[tekie327]

I am sure this has been covered but could not find it in my research so here I go. I am upgrading my 66 chevelle to a one wire alternator and need some help with the wiring. Specifically what do I do with all the wiring that is being eliminated and the external voltage regulator? What else has to happen? I know that now all I have to do is run a wire to the battery from the new alternator but what about all the wiring from the old voltage regulator? I want to make sure that all the other accessories, the dash, everthing else will still work as it should and want to plan this out so that there are no or as few problems after the conversion as possible. I have a wiring diagram for the car but any new diagrams or drawing would be great. Thanks

 

[Philip]

I am not a big fan of them, just 2 more wires gives a better working unit. The charge indicator light will not work with the 1 wire set up, you will need to install a volt meter.

Alternator conversions

 

[tekie327]

Thanks for the info. It sure will help. The 3 wire may be a better setup but I already have a one wire in hand.

 

[lsrx101]

Thanks for the info. It sure will help. The 3 wire may be a better setup but I already have a one wire in hand.

You're only 10 minutes and a simple regulator swap away from a more reliable 3-wire alternator. Do a bit of research. One wire alternators really aren't the great idea that they seem at first thought.

 

[Chris R]

If you have a quality made single wire alternator. There is nothing wrong with it. I personally dont mind the single wire alternators. Street rodders have been using them for years and arent afraid to put thousands of miles on going around the country to various shows and rod runs. That says something about the single wire units they use. Also, not all single wire alternators have the capability of being wired to a 3 wire configuration.

 

[Philip]

Chris they may work well on limited mileage cars, for a daily driver the normally wired unit will work better for longer. I drive about 30k miles a year, most of the miles on the El Camino. When the Nova is road worthy it will be my primary vehicle. Both are using the new style 100 amp alternators with the 3 wire set up.

Photo of the install on the Nova. The red wire goes to the battery, the white goes back to the alternator plug and another from the plug to ignition switch to turn on the regulator.

 

[Berto]

hmm, I recently bought an MSD 1 wire alternator 160 amp. From what I hear perhaps it wasn't the best decision I have made along the way. It is not a daily driver (how do you afford the gas??). I plan on driving it perhaps 1 day a week to work 7 or 8 times a year and playing around on the weekends a bit.......

 

[lsrx101]

Philip,
The alternator in your picture is wired much like a 1-wire unit. Your white wire is the voltage sense wire and should actually be connected at or near your main accessory feeds. To work properly, it needs to read the voltage close to where the system loads are.
One wire alternators or units wired like Philips aren't "Bad" really, they just don't have the ability to sense and control the system voltage accurately. Yhis is important when you have electronics and/or heavy electrical loads on the system.

Here's a good article (long) about the differences in the two setups:
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml

 

[Philip]

hmm, It is not a daily driver (how do you afford the gas??).

The El Camino has an 89 Z28 TPI motor, it gets 19 - 20 mpg running it hard with the AC on, the Nova may not do as well being a carberated engine.

Philip,
The alternator in your picture is wired much like a 1-wire unit. Your white wire is the voltage sense wire and should actually be connected at or near your main accessory feeds. To work properly, it needs to read the voltage close to where the system loads are.
One wire alternators or units wired like Philips aren't "Bad" really, they just don't have the ability to sense and control the system voltage accurately. Yhis is important when you have electronics and/or heavy electrical loads on the system.

Here's a good article (long) about the differences in the two setups:
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml

Thanks for the info, I will move the sense wire to the main harness junction. Right now that will be easy as the loom goes back and tees into theharness where the main feed is. The Nova does not have any heavy electrical loads. A mechanical fan, no stereo; but it does have AC and power windows niether of which should draw much current.

 

[lsrx101]

The El Camino has an 89 Z28 TPI motor, it gets 19 - 20 mpg running it hard with the AC on, the Nova may not do as well being a carberated engine.



Thanks for the info, I will move the sense wire to the main harness junction. Right now that will be easy as the loom goes back and tees into theharness where the main feed is. The Nova does not have any heavy electrical loads. A mechanical fan, no stereo; but it does have AC and power windows niether of which should draw much current.

Yea, the Nova should be ok.
If you're curious, you can use a clip lead to temporarily change the connection of the white wire and check voltage at your headlights, AC fan, etc. as well as the voltage on the alternator output.
I recently helped a friend build a 31 Plymouth street rod. The charge wire is about 8' long and the main feed to the fuse panel is again 6-8'. The battery and main junction is under the back seat.
Moving the sense wire from the alternator output terminal to the main accessory junction near the battery raised the voltage to the headlights almost 1.5 volts when the system was loaded down with other accessories.

 

[UniversalFrost]

just do an SI conversion and don't worry about the 1 wire.

SI conversion is simple and easy to do and there are instructions on here to do it real quick (did my 72 in less than an hour).

 

[Chris R]

Chris they may work well on limited mileage cars, for a daily driver the normally wired unit will work better for longer. I drive about 30k miles a year, most of the miles on the El Camino. When the Nova is road worthy it will be my primary vehicle. Both are using the new style 100 amp alternators with the 3 wire set up.

Thats true. I dont use mine for a daily driver.