Installing 1 wire 6V pos. ground alternator

dono50

dono50

Well-known member
Will be installing a 6 volt positive ground 1 wire alternator in my 50 flathead.
Installation instruction say to run wire from alternator to negative battery post.
My question, what wire/wires do I disconnect from the regulator for my ammeter to work
 
Are you removing the voltage regulator? I would see no reason to run the new alternator directly to the battery. I would suggest at least only going to the starter solenoid (battery side). And even better, IMHO, would be to connect it to the same location on the circuit breaker panel as the current lead from the voltage regulator BAT wire connects.

The existing VR to CB panel wire should be removed along with any other wires connected to the VR.
 
JSeery said:
Are you removing the voltage regulator? I would see no reason to run the new alternator directly to the battery. I would suggest at least only going to the starter solenoid (battery side). And even better, IMHO, would be to connect it to the same location on the circuit breaker panel as the current lead from the voltage regulator BAT wire connects.

The existing VR to CB panel wire should be removed along with any other wires connected to the VR.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. If I run the 1 wire to the circuit breaker and disconnect all wires from the regulator will the ammeter work?
 
The wire from the alternator must loop thru the amp gauge then to the circuit breaker input terminal. That way, the amp meter indicates the amount of amps going into your elec system.
 
What I did without adding or cutting. on the generator usually 3 wires, Armature field
and ground. Install alternator and connect the Arm. to the alt. terminal, then go to
the regulator and connect the Armature wire to the battery terminal. This way the
circuit stays the same and you can always return to a generator if needed. And don't
worry about the other two wires they are now dead..This way the original harness
isn't destroyed.....I know most say to go to the solonoid But that will work if you have
a voltmeter, if you have an ampmeter it will not work because the Batt. terminal on
the regulator goes through the ampmeter loop and goes back to the plus side of the
solonoid completing the circuit.
 
Big Job, no idea why you would connect an alternator up like this! LOL, guess you are just using the VR as a terminal strip? Why not just connect the alternator to the BAT terminal on the VR and leave the rest of the car wiring as it was originally? Either an ammeter or voltage meter should work fine, just like it did originally. It would be a good idea to tape up the generator ends of the Field & Armature wires if you leave them attached to the VR
 
Drbrown said:
The wire from the alternator must loop thru the amp gauge then to the circuit breaker input terminal. That way, the amp meter indicates the amount of amps going into your elec system.
Click to expand...

Not quit, but close. The ammeter is normally connected to monitor the current flow to and from the battery. You want the main wire feed from the battery (via the starter solenoid) to pass through the loop on the ammeter and then attach to the terminal on the CB panel. The alternator wire would attach to this same terminal.
 
Attached the battery wire(thick yellow w/black tracer) to the one wire alternator. Taped up the other two wires that originally went to the generator. This is on my 226 6- see picture. Gauges work and battery gets charged. No problems.
 

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I'm no expert so others can chime in...believe I was told even with one wire alt, you should add a ground wire as well.
 
Finally got around to installing the 1 wire alternator in my 50 Ford. I ran the wire from the alternator and connected it to the BAT wire on the voltage regulator. Disconnected the field and ground wires from the VR, charging fine and ammeter works
 
Make sure you disconnect the battery first. If you forget then don't allow your metal watch strap to short out the wire the goes form the alternator to the battery -Ouch
 
My setup on the 1939 pickup is a 1 wire 3 brush generator with the generator wire to the cutout and then one wire from the cutout to the negative battery post.
 
That's not how it should be wired. Might work, but IMO the original wiring arrangement is far better and the ammeter will not work correctly with a direct wire to the battery from the generator.
 
Thanks guys for all the install info. Wanted to let you know your info. was used to install a 6V alternator on my pos. grd. 1949 Studie. Alternator works great and the ammeter shows charging right off idle...... Only none Ford I got.
 
Not sure if I could add anything to the discussion here , but In the day when our shop did Alternators Conv into ford cases we recommended they be wired direct to the solenoid for hot rods ,you could have a I did it light on the red exciter wire,but for a original car you could route it through the Amp meter but by passing the circuit breaker, Ted (retiring )
 

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