Alternator wiring help

Hello all,
As usual the more I dive I to my Jeep the more head scratching I do guessing what the PO was thinking. The new area of concern is the Alt wiring. As with other wiring on this the PO seemed a little mixed up.

Anyhow as I am not too familiar with alternator wiring diagrams I am sure some of you have grand knowledge.

First the Alt charge was depending on a dash pull switch. If not on, no charge but I was told to make sure to turn it off when not running the motor to not drain battery. Weird. Anyone heard of thus set up?

Also as I attempt to replace a broken alt meter I noticed its directly wired from the main hot on the alt. To me that is too much juice but I could be wrong so I looked it up

Additionally I founded two voltage regulators but only one connected to the coil.

Anyhow anyone have any info or great diagrams I can follow to make sure all is well on this beast? Is this one accurate to all of you? Also the one of the small connectors on the alt is not even being used.

http://alternatorparts.com/gm-external-regulated-alternator-wiring-diagram.html

 

PHOTOS PLEASE
That alternator should NOT be under that Jeep hood.

That link is wonderful

 

A photo of the alternator? Why do you say that this alternator shouldn't be under the hood?

 

Did the '62 Buick come with an alternator (as opposed to a generator)? I would not be surprised if it did. Likely the alternator was brought along with the engine.

 

Not sure. I think it was a generator but do not know. Who has a 225 and what alt are they using? Wiring diagram they are following?

 

so what is wrong with this alt?

http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/album.php?albumid=827&attachmentid=30643

 

You are gonna wanna make sure that hot lug isn't touching the fins on that valve cover.

I never hooked up my volt meter, but I did use the same diagram to wire up my external regulated alt. If you don't use a regulator it will charge at 18+ volts and burn up everything. I tested the charging volts with a multi meter and called it a day.

 

The pic you link to in post #6. Is this what you have mounted to your engine? If so then I don't see any wires connected to the R and F terminals of the alternator. Also in your post #1 link to the early Delco alt, you don't need the resistor wire if you have an idiot light. If no idiot light then yes on resistor wire. If this is the alt/reg system you have then it is best you convert to the single wire SI model alternator and get rid of those two external regulators and you will eliminate several other wires including that screwy switch on the dash. That dash switch is just asking for trouble.

 

Yes it's my alt pictured.
yes there is one wire that I just removed as you can see it in the picture.
Yes have a "idiot light" on the speedo I can hook up. It is not currently Connected. I wanted to also hook up a volt meter on the dash. I have one of those 3-up meters which started me on this quest to make it right. Can I have both light on speedo and meter connected?
I don't understand the purpose of the resistor wire, where to get one, etc.
Also need to know what volt reg to use too. The one I currently have does not hav 4 terminals.

 

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Your diagram in post #10 is for the alternator with the built in voltage regulator which I strongly recommend. Alternators with external regulators such as you presently have are considered ancient. Just another extra cost plus another trouble maker and causes extra wiring. Your volt meter install will be a wire to ground and a wire to the ignition (hot when ON) and has no effect on the idiot light in the speedo. You don't need the resistor wire. As said I highly recommend you turn in that old alternator as a core and purchase a 10 or 12 SI reman (about $40) or so and forget about the external voltage regulator. But if you insist on using your present system I recommend taking the alt and reg to your local supply house and have them tested. A new reg for that alt will likely be near the cost of a reman SI type alt which has the built in reg.

 

Great advice! Thanks! A quick search of Napa and there seems to be many options and costs. Not sure what the differences are but the costs sure change.

 

Big diff between new and remanuf and the amp rating of the alt makes a diff in cost. If your jeep is stand (not a bunch of running light or A/C or elect winch etc etc) then a standard 63 amp will do fine. If you go that route with reman alt then get one that is clocked at 3 o'clock for your app. If they don't have then still no problem because you can easily clock it yourself. Just ask. HTH.

 

thanks! Embarrassed to say not sure what you mean by 3 o'clock. Yes jeep is very basic Willys. No AC, winch or extra lighting.

 

Never mind. Found it....o'clock....

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/delcoremy.shtml

 

Yup.
And outfit I drove for hauling firewood set up the IH 2ton dumper just exactly like that. You would start the engine, start rolling and flip that switch on. Then back off again. The alternator would continue charging until you shut off the ignition. Then you would have to go through the whole thing the next time you started up again.

 

So when is a resistor wire needed? Is there one from the ignition to the speedo alt light?

 

Your jeep will not have the resistor wire. There is only a regular wire from the ignition to the indicator light.

 

Thanks. Just for my curiosity, when is a resister wire needed?