[Kopfjaeger]

I purchased a serpentine belt system that uses a Powermaster cs130 alternator. The alt. is billed as one wire self exciting but when talking to Mark at MAD electric, he said the cs130 would be more reliable as a 3 wire.

So, I purchased his New System kit and a factory plug for the cs130. I’ve upgraded my wiring with an AAW upgrade harness.

Ok, the 3 wires on the alternator are 6 gauge to either the starter or battery junction point, 14 gauge 12v battery, and 12v from the idiot light on the dash. My dash is a gauge dash so I need a resistor in a 12v ignition source wire. I don’t have a brown wire in my bulkhead harness because of the gauge package. (See diagram)

I do have an orange wire that is for electric fans. (See diagram). since I have an aux. fuse/relay panel under the hood where I’m wiring my fans to, can anyone tell me if the orange fan wire is hot only with ignition on? If so, I’ll install my diode and resister in that line and wire it to the L terminal on my CS130.

Joe

 

[Kopfjaeger]

Since I got zero feedback on this, I called AAW today. Spoke to a tech named Dan. I explained my situation to him. According to Dan, as long as I did not cut or shorten the brown wire from the gauge cluster to the generator idiot light the brown exciter wire from the bulkhead connector can be used for my “3 wire“ alternator. According to Dan, the wire that would have gone to the warning light holder is a resistor wire.

That made zero sense so I pulled out the AAW kit and took a look at the extra wire and instructions. The cluster harness actually comes with the brown idiot light wire disconnected from the connector. It also says it’s is only to be connected if I have an idiot light, so I never installed it.

Called back and spoke to another tech, John. John was unable tell me how or if the bulkhead brown wire would excite an internally regulated alternator if their was no idiot light being used.

The orange electric fan supply wire is an ignition fed source but John cautions about modifying it by putting a resistor on it to simulate the idiot lightbulb, so it can be used to excite the alternator.

After checking with the tea of techs at AAW, John was pretty confidant that the wire co I got out of the bulkhead was a resistor type wire, and could be used, unmodified, with the alternator.

I broke out the AAW schematic and traced out the brown wire from the bulb holder at the cluster. SEE PHOTO.

Before the wire gets to the back of the fuse block/ bulkhead connector, it seems to be joined to the rear of the ignition switch via a dashed line. Is this the resistor wire? That would make sense.

Once I get enough completed to turn the ignition on, would I be able to tell, via available voltage at the end of the bulkhead wire, if there is a resistor in it?

If the L terminal on the alternator gets full voltage, it will fry the regulator. I do not want to screw this up.

Joe

 

[modern malibu]

Do you have an idiot light in the cluster? If so, the light bulb will serve as a resistor.This should be a brown wire from the bulb through the bulkhead connector that originally went to the voltage regulator. The bulb was fed 12volts with the key on engine off and in the run position via a pink wire. The brown wire at the voltage regulator provided ground thereby causing the light to be lit as long as the vehicle was not running/charging.As the charging system started working, the voltage regulator would put out 14.5 volts on t he brown wire back to the bulb to turn it off.You need to have a key switched resistance wire to simulate this process. This is sometimes called an exciter wire and can be found if you search for CS130 resistor wire.

 

[Kopfjaeger]

Nope, no idiot light. With the bulk head wire, supposedly fed from a resistor, I should be able to read slightly less voltage than battery voltage, correct?
In the above schematic, the pink wire and the cluster brown wire are joined at the idiot light built socket. The brown wire then continues to a junction point, indicated with my arrows, that is brown dash marks to the back of the ignition switch. After this junction, the brown wire exits the bulk head connection for use as the exciter wire.

Joe

 

[modern malibu]

Yes, It should read approx.9-10 volts with the key on engine off as long as the battery is reading 12.6 volts or fully charged.

 

[Kopfjaeger]

Yes, It should read approx.9-10 volts with the key on engine off as long as the battery is reading 12.6 volts or fully charged.

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

Joe

 

[DUTCH MAX HEADWORK]

Nope, no idiot light. With the bulk head wire, supposedly fed from a resistor, I should be able to read slightly less voltage than battery voltage, correct?
In the above schematic, the pink wire and the cluster brown wire are joined at the idiot light built socket. The brown wire then continues to a junction point, indicated with my arrows, that is brown dash marks to the back of the ignition switch. After this junction, the brown wire exits the bulk head connection for use as the exciter wire.

Joe

If you don't see your voltage at the brown lead, install a lightbulb into the light socket as it completes the circuit and acts as the resistor. The dashed wire between the switch and circuit is a resistance wire installed as a backup just in case the bulb burns out. If the resistance wire is in the harness, then you don't need to run the bulb in the system. Turn on the ignition and you'll have your answer when you check the brown lead at the bulkhead connector or alt.

 

[DUTCH MAX HEADWORK]

What's the part number on your alt?

 

[Kopfjaeger]

Al,

Awesome}. Thanks for your reply. I was hoping the dashed wire indicated the resistance. Since I do not have the option to run an “idiot light” (factory gauge cluster) the bulb is not an option.

Here is the tag on the Alt, I believe that’s the part number. If not, I can check in a few days.

Thanks again!
Joe