Painless Harness and WH G3 One Wire Alternator Install

[JeepGuy]

All righty, almost done with this thing....

I'm stumped here with a few questions about hooking the painless wiring harness into the WH supplied one wire high output alternator.

The instructions included in the Painless kit for a 3g One wire install seem to indicate I need to run wires other than the 6g from the 175amp fuse and the ground. It's easier for me to just include the Pictures. And given that this is an internally regulated alternator, I've removed the voltage regulator, removed the orange wire, will be terminating the yellow wire for future use, and am left with the Green/Black #914, Green and yellow #915, and the ground. Not sure where to go with this....

What am I missing here and thank you in advance.

 

[904Bronco]

In reviewing the directions for the WH's #6013NET one wire Alt, all you need to do is hook the 6 gauge Battery wire the Alternator. That is all it needs to charge, once you get the motor over 1000 rpm... Self exciting regulator, those other Painless wires are not used.

 

[JeepGuy]

In reviewing the directions for the WH's #6013NET one wire Alt, all you need to do is hook the 6 gauge Battery wire the Alternator. That is all it needs to charge, once you get the motor over 1000 rpm... Self exciting regulator, those other Painless wires are not used.

That is the confusing part to me. So If I'm not using them, do I just terminate them all right there?

 

[904Bronco]

That is the confusing part to me. So If I'm not using them, do I just terminate them all right there?

Yes you can terminate them, marine shrink tubing over the ends... I would be partial to running them to the Alt and terminate them there, should you ever decide to go back to a standard Alt.

 

[JeepGuy]

Yes you can terminate them, marine shrink tubing over the ends... I would be partial to running them to the Alt and terminate them there, should you ever decide to go back to a standard Alt.

Thank you. When it seems way to easy I start to question what I'm doing

 

[DirtDonk]

I think the problem was you were confusing two different alternators. You’re using the instructions for a standard multi wire, internally regulated alternator, when what you have is an actual one wire alternator.
If you had a standard 3G, you would use those other wires, per the instructions.
Instead, what you have is actually and really a “One wire” alternator.
As Doug mentioned, it’s self exciting. It does not need the exciter and sensor wires to function. That section of the Painless instruction manual assumes you’re running one type of alternator, and you’re not.

I always like the idea of terminating the wires up at the alternator as well. Gives you all the options down the road.
For the cleanest wiring, you would terminate them somewhere else in the harness, so that they’re not showing. But with the small diameter TXL Painless wires, it’s actually still fairly clean, even if you bundle them up at the alternator.

 

[Shimmy]

throw some cable sleeve protector on it if seeing multiple wires triggers any OCD of seeing unused wires haha

 

[Jdgephar]

Need to confirm if you have a "one-wire" alternator, or a standard 3G Ford alternator. If the latter, the 3 wire plug on the alternator is missing the green wire that you need to hook up to a switched ignition source with a resistor.

Paul - do you only sell the "one-wire" version?

 

[DirtDonk]

Paul - do you only sell the "one-wire" version?

Yes, for standard mounting, we only sell a 1-wire version of the 3G. WH Self-Exciting 1-wire 3G Alternator
If you have an Explorer setup, we offer 3-wire 4G for Explorer mounts. WH Explorer 4G Alternator

We also sell the regulator to convert a standard 3-wire 3G to a 1-wire. Self-Exciting 3G Regulator
Includes connector/pigtail for anyone wanting to convert their standard into a 1-wire, or needing a trail spare.

Paul

 

[joebronco73]

Got here late, but I'm glad I found this thread cause I had similar questions! I'll be doing the same setup on my '73 and was curious about the pigtail, terminations, and how to best accommodate without cutting up the nice new harness.

 

[DirtDonk]

Shouldn’t have to cut up anything. Are you saying you have a new Painless harness installed? And just want to connect a 3G alternator? It’s pretty simple, and the wires are already in the harness. Unless they were originally routed for a standard alternator, maybe? If so, then you may actually have to cut up the harness a little bit to make it look right.

 

[DirtDonk]

In other words, we need more details. Maybe even some pictures.

 

[joebronco73]

Shouldn’t have to cut up anything. Are you saying you have a new Painless harness installed? And just want to connect a 3G alternator? It’s pretty simple, and the wires are already in the harness. Unless they were originally routed for a standard alternator, maybe? If so, then you may actually have to cut up the harness a little bit to make it look right.

Nothing installed yet. I received the kit and alt from WH about 2 weeks ago and was waiting for the right time (between family trips) to start the replacement, but I was curious about how the 3G one-wire was tied into the harness.

 

[DirtDonk]

I’m glad you asked!
The one wire Alternator is not actually tied into the harness in any way.
The only thing you have to connect is a new wire/cable between the alternator and the starter relay. Or Battery…
That’s why it’s a 1-wire. Because you only connect one wire. And in the case of a high output alternator like this (or really anything over 75 A or so), you must make your own wire, or buy the kit from us.
Did you happen to pick up the mega-fuse and 6-gauge charge cable while you were at it?
If so, there is zero tie-in to the Painless harness.
It’s all stand alone.

 

[DirtDonk]

By the way, the Painless hardness does come with a larger charge wire for alternators up to about 100 A.
You could get away with it on the larger alternator, but for 130 amp unit like you’re using, you’re better off overkilling it a couple of sizes.