Time for an Alternator single wire?

[Jsand73440]

I was installing the old alternator in my car today, and i overtightened it a bit too much on the tension bolt and stripped the threads in the alternator body. Time for a new alternator. I am putting my car back together after 3 years and a fresh paint job, and have been installing a few new goodies along the way. I installed a new Dakota Digital dash and am just starting to work on the wiring. With a new single wire alternator, is there anything specific i need to know to pair it with the Dakota Digital?

[MoparCarGuy]

Converting to the single-wire will require disabling the factory voltage regulator (VR). Are you planning to keep the factory VR on the firewall to remain stock-appearing?
Have you chosen an aftermarket alternator? Upsizing to 100A?

[Jsand73440]

Converting to the single-wire will require disabling the factory voltage regulator (VR). Are you planning to keep the factory VR on the firewall to remain stock-appearing?
Have you chosen an aftermarket alternator? Upsizing to 100A?

would I just unravel the wiring, and pull all the regulator wiring out? The only wire I need is the large gauge 8-10 from the alternator to the starter relay or battery?

[chargerdon]

certainly you can run 8 or 10 gauge wire to the starter relay.   Just recognize that will make your alternator gauge useless as the original wiring had the alternator going to it.  So you can either ignore that gauge in the future or replace it with a voltage gauge.   Thats what i did with mine. 

[dodj]

Not sure I see an advantage to going to a single wire alt?
Are they cheaper?

[chargerdon]

As i understand it a one wire simply means there is no need for the external regulator. 

So its simpler and if your having charging problems is it the regulator or the alternator??  Doesnt matter with a one wire.

Is your car a single field or dual field regulator...doesnt matter.

Cost is generally the same and yes 100 amp alts are expensive.

Drawback is that if the internal regulator goes bad then your replacing the alternator whereas if an external regulator goes bad then you can just replace it.

[Jsand73440]

Bypassing the ammeter is okay. I have a Dakota digital installed. Should the single wire go to the battery post or the starter relay?

[MoparCarGuy]

ALT charging wire to the large Starter Relay stud. Crimp connectors are a no-go.
Soldered connections with heat shrink tubing are needed plus the appropriate fusible link (in series) for the alternator's max amperage output.

Read this thread on bypassing the ammeter for more information.

[dodj]

Crimp connectors are a no-go.

They are the only ones I'd use. Solder is a higher resistance than crimp connectors and wire. But to each their own. The solder/no solder debate has gone on for years....

[Jsand73440]

ALT charging wire to the large Starter Relay stud. Crimp connectors are a no-go.
Soldered connections with heat shrink tubing are needed plus the appropriate fusible link (in series) for the alternator's max amperage output.

Read this thread on bypassing the ammeter for more information.

Awesome information. Thanks. I am still waiting on my new alternator.

[MoparCarGuy]

Crimp connectors are a no-go.

They are the only ones I'd use. Solder is a higher resistance than crimp connectors and wire. But to each their own. The solder/no solder debate has gone on for years....

I am referring to the poor workmanship found on your typical automotive wiring job full of poorly-crimped connectors done in haste.
A proper crimping tool is absolutely necessary for any automotive wiring.

The Powermaster cables come factory-crimped and -soldered. The reference material posted earlier indicates Fusible Links should be crimped, then soldered, then insulated with heat-shrink tubing.

Not everyone is skilled at soldering and they may not have the luxury of time to solder every connection.

For the most secure mechanical connections, you first crimp the connector, then solder the exposed stranded wire to the spade or eyelet.
It is not absolutely necessary to solder the connectors to the wire but any minimal increase in resistance is far outweighed by the more secure connection. Depending on the number of connections, the time saved crimping can be wasted troubleshooting the problems that improperly-crimped connectors cause. Many MilSpec connectors have no provision to crimp as the connection must withstand stress/pulling that our autos do not see.

[Jsand73440]

Question about the wires that plug into the external voltage regulator. Can i eliminate them and clean up the harness a bit? Do they supply anything to the dash area or anywhere else, besides the ammeter?

[MoparCarGuy]

Question about the wires that plug into the external voltage regulator. Can i eliminate them and clean up the harness a bit? Do they supply anything to the dash area or anywhere else, besides the ammeter?

I kept my factory voltage regulator to keep the stock look but disconnected the power feeding the voltage regulator from the ALT. You will need to use the wiring diagram to determine what you must keep and what you can delete. I went Holley EFI so the factory coil, the electronic ignition box, etc. were no longer needed because the Holley EFI Terminator X Stealth harness is now connected to a Holley Hyperspark ignition and coil.

You definitely have to be careful when modifying the electrical to your factory bulkhead connector and your interior dash wiring. You do not want to create parallel paths for the main power feed which can cause a myriad of issues.

Do you have the skillset to create an overall plan to revamp the wiring?
I will post my wiring layout shortly. It is based on the EFI harness diagram below. I have a completely separate, switched power feed to the EFI/Ignition/Coil and other items shown.

[MoparCarGuy]

This thread about bypassing the ammeter has some good info for less complicated electrical systems.
Alternator Bypass Wire Routing

I used the front (radiator support) path for my ALT power feed to the starter relay.

[crackedback]

I use solder only to make the end of the wire solid, reducing the possibility of pulling out of the crimp connector.  Zero consideration given to power transfer as it has greater resistance than a solid crimp connection.  If you crimp the wire strands to a solid state, you are good.   

Fusible links require it regardless.

I haven't soldered most crimp connectors in years.  Anywhere from 2/0 battery cable to 16 ga wires.  Solder can introduce work hardening issues, especially if not done properly.   Done thousands of crimps.  I almost always try to do home runs, no additional splices in my work when possible. 

I'm not a fan of single wire alternators as the charge wire is essentially your sense wire.

Lots of ways to skin a cat.   Just my 2 cents.