The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Alternator upgrade

I have an alternator with an external regulator on my 46. 12 Volts. I want to upgrade to an alternator with no external regulator. I checked the tech tips and did a search and didn't find an answer.

Does anyone have a recommendation for the type of alternator (part or model number)I should get?

And provide a wiring diagram if there is anything more than just running it to the starter.

Thanks in advance.

Mike,

I have enclosed a link to the Mad Electrical site where they actually list Delco part numbers and/or model years and application so the counterman can find what you want.

Single wire units work well and would require no extra wiring on your part, only taping up some unused leads.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/delcoremy.shtml

Stuart

Mike, the cleanest look will be to buy 1--wire alternator ($59 from Autozone part# DL7140M). This will clean up your firewall and all you have to do is run the single wire from the alt to one side of your Amp gauge Post and take another wire from other post and run down to the starter. This is the way to go and you still have the working Amp gauge.

Jeremy

Mike, as you know i would use heavy gauge wire 10#.

I used the one wire alternator from Autozone,went my local speed shop got the brackets,and used the ten gauge wire that attached to my generator crossed it over to the batt post on my regulator and everything else worked out normally. Use a fusable link inline from the alt. to the reg.or what 37 and atomarc said.

Thanks everyone, I will probably do this as soo as it warms up this spring. Everything is working now,but I wanted to plan ahead.

My 64 Chevy 230CID had been upgraded with a new model alternator. The previous owner had bypassed the voltage regulator and had a wire running to a switch (diode?) and then onto the ignition. My assumption is this was to "excite" the alternator into charging. I was having a problem with mu charging system so I went to my local electrical shop. The counter fellow suggested getting rid of the wiring and inserting a Delco 10SI S/E Reg to bypass all the wiring hocum. Bottom line the alternator needed to be replaced. When I went to Autozone we looked at the 1964 alternators and found this certainly was not the one in the truck. The closest one I found was from a 1980 Chevy part number (DL7127-9M). My question is is this considered a single wire alternator? I read the posts from Mad Electrical (and found my part number) but nothing about the need to update the alternator with this additional part. I installed the alternator, reved the engine up to 1500 rmps, but I do not see a jump in voltage to the 14.5 range. Any thoughts?

IMHO there was no single wire alternator as a OEM option or as a factory installed part.

Applying 12 volts to DA #1 should jump the charge rate up to your 14.5 or so. Your alternator sounds like a conventional three wire unit which is OK as long as you can excite DA #1 and monitor system voltage on DA #2.

A 10SI can be modified to single wire service by merely installing the correct voltage regulator. Some rebuilders will block off the DA port to indicate single wire service but that isn't always the case. Applying voltage to DA #1 with a resulting increase in charging voltage will be your iron clad test.

Stuart

Thanks Atomarc..I reread the postings from MAD electrical and have come to understand the model I have could be one wire or three wire depending on the internal voltage regulator. The single wire is made to do one thing well, recharge batteries. The example MAD gave was a simple tractor. The three wire convention is more suited to vehicle with more electronics. I think the off the shelf version I got from Autozone is a three wire. I elected to keep it that way, so I replaced the wire back to the ignition and put the jumper back to the main load connection. I put the volt meter back on the system and can see it bob up to 14.5 volts when I place a demand on the system. So I think I am okay, until I break the next thing. Say do these doors coma apart?

Best Regards,
Joe aka The Forge Dude

I'm changing my 53 1/2 ton to a 12v system as well on my 235ci. Jeremy, I called Autozone to get that alternator but they didn't recognize that #. Does anyone know what year and model I should be asking for? I prefer Delco remy but will go with any brand that works best. I believe Autozone only sells Duralast. Thanks

the local electrical shop can convert your alternator to single wire.

Hello, I looked that part number up on Autozones website and it's not listed. Can you advise for what year that part number belongs? I have a 46 1.5 ton and I'm in need of a 12v alternator.

I just told them that I needed a one-wire,they asked what year, I said does'nt matter because I'm not putting it on a vehicle that had an alternator.I'll check tomorrow to find the #.

1953CHEVY, I believe the correct part number is
DL7127-12M this is a 63 amp alternator with the DA plug in the 12:00 position but is also three wire not one. I plan on converting my 1946 1.5 to 12v as soon as the weather warms up a bit in K.C. The three wire version isn't that big of a deal to wire up. You really only have one extra wire to run to the ignition because the short wire from the DA plug just connects to the Battery Terminal on the back of the Alternator.