47-55.1 Another Alternator Question...

[Dachshund]

What kind/type of alternator would you use? Stock 54 235 in a stock 1947 3600 frame....Not planning to run AC, but have a stock heater. Radio, but not super fancy.

[mr48chev]

Just a regular 63 / 65 amp internal 10 SI regulator Delco that you can get anywhere.

It's a little more trouble to hook up than a 1 wire that I know several will jump up and down and say you have to use but any parts house or wrecking yard that has American cars or parts should have one in stock if you ever need one on a road trip.

The one wire is simple but usually costs about 50.00 more for the convenience. Plus you may not find one at a parts house if yours fails when you are away from home base.

My photobucket account is still down after their big crash last month and I can't access the alternator hookup album that several ways to hook one up quite simply.

It won't do any harm to have a higher output alternator than you need as it is only going to produce the power that the systems in the truck need to have kept up with.

[dsraven]

check this link for some info. guys doing what you're doing with the same questions. it has some links to explanations and wiring connection methods.

https://www.hotrodders.com/forum/thr...on-194535.html

[dsraven]

if you want to connect a simple 3 wire alt it is easy to wire up. there is a 10ga battery wire that bolts on to the stud on the back of the alt. there is a wire that can be jumpered over to that battery wire stud for terminal 2, this is the voltage sensing portion. it can also be led away from the alternator and connected downstream further at a wiring junction terminal block for more accurate voltage sensing if you wanted to but not necessary for a low draw unit like yours unless you find the lights etc are not as bright as you think they should be. the other wire goes to a bulb in the dash. the bulb is supplied battery voltage to one side and alternator voltage to the other side. since both of those are positive voltage then the light bulb doesn't light if the alternator is charging. if the alternator is not charging then the light has batt voltage on one side and less than batt voltage on the other side so it begins to flicker or come on steady. if you were to have a situation where your draw is more than the alt output then the same thing would happen. it used to happen on really cold days when you started the car with a half dead battery due to cold, the engine cranked longer with a bigger draw on the battery due to the engine oil being thick so the alternator worked hard to keep up for the first few minutes. couple that with a poorly adjusted choke and the engine idle would be lower than it should have been. presto, alt can't keep up with the draw so the charge light would flicker. it would stop flickering when the engine warmed up, thus warming the battery up under the hood, plus the rpm would come up some so the alt was spinning faster. well, you get the idea.
anyway, if you don't want a charge light there is a resistor that can be placed where the bulb would normally be.

[MiraclePieCo]

dsraven

[Dachshund]

Ok, Thanks for the info! Got another question - I have seen photos of two places alternators are installed - one off the side of the head, and one on the bottom where the genny was. Which is "better", and where is the best place to get mounts. I COULD fab them, but …….