What's the correct way to convert a 3 wire alternator over to a single wire alternator? I've got a relative putting a March pulley system on their car and they're not getting much in terms of answers on the car forums other than sarcasm. Figure the brilliant minds here on HEF might have some better answers.
GM? Just use the existing 8 gauge charge wire to the old alternator to the + on the single wire unit. And tuck the other two back into loom. Or run a new single over to Battery positive or to starter positive. Does the new alternator have a ground stud? If so just run it to block as long as engine has ground leads to body/ frame.
Yep. Old Corvette. I kinda figured that was all that was needed but wasn't 100% certain. Had some folks say the ammeter (or voltmeter?) wouldn't function after the conversion. Not really seeing how if you're utilizing the original output wire from the car.
Ammeter, voltmeter and or idiot light can and will function on a one wire conversion. Depends on how it is wired. But, then it isn't a true one wire conversion. Although many times it is called that.
Voltmeter and ammeter won't be affected by the one wire alternator hooked to the original fat B+ wire. The idiot light will not function, unless you hook up the excite wire, and then it's not a one wire alternator any more.
Nobody’s mentioned it yet, another option is to install the one-wire voltage regulator kit. $15 bucks.
I had an old toyota rock crawler that I did a gm 1 wire conversion on. It worked good but when I started the truck I had to rev it to 1200 rpms to get the alternator to kick in and then it was good to go.
Allso they dont seem as reliable as the 3wire ones .
Seems kind of silly that a pulley kit specific to the car it is being installed in would utilize a single wire alternator, rather than the factory 3 wire setup.
Installing a self-exciting regulator would eliminate the no charging without speeding up the engine problem. Almost any auto parts sell them in my area. Or ebay. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...1313&_nkw=gm+self+excitong+regulator&_sacat=0