The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Simple Wiring Question

:confused: Okay, I'll ask this question even simpler...

I have a '48 AD with a '54 235, 12v, generator, regulator, key ignition, internal resistor coil, no horn relay right now...

1. The wire from the BAT terminal on the regulator goes where?

2. The wire from the S on the starter goes where?

3. The wire from the post on the starter goes where?

4. The wire from the + on the coil goes where?

5. The wire from the BAT on the ignition switch goes where?

6. The wire from the IGN on the ignition switch goes where?

7. The wire from the SOL on the ignition switch goes where?

8. The wire from one side of the Amp Meter goes where?

9. The wire from the other side of the Amp Meter goes where?

I have looked at many different diagrams, but none for the simple ignition system with what I have... or basic enough for the simpleton on this end to understand and apply without smoke coming from his generator...

Boswell

Boswell,

The wire from the SOL terminal on the switch goes to the S terminal on the starter solenoid. This is a 16 gauge purple wire in any GM stuff I've worked on from the early 60's through at least '79.

The other small terminal on the starter goes to the (+) side of the coil. In the 1961 Chevy service manual, it shows this as a dark green 20 gauge wire. This is the coil ballast resistor bypass and is used to provide a full 12v to the coil during starting.

The following stuff is from the '48 - '49 truck wiring diagram.

From the 3/8" dia. terminal on the starter (along with the + battery cable) you need a 10 gauge wire running to the (+) (or hot) side of the ammeter. This is the main feed from the battery to the rest of the electrical system.

The ONLY other item connected to the (+) side of the ammeter is a 14 gauge wire running to the fuse box on the firewall and then on to the horn. This circuit is the feed to the horn and does not run through ammeter and does not have a fuse in it.

The BAT terminal on the ignition switch runs to the (-) (load) side of the ammeter. This needs to be a 14 gauge wire. This circuit feeds the ignition switch which then feeds the ignition and and any accessory type loads. (radio, cruise control.....)

The BAT terminal on the regulator also connects to the (-)(load) side of the ammeter with a 10 gauge wire. This circuit connects the charging system (generator + regulator) into the rest of the system.

The 'AMM' connection on the headlight switch runs to the (-)(load) side of the ammeter with a 10 gauge wire. This is feeder to the lighting system.

If you can't tell which side of the ammeter is (+) and which is (-), just pick one to be (+) and the other (-) and wire accordingly. If the ammeter reads backwards when you get it going, just swap the wires on the two posts. It won't hurt anything, just reads backwards.

You said you have an internal resistor coil. My ignorance is pretty vast about these critters.
Maybe someone else can enlighten both of us on these.

When I put a 12v 235 in my '49, I hooked up the ignition circuit as follows.

The wire from the IGN terminal on the ignition switch goes to one end of the ballast resistor. The other end of the ballast resistor is then connected to the (+) side of the ignition coil along with the bypass wire coming from the starter solenoid. Both of these wires are 16 gauge.

It's just as simple as it seems like it ought to be. Keep them questions coming until we get it.

Boswell,

Did a little more diggin here in the electrical bay about the internal resistor coils.

Leave the 20 gauge wire from the small unmarked terminal on the solenoid to the (+) side of the coil off. The bypass circuit isn't needed.

Run the 16 gauge wire from the IGN terminal on the ignition switch directly to the (+) side of the ignition coil.

I have service manuals for both the '61 235 and the '49 truck so I can check stuff for you as needed. If push comes to shove, I can go out in the shop and check my '49 that's been 12v for many years now.

Thanks guys... I have to be gone for about a week on business, but I'll give you an update on how it goes when I get back. And no Splashoil, I won't tell you where the truck is parked while I'm gone. :p

I deleted my post of the wire information. Olblue has explained it quite well. I can see how to do and even did it on my truck, its just hard to explain sometimes.

Didn't they use a horn relay? or was it built into the horn it self?

Thanks for clearing this up, Joe.

Joe,

I double checked the wiring diagrams in the '51 truck service manual for both '48-'49 and '50-'51 and they don't show a horn relay on either.

They show a 14 gauge wire running from the hot side of the ammeter to the horn and then another 14 gauge wire running to the horn button.

The horn was gone on my '49 when I got it and I just went ahead and put a relay in it when I went to 12 volts. I'd always assumed that it had one originally too.