16volts plus.

[MDchanic]

And did we ascertain that the alternator stops charging when the Field connector is disconnected?

ie: That it's not in some way internally shorted? (I'm not even sure this is possible, but it takes 1 second to check).

If not, then the problem is in the wiring, which is non-original, and so cannot be ascertained using the factory schematics, leading us back to...

Gotta go back to the guy that dun done it.

Unless he is a total incompetent moron and you are afraid to give it back to him, in which case, you'll have bigger fish to fry further down the road, 'cause this won't be all he got wrong.

- Eric

 

[hwy2]

And did we ascertain that the alternator stops charging when the Field connector is disconnected?

ie: That it's not in some way internally shorted? (I'm not even sure this is possible, but it takes 1 second to check).

If not, then the problem is in the wiring, which is non-original, and so cannot be ascertained using the factory schematics, leading us back to...

Gotta go back to the guy that dun done it.

Unless he is a total incompetent moron and you are afraid to give it back to him, in which case, you'll have bigger fish to fry further down the road, 'cause this won't be all he got wrong.

- Eric

No I did not check that

 

[MDchanic]

With no Field current, you've got no magnetism, with no magnetism you've got no output.

We know that the alternator can put out plenty of current, so it's working, but we don't know that the signal to overproduce is coming from the wiring (it's darned near impossible that it's not, but still...).
By disconnecting the Field wire, you prove that the problem is outside the alternator.
By swapping through three different regulators, and confirming the regulator is grounded, you (mostly) proved that the problem wasn't the regulator.

So that leaves something outside the alternator and regulator, which is the wiring, which the guy just did, so it puts it right back in his lap.

The next steps in troubleshooting involve following every wire in the charging circuit to be sure it goes where it's supposed to, and doesn't go where it's not supposed to.
It's not a job for you, as you have said you know nothing about this, and if you're not extremely motivated, this might not be the best place to start learning.
It's a job for he guy who did the wiring.

- Eric

 

[4spdragtop]

How do you measure that? I'm elec challenged...

And did we ascertain that the alternator stops charging when the Field connector is disconnected?

ie: That it's not in some way internally shorted? (I'm not even sure this is possible, but it takes 1 second to check).

 

[67Dart273]

And did we ascertain that the alternator stops charging when the Field connector is disconnected?

ie: That it's not in some way internally shorted? (I'm not even sure this is possible, but it takes 1 second to check).

I

- Eric

That is too common with rebuilts. One field terminal gets grounded (not correct) by a sloppy rebuilder, or trying to sell a 70/ later alternator for a 69 / earlier application. The owner has a 50-50 chance of burning up wiring. The blue field is switched 12V, not normally fused. If you get it connected to the non grounded field, it will charge full output, regardless of the VR green wire. If you accidently get the blue connected to the GROUNDED field, you have a dead short from the ignition "run" circuit to ground.

Steve, you unhook first the green field wire, and see if it quits charging. If not, that field is grounded. If the wires are reversed, as I said above, the blue will be shorted, and you will be smelling and seeing smoke.

 

[hwy2]

With no Field current, you've got no magnetism, with no magnetism you've got no output.

We know that the alternator can put out plenty of current, so it's working, but we don't know that the signal to overproduce is coming from the wiring (it's darned near impossible that it's not, but still...).
By disconnecting the Field wire, you prove that the problem is outside the alternator.
By swapping through three different regulators, and confirming the regulator is grounded, you (mostly) proved that the problem wasn't the regulator.

So that leaves something outside the alternator and regulator, which is the wiring, which the guy just did, so it puts it right back in his lap.

The next steps in troubleshooting involve following every wire in the charging circuit to be sure it goes where it's supposed to, and doesn't go where it's not supposed to.
It's not a job for you, as you have said you know nothing about this, and if you're not extremely motivated, this might not be the best place to start learning.
It's a job for he guy who did the wiring.

- Eric

I am going to take your advice and bring back. I was hoping it would just be an easy fix. Thanks for all the replies.

That is too common with rebuilts. One field terminal gets grounded (not correct) by a sloppy rebuilder, or trying to sell a 70/ later alternator for a 69 / earlier application. The owner has a 50-50 chance of burning up wiring. The blue field is switched 12V, not normally fused. If you get it connected to the non grounded field, it will charge full output, regardless of the VR green wire. If you accidently get the blue connected to the GROUNDED field, you have a dead short from the ignition "run" circuit to ground.

Steve, you unhook first the green field wire, and see if it quits charging. If not, that field is grounded. If the wires are reversed, as I said above, the blue will be shorted, and you will be smelling and seeing smoke.

wow, you hit the nail on the head that’s why I got my car rewired by someone else because I burned up my wiring exactly as you just stated.

 

[MDchanic]

How do you measure that? I'm elec challenged...

If you put a volt meter between the alt (+) and ground, or between the battery (+) and ground when the alternator is pushing 15 volts (high enough that you know it's wrong), then disconnect the Field wire, voltage should go back to the basic 12.5 (or 13 if it's just been charged) of the battery.
Regardless, if the voltage drops, the alternator has stopped putting out current.
If the alternator is really cranking it out, when you disconnect the Field, engine RPMs should drop a bit and you may see the fan belt slacken.

- Eric

 

[hwy2]

If you put a volt meter between the alt (+) and ground, or between the battery (+) and ground when the alternator is pushing 15 volts (high enough that you know it's wrong), then disconnect the Field wire, voltage should go back to the basic 12.5 (or 13 if it's just been charged) of the battery.
Regardless, if the voltage drops, the alternator has stopped putting out current.
If the alternator is really cranking it out, when you disconnect the Field, engine RPMs should drop a bit and you may see the fan belt slacken.

- Eric

I unplugged the be and it’s still Charging and to high at that.

 

[67Dart273]

be??

In any case this is sounding like "right in" the alternator

Pull both field wires. Set up your meter for ohms, measure both field terminals to the alternator case. They should both be open AKA infinity

If it is shorted, pull it off, and examine the field terminals, and or post a good photo of them here

 

[hwy2]

be??

In any case this is sounding like "right in" the alternator

Pull both field wires. Set up your meter for ohms, measure both field terminals to the alternator case. They should both be open AKA infinity

If it is shorted, pull it off, and examine the field terminals, and or post a good photo of them here

I did not get an open reading I got .008 on one and .003 on the other

 

[67Dart273]

This is from either field TO GROUND? (the case?) If so examine the field terminals. One of them is shorted.

field to field should be low resistance. Field to case, EITHER field to case, should be open

 

[hwy2]

This is from either field TO GROUND? (the case?) If so examine the field terminals. One of them is shorted.

field to field should be low resistance. Field to case, EITHER field to case, should be open.

 

[MDchanic]

We're waiting...

And it's past some of our bedtimes.

– Eric

 

[hwy2]

We're waiting...

And it's past some of our bedtimes.

– Eric

I don’t see anything odd. I don’t see a short anywhere. I think I’m gonna see if I can return it. It’s definitely the alternator.

 

[MDchanic]

I don’t see anything odd. I don’t see a short anywhere.

View attachment 1716402523

What's going on in this picture?

Why does that wire have no connector attached?

67Dart273 was asking you to put one probe of an ohmmeter on the aluminum body of the alternator and the other first on one of those two spade connectors, and then on the other one – each one should show ∞ Ω (there should be no continuity between the case and either connector). If there is any, the alternator is bad.

– Eric

 

[67Dart273]

Not only that it might be easily fixed. Get the alternator off so you can see what you are doing. Y

 

[BillGrissom]

When totally re-wiring the engine bay, you can improve the factory design. If you buy the after-market harnesses, like Painless, they keep the factory design. I rolled-my-own, adding a late 1990's Jeep underhood fuse/relay box. My key-on simply actuates a relay in the engine bay, for assured BAT+ to accessories, which is one suggested issue (drop thru ign key-switch). Similarly for headlamps, AC compressor, and others (13 relays). Posted as "Modernized Engine Wiring" years ago. Don't have to go whole-hog like that. At least run dedicated ground wires, rather than rely on a rusty sheet-metal screw like Mopar did in my 1965 (even the headlamps).

 

[hwy2]

When totally re-wiring the engine bay, you can improve the factory design. If you buy the after-market harnesses, like Painless, they keep the factory design. I rolled-my-own, adding a late 1990's Jeep underhood fuse/relay box. My key-on simply actuates a relay in the engine bay, for assured BAT+ to accessories, which is one suggested issue (drop thru ign key-switch). Similarly for headlamps, AC compressor, and others (13 relays). Posted as "Modernized Engine Wiring" years ago. Don't have to go whole-hog like that. At least run dedicated ground wires, rather than rely on a rusty sheet-metal screw like Mopar did in my 1965 (even the headlamps).

Well that’s what I did and all my wires fried. That’s why I took it to a professional and he is. It’s the alternator for sure I got continuity to ground from each field post with all wires disconnect and it still charged with VR disconnected. And over charge at that. I did the unspeakable and bought a single wire alternator.

 

[MDchanic]

I did the unspeakable and bought a single wire alternator.

No.




... And, that being said, if it was a "one-wire" alternator, why did you connect it to the regulator?

– Eric

 

[hwy2]

No.




... And, that being said, if it was a "one-wire" alternator, why did you connect it to the regulator?

– Eric

I just purchased a one wire alternator because that one that was an OEM style was toast

 

[MDchanic]

I just purchased a one wire alternator because that one that was an OEM style was toast

As the old saying goes, each of us goes to the Devil in his own way.

– Eric

 

[hwy2]

I guess when you got a Demon, you’re riding with the devil

 

[67Dart273]

I guess when you got a Demon, you’re riding with the devil

Allow me to give you the caveat about 1 wire. Yes, they work. I have one on my old Farmall

The BIG thing is that the charge wire needs to be ......big. This is because the sensing is in the only wire, and the smaller the wire, the "1 wire" will regulate it's output post to nominal 14V, and if the output/ charge wire is not very big, the output at the other end of the battery will be.....low.

 

[hwy2]

10 gauge

 

[BillGrissom]

View attachment 1716402524

What's going on in this picture?

Why does that wire have no connector attached?

67Dart273 was asking you to put one probe of an ohmmeter on the aluminum body of the alternator and the other first on one of those two spade connectors, and then on the other one – each one should show ∞ Ω (there should be no continuity between the case and either connector). If there is any, the alternator is bad.

– Eric

"Alternator bad" would mean the rotating armature has a short to ground. But an outside chance that it is missing a part at the terminals. Both must have non-conductive washers (Mica?) and ceramic to isolate the spade terminal from the alternator case. True also for the big-stud output current terminal. Only exception is if using it for an older car (1970-?) where the Vreg (originally mechanical switch, but transistorized replacements available) does high-side switching on one field terminal, with the other terminal purposely grounded to the case.