Alternator question - 69 Super Bee

[440beep]

Question regarding upgrading my current alternator. Don't know what the amps are or anything about it, but I want to upgrade it with a higher amp one. Currently, the alternator is hooked up this way: hooked to the battery post connection is a black and brown wire, and the other connection on the back of the alternator (female slip on connector) is a green wire.

From Year One, I ordered a Powermaster 75 amp, single pulley double wire alternator. I got the alternator, and on the back is the battery post connection, and then there are 2 male connector tabs. Now I'm confused, I only have the one green wire left to connect. Are the 2 male connectors interchangeable so I can use either one for the green wire depending on positioning of the alternator?

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Your new alt. Has two field terminals. The should be marked FLD. Connect the green wire to the nearest field terminal so as not to have stretch it to fit. The other field terminal needs to be grounded. Usually a short wire is fashioned to with a terminal on one end and the other end attached to the alt case. Or, you could take the brush out of your alt you are replacing. If you look on the back, the brush without a terminal is made to ground to the case. Take the screw out and the brush comes out. It has a spring behind it. Once out you will get the idea of how it fits together. If not, we are here for ya

 

[440beep]

I think I figured out what I'm supposed to do. Based on the alternator instructions below, I'm guessing this is what I need to, hook the green wire to one FLD terminal, and ground the other connection somewhere.

If your vehicle has one small field wire, connect it to either FLD terminal on the alternator. Then, using a short 16 AWG or larger jumper wire, ground the remaining FLD terminal. Some models have a ground stud on the back alternator case; this or any other bare metal grounding point will be sufficient.

 

[65affair]

You purchased a dual field alternator, this is the proper wiring for that.

 

[nothingbutdarts]

With the bigger alternator you will be overtaxing an already weak electrical syst.! They are not designed to handle more amperage. You could burn up the wiring or the car.

 

[440beep]

So what needs to be done in order to run this 75amp alternator safely?

 

[Hemi Rebel]

So what needs to be done in order to run this 75amp alternator safely?

You will be fine. No more or less current will flow through whatever circuits your car has now. meaning, your headlights will consume the same amount of electricity with the new alt as it did with the old one. The wipers will not consume more current. The tailights will not consume more current. Voltage will be regulated by the regulator. Circuits still have fuses to protect them in case of a short or component failure.

 

[440beep]

So then what was said in Reply #5...............................disregard? With the new alternator I also ordered a new electronic voltage regulator, not the flat one used on post 70 cars, but the electronic regulator for a 69 car.

You will be fine. No more or less current will flow through whatever circuits your car has now. meaning, your headlights will consume the same amount of electricity with the new alt as it did with the old one. The wipers will not consume more current. The tailights will not consume more current. Voltage will be regulated by the regulator. Circuits still have fuses to protect them in case of a short or component failure.

 

[nothingbutdarts]

So what needs to be done in order to run this 75amp alternator safely?

Do as you want, but read this article in it's entirety before you decide. The problem is all too common on our MOPARS!!!


http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

 

[440beep]

Yes, have that article in my bag for train ride home reading. The reason I want the higher amp alternator is so the ever popular dim dash lights stops happening. Hoping between the alternator and electronic regulator it will be fixed.

 

[nothingbutdarts]

No problem running the big alternator, you just need to update the wiring, especially taking the alternator output wire from going thru the bulkhead connector and wiring it directly to the starter relay!!!! Just my opinion though.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Question, Are the dash lights dim at idle and get brighter as RPM's increase?

 

[440beep]

Yes, and they faintly blink with the turn signals on.

Question, Are the dash lights dim at idle and get brighter as RPM's increase?

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Yes, and they faintly blink with the turn signals on.

Yeah,that is pretty much normal.What you are doing should take care of it. And, there is validity in what else is being said. The main thing is to make sure all the wiring you have is good, and all connections are good. The bulkhead connector is definitely a weak link. As long as you are not adding a bunch of extra things like electric fans and fuel pumps, I would not worry so much about the guage of the wires you have now. It would not hurt to step it up if you so desire. I would put what you have on and run it. Turn on a bunch of things like the lights and cabin fan and wipers. Then touch the BAT wire to the alternator and see if it is getting warm/hot. If it is then you may need to run a thicker guage wire. Check this link too

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...voltage_regulator_and_alternator/viewall.html

 

[440beep]

Great thanks guys. And no no, no extra electric goodies at this point, pretty much a stock car. I'm just annoyed at the dimming dash lights.

 

[Propwash]

A good ground for the front lights harness at the radiator core and a solid state voltage regulator, replacing the old, will help with the dimming/discharge. It did with my '68.

Good luck.

 

[440beep]

So I got the new electronic voltage regulator today, and come to find out the existing one was electronic too. Did nothing to improve the dimming headlights.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

That is a picture of a mechanical regulator. You may want to consider a 70 and up style regulator and wiring as seen in post 4.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I think I figured out what I'm supposed to do. Based on the alternator instructions below, I'm guessing this is what I need to, hook the green wire to one FLD terminal, and ground the other connection somewhere.

If your vehicle has one small field wire, connect it to either FLD terminal on the alternator. Then, using a short 16 AWG or larger jumper wire, ground the remaining FLD terminal. Some models have a ground stud on the back alternator case; this or any other bare metal grounding point will be sufficient.

you can ground one of the fields replacing the isolation washer for the brush to a metallic washer... that will look cleaner than a jumper wire.

for safety purpouse, cut the prong of the brush you are grounding. In that way you won't hook the green wire ( what drives positive coming from reg in pre elect setups ) to the grounded field

- - - Updated - - -

Do as you want, but read this article in it's entirety before you decide. The problem is all too common on our MOPARS!!!


http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

Madelectrical procedement can kiss my *$$. They state to be moving with their mod, the main splice to the starter relay stud WHICH IS NOT TRU AND WON'T BE EVER. You need to make heavier mods to move the main splice to outside the cab.

check this:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33574.0.html

 

[nothingbutdarts]

Madelectrical procedement can kiss my *$$.

Well, see if you can get them too!

Hovever, their shown fix to the wiring issue does remove the bulk of the maximum charging amperage from the alternator out of the "cab"! As you say they did not.

I do admit that the "MAD" way eliminates the ammeter. The ammeter is a weak link. Some people convert their in dash ammeter to a volt meter. Quite a few write up's on this process.

In the end, which ever upgrade you choose, you are making your MOPAR a safer vehicle protecting it from the possability of burning up!!!!