Installing a wiring harness on Frankenstein. Old setup had an external regulator, replaced the alternator with an internal regulator version. The wiring harness instructions, for an alternator with an internal regulator, are to make a jumper wire from the bottom tang in the picture below (marked with an "F" on the alternator) to the BAT terminal of the alternator, and attach the brown energize wire to the upper tang (marked on the alternator with an "R").

Instructions are clear and simple, but - the tangs in question are obviously a single connector. In the close-up below, the two tangs are joined at the bottom.

So, does this wiring configuration make any sense? I've got the standard GM plastic connector with the brown energize wire leading to the "R" tang, the yellow wire shown is just a jumper from the "F" tang to the BAT post, and the red 8 gauge wire is also attached to the BAT post. But since the two tangs are connected, they're all just hooked together...

What am I missing?


Regulatorcloseup.jpg

Alternatorback.jpg

Alternatorfront.jpg

 

What you're missing is that the voltage regulator in that alternator is defective. The terminals used to manufacture the regulator come on a roll and that little interconnecting part is supposed to be clipped out when the regulator is made. Good eyes for catching that.

 

Well, that makes perfect sense! I really shouldn't buy stuff from CarQuest, but our options out here are pretty limited unless I want to drive 125 miles...

Thanks. I'll take it back in the morning, make them give me a new one. I could probably just clip it out, but why run the risk of something else being defective...

 

Make them test it to prove to them there is a problem. Some of those counter guys don't know their head for a hole in the ground. I know because I work with some of them.

 

I think he's right.

That shouldn't be connected.

 

looks to me like you bought a one wire alt. Try running it withoput the plug and I will bet it will charge as soon as you increase the RPMs.

 

I mispelled (with out). That is the way some one wire alts are made with that type of regulator having connecting tabs

 

Stellar, you're right.

Went back to the parts store today, and it turns out the reason he gave me that one is simply because it was the only one he had on the shelf. Would have been nice if he had mentioned that it was a one wire alternator, though :-)