Painless wiring question

[tackhouse]

Hey All -

Just wrapping up a frame off build and I reached the point where I wanted to test some of the electrical before the first start. Problem is Im not getting any power anywhere but the AMP step.

I have A LOT of power and grounds. Im running the following :

Painless wiring
Sniper EFI (Throttle body, Hyperspark coil, Ignition, dizzy)
23g WH tank with in-tank pump
Powermaster Street Alternator 8-57141
Powermaster Mastertorque 9603
Dakota Digital RTX
Dakota GSS-300 Gear Shifter
Dakota BIM
Night Lighter Harness
Pioneer AVH-3500NEX
Kicker AMP and hideaway sub
AMP STEP

Anyway, I have all that run. My question is about the Alternator and how I am supposed to get power to the fuse box - constant and switched.

I ran the Alternator wiring kit from the only stud on the alternator to the big fuse and then to the battery post on the solenoid. I connected the NSS to the S on the solenoid. Ran the Starter cable from the starter side to the starter. There is only 1 post of this alternator. No place for switched or constant to connect.

Running none of the engine section as I am using the complete sniper setup.

I connected both ends of the ammeter connection to each other at the cluster.

I clipped the Voltage Regulator wires. Removed the orange. Added a butt connecter to the yellow and wrapped it.

Ran G/R 914 through the firewall and lengthened. Where should this connect? I tried adding this to the alternator fuse post.

Ran B/Y 915 through the firewall. Where should this connect? Also tried adding it to the Battery side of the Solenoid to get it power.

Have B 901 out there as well. Where should this be connected? Also tried adding it to the Alternator fuse post to get it power.

Grounds inside the cab are run to a bolt under the dash with a ground wire the run directly to the battery.

Top Negative post of the battery is run to the block.

Body has a Ground directly from Battery.

Have not run a Chassis ground yet. Assumed the block and the fuel tank j-bolts would carry that.

I read something about a RED 960 wire and see it listed in the index within the Starter Solenoid run but I don't see it listed anywhere else. I've pulled out under dash wiring and dont see it anywhere there either.

I'm pretty stumped! Spent a lot of time wiring this thing and its driving me batty! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[DirtDonk]

Frustrating when you’re that close!
What exact type of alternator do you have?
Presumably, it’s an internally regulated model. Correct?
Where is the fuse panel getting its main power? Should be a maxi fuse, or midi fuse holder, that is connected to a wire from the battery side of the starter relay.
Likely one of the Black 10ga wires.
You shouldn’t need to run some of those wires from the engine compartment to the cabin. Usually it’s the other way around.

The red 960 wire sounds like the upgraded charge wire for the alternator for up to 100 amp models. But it also sounds like you’ve already wired your alternator output to the battery.
What size cabling and what size fuse did you use?

I don’t have my instruction book in front of me, but hopefully before I can get to the instructions, someone will pop in with all of your answers.

 

[tackhouse]

Frustrating when you’re that close!
What exact type of alternator do you have?
Presumably, it’s an internally regulated model. Correct?
Where is the fuse panel getting its main power? Should be a maxi fuse, or midi fuse holder, that is connected to a wire from the battery side of the starter relay.
Likely one of the Black 10ga wires.
You shouldn’t need to run some of those wires from the engine compartment to the cabin. Usually it’s the other way around.

The red 960 wire sounds like the upgraded charge wire for the alternator for up to 100 amp models. But it also sounds like you’ve already wired your alternator output to the battery.
What size cabling and what size fuse did you use?

I don’t have my instruction book in front of me, but hopefully before I can get to the instructions, someone will pop in with all of your answers.

I have the Powermaster Street Alternator 8-57141, which is internally regulated. 150 amp version

The wires are run from the cabin to the engine bay, but are not currently connected. I tried connecting them directly to various battery power as sort of a mock-up to confirm everything worked before finalizing with the maxi fuse. Since I wasnt actually starting the car I didn't see issue with that. Correct?

I believe the main power is the 901 Black 10g.

Im using the WH high amp output alternator wiring kit. which I believe is 6g.

 

[DirtDonk]

Correct, six gauge.
And also correct, you do not need to connect the alternator output, to either crank the starter, or run the engine. Only to keep it running and charge the battery.
However, to get anything else done, you do need the main power wire from the battery positive/starter relay to the fuse panel.
That one should also be protected by a big fuse. Painless usually includes a 60 amp in this position, but I believe somehow been upgraded to an 80 amp.
They used to use a mega fuse, but they had been talking about replacing it with a midi fuse.

 

[Jdgephar]

Constant and switched power have nothing to do with your alternator. It sounds like your alternator is wired correctly.

Constant power is the one red heavy gauge wire from the battery post (either at the battery or at the starter solenoid) to the fuse panel. Check that for 12V with a meter.

Switched power comes from the ignition switch. It goes from the ignition switch to the other half (switched 12v) of the fuse panel. Accessory power works the same way.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

 

[DirtDonk]

Isn’t the constant power to the fuse panel on the Painless bronco harness, a black wire?
That’s what it is from the factory. And while they use red for most of their others, I thought they reverted to black to keep the Ford colors.

 

[jrussells]

I ran the Alternator wiring kit from the only stud on the alternator to the big fuse and then to the battery post on the solenoid. I connected the NSS to the S on the solenoid. Ran the Starter cable from the starter side to the starter. There is only 1 post of this alternator. No place for switched or constant to connect. Correct

Running none of the engine section as I am using the complete sniper setup.

I connected both ends of the ammeter connection to each other at the cluster. Correct. 972 Black and 972 Black/Yellow is your power wire to the fuse block. 972 black should run from positive side of the starter solenoid to behind the dash where you connect it to 972 Black/Yellow. 972 B/Y splits to 915 Black/Yellow that used to go to the alternator, 934 yellow to the ignition switch, and 933 black/green that goes to the fues box. You can delete the 915 Black/yellow or cap it since your new alternator is connected directly to the battery, the other two stay the same.

I clipped the Voltage Regulator wires. Removed the orange. Added a butt connecter to the yellow and wrapped it. Both correct

Ran G/R 914 through the firewall and lengthened. Where should this connect? I tried adding this to the alternator fuse post. You dont need this wire with your alternator. Your powermaster is a true 1-wire, so this shouldnt be required.

Ran B/Y 915 through the firewall. Where should this connect? Also tried adding it to the Battery side of the Solenoid to get it power. Delete this or cap it.

Have B 901 out there as well. Where should this be connected? Also tried adding it to the Alternator fuse post to get it power. 901 Black/Red used to be the alternator ground. Theres a place on your new alternator you can attach this to if you want, but its only needed if the alternator isn't grounding to the block through the bracketry. Either use it, or delete it.

Grounds inside the cab are run to a bolt under the dash with a ground wire the run directly to the battery.

Top Negative post of the battery is run to the block.

Body has a Ground directly from Battery.

Have not run a Chassis ground yet. Assumed the block and the fuel tank j-bolts would carry that.

I read something about a RED 960 wire and see it listed in the index within the Starter Solenoid run but I don't see it listed anywhere else. I've pulled out under dash wiring and dont see it anywhere there either. That 960 wire is the big red wire painless provides to hook up a high output alternator. That should run from the post on your alternator through the MIDI fuse they provide, and then to either the Positive side of the battery, or the Positive side of the starter solenoid. Ideally it should go directly to the battery but wither will work.


Also, i'm assuming youre using the pre-wired accessory wires that painless provides to run all those gadgets you listed. Just remember that the wires are installed, but there aren't any fuses installed in the fusebox for those circuits. Might seem obvious but it took me longer than it should to figure that out