Hi HAMB Fam - First off, I'm terrible with electrical, so write slowly. I dropped a rebuilt 289 in my 63 Comet, and have installed a 3-wire alternator. Now what? I've watched a bunch of videos, but they are for 1 wire alternators. My current regulator has 3 terminals on the right, and I have solenoid that had a wire going to the generator. See pics. Anyone know of a good step-by-step or diagram that an electrical idiot could understand? Thanks as always! RNY
this is how I’ve always done it. I know some guys will wire the excite wire to a load circuit so the alternator charges a bit more accurately then just to the battery wire. But this is the easiest way to do it, and it works well.
While the above will work, it's not everything you need to know... On your existing regulator, there's three terminals. A, F, and B. You can use the regulator as a 'terminal block' if you don't want to run a bunch of new wire. There should be two wires connected to the A terminal; a large one and a small one. The large one goes to your generator, it won't be used and should be lifted from the regulator. The small wire goes to the charge light, and this needs to be connected to the 1 terminal on the alternator. The F terminal goes to the generator also, again it won't be used so should be removed from it's connection. Both this wire and the one above going to the generator can be abandoned in place as they won't be connected at either end. The B terminal may have two wires connected. One goes to the solenoid, the other is the main feed to the rest of the harness. Leave these in place if two are present. If you decide to remove the regulator, these two wires and the wires at the A terminal will need to be spliced together (not all together, each pair). If there's only one wire, disconnect it at both the regulator and solenoid ends. This leaves the last two terminals on the alternator. The 'batt' wire should be connected to the battery side of the starter solenoid. This leaves the 'sense' wire (#2 terminal), and you can connect it as shown above but this can contribute to low voltage due to voltage drop between the solenoid and the ignition switch. For best operation, this should be run to the 'bat' terminal at the ignition switch. This will require you run the wire as there's no existing one, but a #16 will be adequate for this. This doesn't need to be fused as no power is used but do take care to protect it from damage/abrasion that could short it to ground. I'd highly recommend doing this because of the relatively long circuit path Ford used for main harness power. This isn't really the 'best' way to do this, but given how the harness is routed will be much easier than splitting the harness open and re-routing the wires for shorter wire lengths. This also gives the option that if you ever want to 'restore' the car back to stock all the wiring needed will still be in place.
I've done a few of them like this top one. I save alternator hook up diagrams in my photobucket album on this page that gives you a couple more options to look at https://app.photobucket.com/u/mr48chev/a/694af3ea-994a-4ac7-af37-2e4f6ad7da37
That diagram isn't applicable as it's for converting an existing alternator set up, the generator cars are wired differently. And if that's supposed to be a Ford alternator regulator, the terminals are mis-identified. From left to right they are 'I' (indicator light, not used if an ammeter was fitted), 'A' connected to unswitched battery power, 'S' connected to the alternator stator (idiot light) or switched side of the ignition switch (ammeter), and 'F' connected to the alternator field. The one difference the OP may find is where the main harness power wire is connected, sometimes it's on the regulator, sometimes it's at the solenoid, depending on where the regulator is mounted. But most I've run into are connected at the regulator. This wiring is typical for all Ford 12V generators, the only other difference you may run into is the idiot light wire on the 'A' terminal will be missing if the vehicle was originally equipped with an ammeter.
Thanks Crazy Steve - What you described for my voltage regulator is dead on, so much appreciated! RNY
I’m still trying to figure out how Rednek dropped in the 289 and how high it was when it fell. I’m guessing the tree branch it was hanging from broke. Must have been hard on the crossmember of the unibody and the pan. What do you guys think?
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