Converting alternator to a one-wire setup...

[SS_Sean]

I spoke with my alternator rebuilder and am going to have my stock alternator converted to a one-wire setup, I believe. This will hopefully take car of my charging issues with the exciter wire running through the dash and using the 'volts' lamp as the resistor. My alternator guy said the four pin plug will still be on the alternator, but the brown wire running into the dash on the "L" pin will no longer carry any voltage. It will be a dead wire. The 'volts' light will no longer work, I believe.

What reprecussions would I get from making this switch? Will the scanmaster still read voltage properly? Any issues with the ECM?

 

[Louie L.]

All you need is the charge wire. Nothing else. The power gets fed into the car from the starter stud, so the scanmaster will work just like stock. I ran a single wire alt on my car with no issues. I did upgrade the wire that runs from the charge post to the starter post. But even a stocker can benefit from an upgrade there.

 

[SS_Sean]

I don't have a wire that runs from my charge post on the alternator to the starter post? I only wires i've had on my original alternator was a hotwire from the battery to the post, and from the post to the fuel pump. Also the brown wire going into the plug on the alternator at position "L".

 

[salvageV6]

I had one on my GN, it was chrome, it required a new heavier line to the battery but that may not apply in your situation.

Everything works just fine, excepting the bulb part and mine did not require the connector plugged into it just battery connection to the stud, hotwire fuse is also on it.

 

[TurboDave]

I spoke with my alternator rebuilder and am going to have my stock alternator converted to a one-wire setup, I believe. This will hopefully take car of my charging issues with the exciter wire running through the dash and using the 'volts' lamp as the resistor. My alternator guy said the four pin plug will still be on the alternator, but the brown wire running into the dash on the "L" pin will no longer carry any voltage. It will be a dead wire. The 'volts' light will no longer work, I believe.

What reprecussions would I get from making this switch? Will the scanmaster still read voltage properly? Any issues with the ECM?

Umm, on a setup like that, how does the alternator get it's "excite" signal if the single wire to the L pin is no longer used??

 

[SS_Sean]

That's the beauty of the one wire alternator technology. I use one on my Malibu race car. The alternator is excited from a change in voltage in the battery, I believe. The brown wire from the fuse block, which shows start/on voltage, is no longer needed to excite the alternator.

 

[noslo6]

Alternator

I had my alternator rebuild using a self energiziing rectifier and 200 amp stator. It works flawlessly now. I had all kinds of charging issues until I made this upgrade. You won't be dissappointed.

 

[David65]

Umm, on a setup like that, how does the alternator get it's "excite" signal if the single wire to the L pin is no longer used??

frequently asked alternator questions

 

[SS_Sean]

Interesting read. I always thought the one-wire alternator 'turns on' from seeing a difference in voltage in the battery, but apparently it's done by seeing a difference in RPM the alternator itself is spinning. Thanks for the link.

Anyhow, the alternator is in place and I'll have the car back on the road (hopefully) today. I still have to put the dash all back together and hope everything works.

 

[TurboDave]

frequently asked alternator questions

Thanks!!! Clear now.