Re: Today I'm gonna try and sort my alternator out
Reply #7 –
I'm trying to sort through your posts, to understand what you have going on. I have a few thoughts FWIW:
The two small wires that are hanging loose near the alternator - are either of them hot (have voltage) with ignition switch off, or with ignition switch on?
I'm looking (in your photos) at the small red wire that comes out of the same ribbed cover as the large alternator charge cable, and is connected to the start battery post. That wire has a ID label on it. If you can read the ID number, you might be able to find it on your wiring diagram and figure out its purpose.
I am THINKING that your alternator may be a "single wire" model. That is, all it needs to work is a single charge cable from the alternator B+ post to the start battery positive (+) post. That is why it started working and putting out 14+ volts in your first test, when you connected it directly to the start battery post on the isolator.
If you connect a "single wire" alternator to the center post on a diode based battery isolator, it most likely will not turn on, because it cannot see any voltage on the B+ terminal. Or, it may perhaps turn on, but will produce insufficient voltage to fully charge the batteries, because it cannot "sense" the battery voltage.
Now, if I am correct that your alternator is a "single wire" model, then it does not necessarily have a EXCITE terminal. It might have one, or it might not. I don't know. That is why I think it would be very helpful to find a manufacturer wiring diagram.
SO, you have been able to "trick" your alternator into turning on using your switch at the driver position. Why does this work? I don't know. Without a wiring diagram, or a terminal identification diagram, you don't know the purpose of the three small terminals on the back of the alternator. It is possible that one of them is a EXCITE post. It is possible that same post was used to operate the idiot light on your instrument panel. Without more data, this is just guess work.
Caution Note: Randomly connecting a full 12 volts to any one of the three small posts on the alternator MIGHT possibly let the smoke out.
This is as far as I have gotten in my armchair ruminations.
I think it is safe to say that your alternator, in its present condition, is NOT suitable for use with the diode based battery isolator.
There are ways to work around that. You just need to decide what you want to do.