A while ago i did the 1-wire alternator swap in my '71. Everything works fine. But at idle im not getting a full 14.4 volts. Not a real radical cam 228/234 @ .050. Idling at about 600-650 maybe a smidgen higher. The internal regulator went bad in the last alternator so i put a new one in, and it works a lot better but still not exactly up there once i turn on the headlights and use a turn signals. Anything i can do to trouble shoot my problem or is there something else i need to do or change??? Thanks guys!!!

~Paul

One wire alternators are known to put out low voltage at low rpms. You might want to consider going back to a 3 wire.
Read this.
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml

I have a one wire on my car. Im not saying its the best set up, but we dont have any problems with it. It has a electric fuel pump, water pump and two fans. I do have to watch it at idle. It has a cut on RPM point. witch just happens to be right about were it idles at. I could change the pully to make it were it stays on, but the motor see,s 7000 rpm and I dont want to over rev the alt. and who told you that it needs to put out 14.4. as long as its above 13.4 your good. 12.8 is a fully charged battery.

Where are you measuring the voltage? If it's at the back of the alt then the alt internal regulator is bad. If anywhere else then that's what you get with a 1 wire, refer to link Gary provided.

With a low idle such as that you will also need to watch out for underdrive pulleys. Most of the aluminum pulleys are underdrive.

Sorry guys, i wasnt saying I necessarily NEED 14.4 volts, just knowing that the peak/best voltage is around there. I would like to see it any where around 13.5 or so (not dropping below 12 volts at idle w/the lights on and my electric fans running like it had been doing). I know the reg. was bad on the old one b/c the battery was at 12.4 volts sitting there and when i fired up the car, the battery was at 11.8 or so. One thing i forgot to mention in my first post was that the GEN light would start to get brighter as i was cruising at higher speeds and go dim and even go out at idle!! Not sure what was up with that!! I do have under-drive pulleys and thought that might be a slight disadvantage to me, so that might be a problem. But i will see how it does as i drive it, all i did was fire it up and idle it up the street and turn around in the neighbors driveway and pull it in the garage. THANKS GUYS!!!

Appreciate all the input. Hopefully this turns out better than the last one!!

~Paul

I had a one wire built for me and they installed a low RPM start kit. It kicks in at about 1000rpm. It was a local alternator shop.