Just switched my car from TPI to Carb...i also relocated the battery to the back of the car....i used 1 gauge welders wire for the main starter wire....i used 10 gauge wire from the alternator to the battery....i retained all the main wires off the starter for power windows, locks, interior lights, etc etc.....my alternator doesnt seem to be charging the battery.....i had it tested at 2 different places and its putting out 14 volts....i cant figure out why my battery isnt getting charged...HELP!!!!!

 

Pull the plug off the top of the gen. It should have 2 wires, a red and a tan or brown. Measure each wire for voltage with the key on, engine off. The red should read battery voltage the tan or brn wire slightly lower by a half volt or so. If either is missing the gen won't charge. The red depending on year is normally hot all the time even with the key off the brn/tan wire is the "sense" wire. That turns the gen on and off. There is a fuse labeled chg/fan in the interior fuse panel, make sure it is not blown. Otherwise look for a bad wire. The rear lug from the gen ties to a block on some models and from there goes to a fuse link. Make sure you did not damage any fuse link wires when you worked on the starter.

 

ok i dont have anything plugged into the gen. is there a way i can bypass that so i get a charge?

 

That red wire is also one of your fusible links and the tan wire goes to the FP-FAN fuse and the fan relays. It might help to have them like Danno has said.

 

i have the fans wired to a switch and i have a external fuel pump also wired to a switch.... all i need is for the alt to put out a charge to the battery....the car is sent up for drag racing so i dont need all the nicities

 

You still need the red wire for the charging.

 

ok...where do i run it to?

 

your talking about the red wire that goes into the plug right? not the main charging terminal off the back of the alt right?

 

Right, it goes to the starter solenoid,

 

and thats whats keeping me from getting a charge to the battery? wow.....complicated

 

the black wire that comes off the plug? ground? let me know soon!!

 

How many wires do you have in that plug. There should only be two, if you are referring to the wire on the single post on the alternator that goes to the positive post on the battery. There should be a brown wire in the plug, just run it to the FP-FAN fuse in the fuse block.

 

3 wires on the plug....1 red 10 gauge wire.....1 black 14 gauge wire and 1 brown 14 gauge wire....

 

what year & model is this car?

 

88 Trans Am

 

Use the 10 guage red, tie it to constant 12 volts even with key off. Make sure it runs through at least a 10 amp fuse-that's the field positive. The brown wire must go to key controlled 12 volts through a resistance wire or a 33 ohm 5 watt resistor, that's the sense wire. You can tie it to 12 volts key controlled but without the resistance the gen will have low output. From what you say it may not matter. There is no ground in the plug, all grounds are through the gen case. The extra wire leave it alone and try it. That rear lug is the gen output and goes to the battery through a fuse link. 3 wire plugs were not common on TG's. Usually the 3rd wire is field sense and can be used to run a tachometer, but it generally does not show up on any TG's I have worked on. Does it have a digital dash?

 

no it doesnt......ill try that when i get home.....thanks guys ill let you know!

 

is the red wire (on the 2 wire harness) the wire that actually charges the battery?? I always thought it was the bat terminal wire that is held in place by a nut that charged the battery, if so I don't have my battery properly hooked up

 

The red wire on the plug is the field supply, the rear lug is the output line.

 

just so you know i ended up going to a internally regulated pre wired 1 wire alternator from powermaster.....works great.....thats again for all the help guys!