Alterstart alternator help

[lifesabuzz]

I just got my new 160A alternator from alterstart and wanted to know if I'm installing it correctly.

1. Am I correct in completely keeping the voltage regulator unattached?
2. Does the power cable attach directly to the starter solenoid?
3. What is the other small wire for?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[JTCamp]

It is a one wire alternator or a three wire? Most of the high outputs can be both. If it is a one wire you should attach a large enough cable directly to the solenoid. These types will be internally regulated and don't require a ign. and field hookup. If it is a three wire you will need to hook up the appropriate field and ign. wires. I would suggest calling the manufacture and asking them. Someone here might also know. Good luck.

John

 

[lifesabuzz]

Okay, over the past few hours I have been studying this in much detail and think that;

1. The whole voltage regulator may be unattached since the alternator has an internal regulator,
2. The cable from the battery terminal is to be attached to the starter solenoid.
3. The little wire is a "Field" connection and needs a clean ground connection.

If I am wrong on any of this, some advice would be greatly appreciated. First thing tomorrow, going to tackle this.

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

It sounds like you have a wire going from the main battery of the alternator to the main battery of the solenoid. This will be an output wire. It should be about an 8ga wire.
If you only have one other wire to connect, it shouldn't be the field. If they are suggesting to leave the old regulator unattached, and the new alternator is internally regulated, you will not be required to have a field.
If it is a one wire alternator you purchased, the only other wire you should be connecting is possibly a ground wire to the case. If it is not a one wire alternator, then you likely need to be hooking up an "i" terminal wire. This would turn your alternator on and off.
This took a lot of guessing, educated, but still guessing. It would certainly be helpful if you knew what alternator you had. Did they not give you instructions, or have anything posted on the web?

 

[lifesabuzz]

The alternator is a High-Output alternator, but I haven't seen it referred to as a one wire alternator. It is a modified 3G alternator. The cable from the battery to the solenoid is 4 gauge. The document sent with it is at this location, but I think it's a generic form for use on all / most of their alternators

http://www.4alterstart.com/nss-folder/folder/Load%20Boss%20Instructions.doc

Who knew that something so easy...

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

Just went to their site. Was it the Mustang Bronco 160amp alternator you bought, the one for $129.99US with the lifetime warranty?
If so here is the wiring you are required to run with it, as it is just a stock 3G:

For installing the 3G you will need two plugs. The first one is a small square plug that plugs into the side of the alternator, right near the battery connection. It is know as the "s" (stator) terminal. Some part no.'s for it are RCP 43313 or WAI 46-2804. This plug/wire needs to be soldered to the "S" terminal of the new regulator plug you are going to purchase. It is the middle wire on the regulator plug.
Regulator plug no.'s are RCP 43170, ACE SA-7125, or WAI 46-2802. Any rebuild shop should be able to cross those numbers. WAI will be better than RCP, as they are almost exclusively off shore, build it as cheap as possible. Though in the last 8 months WAI has been taking the same route. both average quality parts, finding high quality is getting hard to do. All the consumers fault as well, as they demand cheaper and cheaper prices. If you can find a NorthWest Regulator dealer near you, their plugs are great.
Anyway back to your regulator wiring. The middle wire goes to the "S" terminal plug. The "I" wire goes to the wire that went to the "I" terminal on your old regulator. The last terminal is "A", this is a battery sense line. You have an "A" terminal on your old regulator. You could also put an eyelet on it and attach it to the main battery output terminal on the alternator. Or if you really want to do it properly. Run a new wire directly back to the battery or as close to it as possible. The "A" circuit is battery sense, in other words it is how the regulator finds out what the voltage in the battery is. The more connections or the farther away you have it from the battery, the more chances you have of it giving the regulator faulty information.
Now that you have/or are about to, install the 130amp unit, you should also upgrade your main battery cable from the alternator to the battery. My website has a wire sizing chart you can download and print off.

If this doesn't help, give me a call at 1-888-214-7774. I will be here for another hour or so, and here from 8 to 5 EST tomorrow.

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

Buzz,
Seen the instructions, not much help to me let alone you. Forget the above instructions and just call me 1-888-214-7774. This will take like 5 minutes over the phone, or all night on the internet. LOL.

 

[lifesabuzz]

Thanks much RRRAAAYYY2. I thought I needed a remedial english class for a second there . I will definitely be calling you tomorrow.

-Paul

 

[bronco italiano]

I think you received the 3G as I had the same miscommunication with alterstart. The 3g is better anyways. Call alterstart as they are great with cust service. One of the wires from the regulater (green possibly) needs to go to the alternator for power source. Good luck, BI

 

[HotWheels]

I've also had good luck with alterstart. (+) side to battery is all you need my friend. It is self actuating.

 

[KJHill]

It looks like we've got the same alternator from Alterstart. I have mine installed but it's not working right... Because of the darn snow I wont be able to get into mine & figure out whats up. I'll be watching this post for more info.

 

[HotWheels]

It looks like we've got the same alternator from Alterstart. I have mine installed but it's not working right... Because of the darn snow I wont be able to get into mine & figure out whats up. I'll be watching this post for more info.

what is it not doing and how do you have yours hooked up?

 

[KJHill]

I used the BC Broncos wire diagram from their web site. I've got a 4ga wire from the output on the 3G to my starter solenoid, a 4ga wire from the housing ground to my block, the old green & red wire from my removed regulator to the red & green wire from the 3G. My aftermarket voltage gauge shows I'm running around 10.5 volts & the batery doesn't seem to be charging much. I know the gauge is working becuase when you turn on things (like lights, signals, stereo) it dips a bit. I attached the old black wire from the old alternator plug to the solenoid, I think it runs to the fuse panel. I'm thinking the red & green wire might not be connected to the starter switch correctly, therefore not "turning on the 3G". But you (HotWheels) say it doesn't need to be "turned on". I don't know what the h :-X ll is up. Now I'm wondering if I should have just gone to NAPA & picked up a cheapo replacement alt... ?:? Oh well it's all part of learning, right?... :-[

 

[HotWheels]

But you (HotWheels) say it doesn't need to be "turned on". I don't know what the h :-X ll is up. Now I'm wondering if I should have just gone to NAPA & picked up a cheapo replacement alt... ?:? Oh well it's all part of learning, right?... :-[

We must have different alternators from the same place. I have a 100A Delco from Alterstart. Sorry to confuse the issue. Mine is a "one-wire self actuating unit". I have the stocker if you want it...

 

[KJHill]

Thanks HotWheels, but I'm going keep banging my head against this problem until I get it figured out... I guess I've pirated this thread enough...

 

[HotWheels]

no worries...did u call alterstart? they are really helpful...

 

[lifesabuzz]

I've been thrown off my schedule these past few days, but I did call Alterstart. They told me that I did have it hooked up correctly with the exception of the smaller gauged wire which should lead to the ignition wire. I hope to try that when it finally stops raining here. SO near...

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

The 3G regulator has three terminals inside it. They are labelled on the outside as "A" "S" "I". Here is what they are and where they go:

"A" is the battery sense terminal. This is how the regulator knows what voltage is in the system. i.e. How long it has to turn on for. This wire needs to see the same voltage that is in the battery. It can be connected to the "A" wire in your old regulator plug. This can however cause problems as the wire is aged and may have a voltage drop in it. So this is not the best method. Quick and easy is to put an eyelet on the wire and loop it back and connect it on the output stud of the alternator. The best method, only slightly better than the last one, is to run a proper guage wire directly to the positive terminal of the battery.
To test this wire check it with a volt meter, it should have exactly the same voltage at it that is at the battery key on or key off. Anything less and it will cause the alternator to over charge the battery.

"S" wire stands for stator. This wire must be connected to the small plug in the side of the alternator, right by the battery output terminal.

"I" terminal stands for ignition. This wire goes to the wire in your old regulator labelled "I". This is what tells the regulator to try and turn on, i.e. that the motor is running. This wire also turns your idot light, if equipped, on and off. To test this wire you should have no voltage at it with the key off, then when the key is in the one position, you should see over 10volts on it.

Thats it, thats all, if you have all these connections done properly, your alternator should charge. I have read some pretty elaborate methods of trying to achieve this, and they are only problems looking for a place to happen. You should only be reusing one wire from your old harness, that being the wire that went to the "I" terminal on the old regulator. K.I.S.S.

 

[HotWheels]

I've been thrown off my schedule these past few days, but I did call Alterstart. They told me that I did have it hooked up correctly with the exception of the smaller gauged wire which should lead to the ignition wire. I hope to try that when it finally stops raining here. SO near...

good luck with that. keep us posted. I need to pick up a spare 1-wire so I can limit down time should one fail. Doing that with the MSD box also..

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

HotWheels,
I was on there site the other day trying figure how they wanted the 3G wired in. I checked their one wire section just out of curiosty. They did not have an alternaotr listed in the one wire section using avalanche diodes. This is an important feature when you are running MSD or any other computerized equipment.
If it means anything our CS130ACSE Ford mount Thunder Series alternators have these diodes, rated at 70amps. The alternator will also turn on faster and has about 25 more amps at the 800 engine rpm they quote. (I am assuming they are using a 3 to 1 pulley ratio). Did they send you a test sheet with a charge curve? Here are the minimum specs for our Thunder Series:
Rotor Output
RPM Amps
1000 0
1600 Turn On
2000 50
2250 75
3000 115
4000 145
5000 150
6000 160

Other points to note beside the diodes, are it has oversized sealed roller bearings, two fans, and is a couple of pounds lighter.
The only thing that is missing is the 1/2 spacer required on the spool mount. most just use washers to make this up. Another bonus is if you are EFI and using the moulded brackets, the mounting hole distances are the same as on a Ford (actually 1/8" difference). But it will bolt directly into the moulded bracket.
If you are serious about getting a spare, I would sell you one for the same price they are selling theirs for. (that is a hefty discount). Then you can use mine and keep theirs for a spare.

I only mention all this because I have seen others blow up their MSD, data loggers, and stereos using the older style Delco one wire alternators. So even if you don't take me up on my offer, find one from someone else that has avalanche diodes. All electronics have built in protection, but that is not designed for the abuse your style alternator will put it through. Your diodes will allow a 200volt spike past them, where as with the avalanche it is only 32 volts.