generator to altenator conversion?

[mustangchef]

best thread?

[1963c-10]

What year and model truck?

[mustangchef]

62 ....

[Shorty Cox]

Not sure if you are asking “How to build the brackets?” Or “How to wire the alternator?”

If wiring is the question, it is not difficult. I’ve done the following on several vehicles. Keep in mind, that battery doesn’t care what is charging it, nor, does that alternator care what brand/year model of vehicle is turning it. It will still charge the battery and produce energy to run the motor. If your application has some special need, a need high output, etc, this may not be the best for you.

I've posted this method several times before. Here you go,

It is so easy.

1.Take the regulator off and throw it as far as you can.
2. It should have had 4 wires connected to it.
3. Using a test light, locate the wire that is hot (12 volts)when the ignition switch is in the "run" position.
4. now, locate the wire that runs from the regulator position to the generator/alternator position.
5. splice the wire located in number 3 above to the one located in number 4.
6. now you have a wire at the gen/alt location that is hot (12volts)with the key in the "run" position.
7. forget the other two wires at the regulator position.
8. Now remove the gen/alt and throw it as far as you can(probably can't throw it as far as you did the regulator!!)
9. Should be three wires going to the it. two small wires and one large wire. The large wire is connected to the battery and is hot (12 volts) all the time. (On some vehicles, it may connect to the battery via the horn relay)
10. Go to the parts house and purchase an alternator with an internal regulator and a new "pig tail" (the little thing that plugs onto the two terminals on the side and near the back of the alternator) they are numbered 1 & 2. the pig tail will have a small white wire and a large red wire. The new alternator will also have a large terminal(electrical connection) on the back. It will look like a screw sticking out with a nut on it.
11. Do what it takes to rebuild the bracket to bolt the new alternator into the place of the gen/alt you removed and threw in step 8.
12. Once installed, plug the pig tail onto the terminals mentioned in step 10, attach the large wire from the battery (mentioned in step 9) and the red wire on the pig tail (mentioned in step 10) to the large terminal on the back of the alternator, tighten the nut.
13. Now attach the white wire on the pigtail to the wire identified in steps 4, 5, & 6.
14. Secure all left over wires.
15. Crank her up and you are good to go.

Amp meter should work also. If you have a idot light, i'm not sure.

Shorty

[mustangchef]

Done, thank you, wow what a difference in the lighting.

[Shorty Cox]

By you reply, I take it you got it converted to an alternator. Was my instructions helpful? or, did you just figger it out?

Shorty

[mustangchef]

Originally Posted by Shorty Cox

By you reply, I take it you got it converted to an alternator. Was my instructions helpful? or, did you just figger it out?

Shorty

Very Helpful, Thankyou...but even more ..inspirational"throwing it as far as I can".

[Andyboy]

Originally Posted by Shorty Cox

Not sure if you are asking “How to build the brackets?” Or “How to wire the alternator?”

If wiring is the question, it is not difficult. I’ve done the following on several vehicles. Keep in mind, that battery doesn’t care what is charging it, nor, does that alternator care what brand/year model of vehicle is turning it. It will still charge the battery and produce energy to run the motor. If your application has some special need, a need high output, etc, this may not be the best for you.

I've posted this method several times before. Here you go,

It is so easy.

1.Take the regulator off and throw it as far as you can.
2. It should have had 4 wires connected to it.
3. Using a test light, locate the wire that is hot (12 volts)when the ignition switch is in the "run" position.
4. now, locate the wire that runs from the regulator position to the generator/alternator position.
5. splice the wire located in number 3 above to the one located in number 4.
6. now you have a wire at the gen/alt location that is hot (12volts)with the key in the "run" position.
7. forget the other two wires at the regulator position.
8. Now remove the gen/alt and throw it as far as you can(probably can't throw it as far as you did the regulator!!)
9. Should be three wires going to the it. two small wires and one large wire. The large wire is connected to the battery and is hot (12 volts) all the time. (On some vehicles, it may connect to the battery via the horn relay)
10. Go to the parts house and purchase an alternator with an internal regulator and a new "pig tail" (the little thing that plugs onto the two terminals on the side and near the back of the alternator) they are numbered 1 & 2. the pig tail will have a small white wire and a large red wire. The new alternator will also have a large terminal(electrical connection) on the back. It will look like a screw sticking out with a nut on it.
11. Do what it takes to rebuild the bracket to bolt the new alternator into the place of the gen/alt you removed and threw in step 8.
12. Once installed, plug the pig tail onto the terminals mentioned in step 10, attach the large wire from the battery (mentioned in step 9) and the red wire on the pig tail (mentioned in step 10) to the large terminal on the back of the alternator, tighten the nut.
13. Now attach the white wire on the pigtail to the wire identified in steps 4, 5, & 6.
14. Secure all left over wires.
15. Crank her up and you are good to go.

Amp meter should work also. If you have a idot light, i'm not sure.

Shorty

I need to switch to alternator also, are you eliminating the voltage regulator?

[Shorty Cox]

Andyboy, Yes, this method does away with the external voltage regulator. As stated in "step 10" purchase an alternator with an internal regulator. I've used this method on several brands of vehicles plus a MF 135 tractor, and thus far, no problems.

Shorty

[Andyboy]

Ok I tried to put my alternator on but it won't bolt on the bottom bracket. it's hitting the front of the bracket. Is there an adapter I should be buying?

It's a v6 305E

[Shorty Cox]

Andyboy, My instructions only deal with the wiring. I can't help you with rebuilding the bracket, there are too many vehicles requiring different applications depending on engine. Follow step #11. "Do what it takes to bolt the alternator in place of the generator."

I don't know of an adapter, but I would bet there is one. I once had a clearence problem while trying to install a alternator in place of a generator. I solve it by using the master link out of a industial chain as a bracket.

Shorty

[Andyboy]

Beast61, I was talking about the new metal thats in the pic. On top of the orig. piece. Can I get that at home depot or is that a kit?

[thebeast61]

oh ok i misunderstood. I got it from this site.
http://www.alternatorparts.com/Alter...brackets_1.htm

[thebeast61]

if i remember right it was the first one on that page

[Andyboy]

Thanks, I'll give them a try on Monday.

[gofastnut]

Thanks Shorty,
Very helpful!!

[LuckyLightning]

Hi ShortyCox, I sure hope you're still watching this thread...

First off, thank you for providing this directions several times on this site as well as others. However...

I have a few issues with your instructions:
Step 2: my voltage regulator has 3 connections (not 4)
Step 3: I can't test any of my wires for a "hot" one since I've already swapped out the generator for the alternator (all my wires are loose)
Step 4: what is the regulator position, and the generator/alternator position? This is confusing.
Step 7: again, what is the regulator position?
Step 9: wires to my generator are x2 thick, x1 thin (not x1 thick, x2 thin)

Also, from the steps you provided, it looks like the horn relay might be disabled? Hard to tell, since I haven't completed your steps and your steps are confusing.

I have a 1962 C20. I just swapped out the old front harness with a new one from classicparts.com. The thick/thin wires and colored wires are nearly identical (this means there's really no confusion on my end because of the new harness). My dash uses the idiot/telltale light. My new alternator is a 12SI.

Other things that add to my confusion:
- I don't know what "ARM" and "FIELD" means, or their intended purpose (I might be able to figure out some of your directions if I did)
- My voltage regulator tabs were not labeled, so I don't know which wire does what-
- One of the wires to my generator is clearly a ground wire, but none of the directions I have found so far even mention a ground wire, much less what to do with it.
- All directions either reference wire color (which is never the same as mine), or provides vague reference to "this wire" or "that wire".

I'm sure I'm missing the obvious, so I would really appreciate some updated help here.

Thank you!

[LuckyLightning]

Shorty Cox, also, here are the directions that were provided by CPP with their harness, maybe this will help you with your response? [My notes in brackets.] Hopefully this clarifies and not confuses.

Connector/wire # ---> Location
1 ---> To bottom portion of 9-way firewall connect on driver's side of firewall. [This is the main connector to the firewall]
2 ---> To headlamp harness plug in front of radiator support. [easy]
3 ---> To horn relay. [easy]
4 ---> To horn. [easy]
5 ---> To voltage regulator (BAT terminal) [thick and thin red wires, spliced together]
6 ---> To voltage regulator (ARM terminal) [voltage regulator is not labeled]
7 ---> From battery (+ terminal) to voltage regulator [thick red wire, easy]
8 ---> From voltage regulator (ARM terminal) to generator (ARM terminal). [a thick brown wire]
9 ---> From voltage regulator (FIELD terminal) to generator (FIELD terminal). [a thin blue wire]
10 ---> From voltage regulator (GROUND mounting bolt) to generator (GROUND bolt). [a thick black wire]

Currently, I'm assuming:
- the #8 wire connects to the big battery "post" on the back of the alternator, also the red wire on the pigtail is also connected to the same "post" (and is looped with #9 at the end that would connect to the voltage regulator)
- the #9 wire connects to the white wire on the pigtail (voltage regulator end is spliced with wire #8)
- the #5 wire(s) is connected to the positive (+) battery terminal
- wire #6 is loose

Not sure if any of that is correct, but it's where I am sitting currently by going off of your directions.

Do I need to attach the #10 (ground) wire that would normally go to the generator? The other end would normally attach to the voltage regulator. But if the 12SI generator doesn't need to be grounded, I would assume not?

Again, appreciate any help.

[LuckyLightning]

Hmmm... the wire diagram in post #8 on this thread looks like like it might be correct for my truck. The number of wires is right, but I haven't checked the wire colors yet. This might be a good reference point for us if the info I provided above is confusing.

[LuckyLightning]

Also, your step 4: there are 2 wires that fit this description, not just one (as indicated in your instructions). They are ARM and FIELD wires, which one should be connected to the switched 12v from step 3?

[HerrOtto]

Shorty, thank you for the info. I have a 1961 C10 with the inline 235 CI 6 cylinder. Would these steps work for me and am I purchasing what they call a single wire alternator?
Thanks,
Herr Otto

[LuckyLightning]

HerrOtto, you're going to have the same issues I am having (I have a '62 C20 with the same engine as you). Yes it's possible, but the instructions above don't seem to match up with our trucks.

Hoping Shorty chimes in on this soon.

Shorty, I think what would help a lot is knowing which wire (ARM or FIELD) should go to the telltale light wire?

[brokenspoke]

Check out "madelectrical" for really good info on a wiring upgrade on this topic..I did it and my headlights and alternator work great

[LuckyLightning]

Yup, I've already been there. I was able to figure out which alternator to get from this page. I've also learned the difference between a one wire and a three wire alternator here.

I'm also looking at this site at mgaguru.com for generator to alternator conversion and even though it's not exact, it does seem to provide a pretty good overview that is relatable.

Still, I'm a bit lost.