Exciter Wire with Early Regulator Setup

-

seabee

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
2,553
Reaction score
693
Location
1537 Paper Street
Hello Folks I hope all is well.

I am installing a new wiring harness from Rebel Wire and I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the use of the exciter wire. The exciter wire goes straight to the fuse block. From what I can understand is that it simply relays voltage back to the alternator to correct for voltage drop? I have the 3 wire alternator. Before, I just grounded one of the field posts to ground and it worked fine. But now that I am completely replacing all the wiring I am wondering if the use of an exciter wire and possibly a later era regulator would have any benefits.

What are your thoughts?

Details:
1966 Barracuda 273
Early Style Regulator
3-Pin Alternator-50Amps
Possibly moving to LED headlights and Electric Cooling Fan later on.

Thanks

ETA: I found the answer here Mopar Charging Systems. I guess the exciter wire is just for the alts with the 3 wires and internal regulator.
 
Last edited:
What do you mean "3 wire?" I would call the 69/ earlier setup a "2 wire" If you actually have a later alternator with 2 field terminals (isolated field, 70/ later) I would use the 70 / later regulator.

If the white is switched with igntion switch I would wire it to the regulator IGN terminal

Does this "Rebel" have a link to online destructions?

Simplified diagram of 70/ later

Dual_Field_Alternator_Wiring.jpg


Pre-70--original alternator grounded field cannot be insulated

pic1.png
 
OK. Check as much as you can that the white is swiched in the "run" position, and connect it both to one field and to the VR IGN terminal. Run the second field (does not matter which is which) back to the remaining regualtor terminal. Make SURE the VR is grounded
 
-
Back
Top