Changing from the stock Alternator to 150Amp Alternator

[scottPlymesser]

I have a 1973 CJ5 the I want to put a high output alt. My question is where does that one wire go and what do I do with the other 3 wires that are coming out of my alt? Sorry changing to a 1 wire Alt?

 

[fzsk4p]

Give this a try.
Delco Remy CS130 & CS121 Alternator Repair Manual, Alternator rebuild, GM Alternator repair

Read through it and you should be able to convert no problem

Another
Junk Yard Genius.com Charging System Index.

 

[fjseymour]

Aside from the price, is there a downside to converting to the one wire Alternator? I have a 1968 CJ5 with the Dauntless Buick 225 V6 V6 engine. Is it really as easy as just connecting the single wire to the battery? I have an aftermarket voltage meter on my dash. Thank you.

 

[TSB8C]

I had a 1-wire alternator and the only "issue" I had was that when first starting the engine, the alternator was not outputting anything. You had to bump up the RPMs above 1,000 to get it to start outputting. No real big issue, but sometimes an annoyance. I also found that it sometimes would stop outputting if the engine sat idling around 700 rpm for a few minutes (stuck in traffic, etc). Would immediately start outputting again once the engine revved back up over 1,000. And yes, just connect one big wire to the battery. These "self excite" or energize the field winding inside from that 12V battery source through an internal connection.

Since you have a volt gauge rather than an idiot light or amp meter, should be fine if you want to go that route. You'll see 12V on the gauge when the alternator is not outputting and then 13.5V - 14V when it is outputting. Rechargeable batteries (like in a car) require 10% above the rated value to recharge. Since the rated value is 12V, you need 1.2V (10%) move, meaning you need a minimum of 13.2V to recharge your battery. Now add additional electrical loads (radio, wipers, lights, etc) and you need about 13.5 output minimum to run everything and also recharge the battery at the same time.

 

[fjseymour]

Great answer, thank you for the comprehensive information. Now all I have to do is justify the price to myself.

 

[TSB8C]

Great answer, thank you for the comprehensive information. Now all I have to do is justify the price to myself.

I guess depends on why you need that much or what you plan to be doing. I use my rig mostly for camping, beach and hunting - when not commuting on weekdays (mine is a daily driver in Houston). So I am using an inverter, front spot lights, OBA for beach toys or camping air mattress, etc. When I did the engine swap, I opted for the serpentine belt kit that came with a new P/S pump, AC compressor, and 105 amp GM alternator. Since I use power when the engine is not running (no alternator output), I added a second battery for these needs. That way if I drain the secondary battery too low at the camp site, I can still start the engine from the untouched primary battery. High amp alternator output didn't fit my needs - a secondary power source protecting my main starting battery was a better choice for me.

Now if I was needing numerous running/rock/spot lights, fridge, radios, etc while driving around with the engine running, then the high amp alternator output would have made more sense.

So the cost for either depends on what you plan to be doing. The first time I needed a jump start to get going the next morning at the camp site after using lights, inverter, and blowing up a few air mattresses the night before (before the dual battery install) justified it for me.

 

[fjseymour]

Thanks for the information.