on there, or that the PO had some -really- wacky stuff going on there... but that does not appear to be the case!

my truck in particular has never had AC... but yes, it makes sense, I've seen pics of my exact same fuse panel, on other models of mid 60's chevys, so it stands to reason they'd do that...

I'd still like to know why the PO wired the #3 terminal from the external VREG running directly into that A.C. 20A blade connector... Understanding wiring, does not come easily to me... and all the diagrams of 60's and early 70's chevs with external voltage regulators have the #3 terminal wired either at factory splice onto main power wire from batt, or the horn relay bus bar. So why did he go to all that trouble of running the wire through the firewall connector?

I guess it doesn't really matter where it gets its voltage from, as long as it gets voltage. #3 from VREG is apparently the 'voltage sensing' wire, that tells the alternator to supply more or less power...

so I guess we've solved this problem eh?



and yeah, now that the mystery of the A.C. 20A blade connector is solved, and (in my case) is simply acting as a voltage sensing port (for lack of a better term) -- I can proceed with my engine bay rewiring project, which will then move into the cab for a rewire...

thanks again!

[pimpston65]

Originally Posted by pheengurs

hey Pimpston, thanks for the reply!

so A.C. 20A, would be exactly what it appears to be then...

I thought perhaps it had something to do with the alternator... In my factory wiring diagrams, it calls the alternator an 'AC GENERATOR' ... so I thought perhaps there was some kind of alternator circuit I've never heard of going on there, or that the PO had some -really- wacky stuff going on there... but that does not appear to be the case!

my truck in particular has never had AC... but yes, it makes sense, I've seen pics of my exact same fuse panel, on other models of mid 60's chevys, so it stands to reason they'd do that...

I'd still like to know why the PO wired the #3 terminal from the external VREG running directly into that A.C. 20A blade connector... Understanding wiring, does not come easily to me... and all the diagrams of 60's and early 70's chevs with external voltage regulators have the #3 terminal wired either at factory splice onto main power wire from batt, or the horn relay bus bar. So why did he go to all that trouble of running the wire through the firewall connector?

I guess it doesn't really matter where it gets its voltage from, as long as it gets voltage. #3 from VREG is apparently the 'voltage sensing' wire, that tells the alternator to supply more or less power...

so I guess we've solved this problem eh?



and yeah, now that the mystery of the A.C. 20A blade connector is solved, and (in my case) is simply acting as a voltage sensing port (for lack of a better term) -- I can proceed with my engine bay rewiring project, which will then move into the cab for a rewire...

thanks again!

maybe they used an internally regulated alt? and bypassed the voltage regulator, maybe... ive seen post that shows how to do the bypass, but not sure in your case... glad you cleaned that fire hazard, you would be there all day trying to chase a faulty wire, goodluck to ya.

[pheengurs]

it did look a whole lot better a few years ago. that was before I added a 12v accy plug, intermittent wipers, dual electric fans, electric fuel pump, and electric trailer brake controller...

each additional unit was one of those, 'ok I'll try this out and if I like it I'll make the wiring look nice later' ...

later never came. until now...

yes...it is a mess, but not an unsafe one. all wiring is labelled, fused, proper AWG size for its draw, properly grounded (via an in dash floating common ground), and (though it doesn't look like it b/c I removed their coverings) the hot wiring is protected as well... unsightly, but organized chaos

at least it might deter a theif for a few more seconds!

[pimpston65]

Originally Posted by pheengurs

it did look a whole lot better a few years ago. that was before I added a 12v accy plug, intermittent wipers, dual electric fans, electric fuel pump, and electric trailer brake controller...

each additional unit was one of those, 'ok I'll try this out and if I like it I'll make the wiring look nice later' ...

later never came. until now...

yes...it is a mess, but not an unsafe one. all wiring is labelled, fused, proper AWG size for its draw, properly grounded (via an in dash floating common ground), and (though it doesn't look like it b/c I removed their coverings) the hot wiring is protected as well... unsightly, but organized chaos

at least it might deter a theif for a few more seconds!

i hear i may look ugly, but its yours and you know where everything is...