Greenlee crimper (8g to 1/0) Greenlee K05-1GL

Chris, The “SI” series of alternators use a stator connected in a “Y” configuration as all the legs meet. This is the F or field terminal. It is ground when off but B+ when running. If the dash has a charge bulb is a peanut bulb or 194. It is connected to the key-on ignition. Checks the bulb, starts and alternator works, you have 12volts on both sides of this bulb. This light goes out. The regulator controls negative to the rotor, the diode trio supplied 12v to the regulator. The bulb limits current to 0.25 amps or about 460 ohms when on. The “CS is Case Size where SI means System Integrated. The CS uses a stator with a Delta wiring configuration and has up to 32 voltage regulator part numbers. The 4 terminals are marked; S=sense, F=field, L= lamp and P=tach signal or used for remote sensing of battery temp thru a PTC thermistor when the batteries under the rear seat. Any alternator that comes on with one wire at the regulator has a stator that has be magnetized. Like a coil of wire wrapped around a nail, pass amperage or current the nail becomes magnetic even after the battery is disconnected. The nail or stator disconnected from a battery or sitting on the engine in storage over time loses the magnetic field. It has to be jumped quickly to B+ to re-start. If a charge light comes on during bulb-run-check thru the Ignition it has a path to ground either a wire to “L” on the alternator or a gauge or other circuit under the dash. The voltage comparator is a simple cheap circuit device set to 12.8 volts. If voltage goes higher it turns the bulb off by removing ground. It cost about $3 to build. Hope this helps.

Being a union electrician, and also improving my 68 Torino charging system I highly highly highly agree with your pre planning and mentioning the importance of using (legit) heavy duty crimp terminals. Nice work man.

Excellent video - Great planning - Using your ideas to convert my 1964 Studebaker Commander - Thanks!

You answered some questions. I am an aut electrical and electronic specialist. I have forgotten as much as I remember. I was injured and left the industry 8 years ago. 25 years ago I put a 1 wire on my 55 chevy. A fellow that rebuilds them told me how to do it and wire it in place of my generator. Now years later I am totally building my own wiring system and you gave me some good refresher points as I am planning my install of this one wire again. Thank you for your time and for sharing.We are never to old to learn or relearn. your engine sounds just like mine. makes my heart happy.

This is a quick and clean video with only the necessary information. I like that he is not trying to be a rock star with music and time-wasting fooling around. I wish he were my neighbor. One small observation is that he did a nice job of putting his alternator ground connection on the belt adjusting screw. My new alternator's directions actually pointed out a provided place on the backside to screw in a bolt for mounting my grounding wire directly to the alternator case. It ohms out as a good connection.

Chris I really appreciate your videos. I’ve learned so much and just wanted to say thank you brother. Im a big fan.

Thanks Chris. You gave me insights on a 1 wire alternator and an understanding on how everything works.

Loosing that "gen light" is important to understand. Thanks for the detailed video.

Great video mate. At about 7mins down you mentioned someone had the GEN light fitted with the 1-Wire ALT. I do that all the time and never ever had any problems. I use a 1-Wire GM 100A ALT with complete new AAW universal wiring harness for custom jobs. I connect the brown exciter wire to the existing GEN bulb, other option I connect the brown exciter wire to a separate bulb on the dash. It works great and have worked for years. Customers feel safer they actually see the GEN light go off upon starting, like the average car on the street. Just thought I share this info.

Props to you Chris. I have '73 Nova with a sbc 350 that I'm upgrading as funds allow. I watched your video on wiring electric fans and once I get to upgrading to the GM 100 amp alt I'll install some electric fans. Your diagrams and explanations are clear and easy to understand. Thanks.

Great video with all the detail and wiring diagrams !

Hi Chris, fyi connection 1 is the excite via the "Gen" light, it goes out due to positive power coming back from the alternator when it starts charging, thus positive on both sides, the number 2 is the sensing line, direct to the battery was the original intentions of Remy-Delco, back in the day, auto-electrical technician and engineer 1971-2006, only help out friends in the motor trade now as cars have become computers with wheels! The 2 should be completely separate, bring back the old stuff, and you're right a 1 wire can't have a gen light unless an 11v test module is fitted, somebody fitted it and didn't tell him, stay safe

Wow that a great video thanks for the real in depth information I’m currently working on going to a 1 wire alternator installed it and all but wisest working like it should I see your example and know have a real good idea what steps to take next I’ll probably make a video and refer this video for more information... thanks again a lot

Dude, awesome instruction and explanation.

i still havent figured out the stop engine light im bringing it to a guy that specializes in old school buicks ill let you know in detail ...great video chris the one before this really helped my alternator does not squeak any longer

Subscribed! Awesome video, and I plan to watch the rest. Good job bro and great step by step advice.

Chris this is the best video on how to wire a one wire alternator on all of youTube. Very impressed with your knowledge and quality of work. Thank you. I subscribed.

Good job dude. I'm old school mech myself. Chevelle sounds really good man.

One of the best most detailed videos I've come across. Good on you mate. Just to share, I've been using GM 1-Wire 100A Alternators for all my customers projects using AAW wiring harnesses which already comes with Red/Brown wire connector ready for plugging into these GM 1-wire alt where the Brown wire goes to the GEN light in the dash. So far all the GM 1-wire Alt that I've purchased always had the 2-terminal point to be used if needed. So for those cars without any GEN light on the dash, I'll add on one on the dash panel somewhere.

I LOVE your videos!!! They are so instructive and get straight to it, in a down to earth fashion with simple but comprehensive visual aids. THANK YOU.

Total Guru , this dude . Many thanks .

Great Video... I just watched this and I'm subscribing because I can understand exactly what your doing Chris, subscribing as well. I've got a BBC in a '69 Camaro and I'm in the middle of fabbing a dual fan setup, that's going in with a Vintage Air setup and a Serpentine belt setup. Gonna start roughing out some parts list since I'm confined to the house I may as well watch your various Relay videos and more, then start ordering some parts.

The gen light works on my tractor with a 10 SI. The gen light is an LED connected to +12 and pin 1 on the alternator. When the alt is not charging current flows out pin 1 to +12 and lights the LED. when the alt is charging pin 1 is goes positive and current stops and LED goes out.

Best video on 1 wire so far.

Did mine today! Looks much better and work so much better, no run on problems! Thank you for your hard work putting this information on here!

Also, some 1-wire alternators have an indicator light drive. You just connect the appropriate wire from the harness to this terminal on the alternator and the indicator light works

Another great clip, thanks Chris

You did a excellent job on that Chris

fantastic video keep the great work going

Hey Chris, this is Dan Baldwin. I had to laugh when I found this. What's funny is my projects seem to be 1-2 videos behind you, seems we are heading down the same path...... Good job first off I'm confused on my situation. Let me sum up 1st. I left something on in my car connected to the cigarette lighter and wanted to take it for a ride the other day and put a slow trickle charge on it the night before. (not sure what the voltage was) the next morning it started with my fingers xed. I started up the rd on a 3 mile trip and noticed a rough engine run like a plug wire off or so. When I got to the gas station and put it in park, the engine cut out. got a jump 2x just to get home. Here is what I checked. Put a volt meter on battery and it was around 11 volts. left the charger on over nite and that got it to almost 12.3 volts. I changed the regulator next day and its the same. it's a 4 pole connector. I thought this was supposed to be around 13.5. any idea where to look. Thanks and keep up the good work. Dan

Love your channel this help fix my alternator issues 🙏

Really good details....easy to understand...great job...

Grate video I have a 71 Cheyenne Chevy truck has ac planning on putting electric fans and a amp im shure you covered this question but I wanted to ask just to cover bases.so going with a 140 I need to replace junction block and go from junction block to battery and altinator wire to junction block with 4 gage wire my question is the wire going to from existing junction block to new heavy junction block does that need to be 4 gage as well and what about outher factory wires like wires going to sylinoyd on starter or any outher wires can I keep thim factory? Thank you agine for your help.Im also using your videos to fix my 66 elcamino but that comes next .

On a previous video, you showed a heavy gauge wire going to the starter. I did not see any changes to that wire. Should it be upgraded? Also, on my 1972 El Camino, the heavy gauge wire from alternator connects to the battery as in the first video, then to the battery. That is the only positive wire connected to the positive terminal on my battery. I am assuming that the power to the fuse box is coming off of the starter. Does that sound correct? It almost seems like the starter is serving as the junction block. Am I missing something? Should I connect a separate junction block from the starter or the battery? I am hooking to a 300 amp CS-130D in expectation to hook-up a stereo as well as several other electrical devices sometime in the future.

Hi Chris, great video thank you. I want to convert my generator to Alternator in my 55 Olds. Is it the same set up as your chevelle? All I'm running is a modern stereo so was looking for a 90amp alt. My first time doing this conversion. Thanks

Great videos , (keep it up) , any on hooking up a external regulator for a 1962 Motorola S.E.V of of a Volvo?

I just put a new 1-wire 100amp alternator in my 67 f100 and it never affected my charging light and no issues. I think the issue is that people delete all the wires from the old harness and just have the positive wire. I ditched all the wires to the external regulator but kept all the wires spliced into my positive wire that were there originally. Edit: Looking at the wiring diagram I wired back in the 904 wire or the Green-Red stripe wire that goes to the charging light.

Very useful video, thanks

thanks for there video , it helped an old guy remember one thing i missed or didn't see was how to mane the amp gauge to work

You know the know Bro. Great work.

good for u, i learned at AIT electrical engineering school how to rewind alts gen

Hello my friend, i could use some help. I have a Mercury Monterey custom 1962, this vehicle has a generator with a regulator with exterior voltage already integrated. I'm trying to put an alternator instead of a generator. My question is how can I connect the alternator and eliminate the use of the regulator part. I was watching a video that you posted where you explain the different connections. This regulator has the same connections AR, FL, and BAT. This alternator with 3 exits. How can I connect? Hopefully you can help me.

Chris can I add a fusable link in line between the alternator and the new junction block as a proper fuse? Thank you.

Thanks buddy you may have really saved my life.

Great videos, they have helped a ton while restoring my 72 Chevelle. I'm planning a big 4 upgrade for a new alternator. I have a new junctiong block and 4awg wire for my alt and battery connection. I'm wondering if I also will need to upgrade the wire from the starter solenoid to the horn relay? Or will running a large wire from my new junctiong block to the horn relay work instead?

Hi Christ, great video brother. I had a question. Hi is the voltmeter connected? Is just concerned on the battery? Thank you

Chris, I appreciate your videos. They're very well explained. Question, will you be putting out a video on "Blower Motors" ?

Hi Chris, what is the need for the red junction block? why not put the positive lead of the alternator directly to the + battery ??? I intend to mount this alternator on a 350 SBC. thank you, bruno from France

Hi Chris… have hot rod with 140 amp one wire…all Chevy👍🏻…drops from 13.5 to 12.5 when electric fans come on but more drop when AC is turned on and after a few miles down the road the engine stops. Battery in trunk so I ran a 4 gauge direct to starter with no significant improvement and engine still stops after a few miles with AC and EF on. I did not remove the old wire to the alternator…just added 4 gauge wire to the starter…large post. Tried new alternator with no improvement. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Very informative thanks for your time!!

Great video bro this help me alot

Grate video man!

Do you have a source for the junction block with the mounting bosses?

Excellent video

I have a factory alt that has a 3 prong harness with 1 wire in it.. I just bought a new alternator that has a 4 prong harness but my factory harness doesnt fit what do i do can i cut the factory harness wire and solder in onto the new 4 prong connector which prong do i use?? Please

Perfect! I was worried about not having a factory gen light I see I can just add a gauge good stuff !!

Great Video, but why are your battery terminals upside down?

So, with the one wire alternator, obviously the charging light won’t work, but I’m not clear how an ammeter would work with the external regulator is bypassed with the jumpers. Will I need to get a volt meter? I see how that would work. I’m keeping my factory gauges on my ‘68 Chevelle, which has an ammeter.

What's the rope wrapped around the washer bottle bracket

Great video. Thank you

Awesome instruction, but I have one ?, why do I need to ground the alternator with a wire, isn't it already grounded to the Engine block and bracket. Just curious. Thanks

my man clutch again!

Great job. Thanks!

The piece of all thread that you used, was it 3/8?

Nice video.Thank you.

Great info. FYI the 3/8 size bolt on the junction block is not necessary. You are only using that to clamp the two ring terminals together tightly enough to prevent loosening. A 1/4" stud is better because that means your ring terminals have less material drilled out of them, so they will conduct better than the 3/8" ring terminals and they will probably cost less. You don't need 3/8" bolt, that's big enough to torque to 200ftlbs or more. All you need for an electrical connection is maybe 15ftlbs at most. The only reason to use a 3/8 would be if the terminal block itself is a flimsy design (as it may well be something from china), then putting it a couple sizes larger will compensate for that, assuming they use larger housing etc for the larger stud size.

If I'm running this in a boat and the Junction Box is 12' in the front of the motor do I run 4 gauge wire all the way to the front of the boat and attach it to new junction box just a few inches from the old one?... or do I put the new Junction Box in the back of the boat by the motor, and run a long wire (10 guage) up to the existing Junction Box to connect them?

Good video.I would recommend using die electric grease or No-Ox on the wire inside the crimp to stop corrosion.

Hi Chris, My old 3x wire alternator was only outputting a little less than 12v at idle. Swapped out new voltage reg, big 4x upgrade and new battery. Still registering the same so I bought and installed a new 1x wire 180 alternator. Still registering

Chris - I know this is an old video, hopefully you can remember. I have a 71 Chevelle, w/ HEI. Replacing a failed 1 wire with 100A. rewiring with 6 gauge per powermaster. previous owner ran charge wire from alternator to the horn relay and old regulator connector, back to the power connector. + battery also connected to the connector. I jumpered the old regulator connector like you did, wondering if the charge wire should go to the new connector, then run a new wire to the horn relay? advice?

So I have a 72 Buick skylark with 350, My gen light stays on but no signs of my battery draining

How long is your all thread stud for the alternator ground? 2" I need to get one for my current project too.

Hey Chris, do you have a video for stalling a pretronix module on my 1967 impala 283/at thanks

I saw the extra ground cables and I'm wondering why they are necessary. The alternator mounting bolt at the bottom bolts directly to the engine block and the factory ground cable carries that ground back to the battery. As long as you add a ground cable from the engine block to to the body and another from the same mounting point on the body over to the frame. I would think that 2 is all you would need to add.

What kind of fuses? And where can i purchase them?

Where did you buy the terminals and crimpers? Great video and lots of info I need for my jeep project, thank you.

Your videos and attention to detail are incredible. I do have a question though. I just installed a 1 wire alternator in a 1969 Mustang and I no longer have any power to the dashboard- headlights, ignition switch, etc. I'm guessing that was a part of the original wiring that was connected to the external regulator that I removed (as per powermaster instructions) Is there something that I'm missing, or was the car not wired correctly to begin with?

I just bought a 100 amp 1 wire for my sbc s10 and I'm confused as to why I would have to run the factory junctioning block and another bigger one instead of just the bigger one? Thanks in advance!

What do I do with the factory alternator wire that runs over to the external regulator when I put in a100 amp alternator one wire? In my 1970 Chevelle?

nice instruction, Thanks

Chris every diagram i see show the jumper wires going from blue to orange white to brown u have yours blue to brown white to orange. i have a 71 camaro does it matter witch way they go?

What is the point of the junction box? Why not just run the #4 wire directly from your alt. to the battery? Very good video thanks.

Nice video. What is the rope for?

great video! I've learned a lot from all your videos. My question- My American Autowire part# 510004 Power Plus 13 wire kit instructions said to run the wire to the starter solenoid from the pole on the alternator (GM SI Series Single Wire 120 amp) However, you have that wire running directly to the Battery via the junction box. Are both methods correct?

Another geat video Chris. You are a real big help. You should drop over to the Dog house and follow my progress. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for your variety of topics. I enjoy your videos. I have watched a couple concerning generator to alternator conversions but can’t quite figure my situation out. I have a 64 Falcon with an external voltage reg that has screw terminals instead of a plug. The guy at NAPA suggested a GM 1 wire alt so that is what I have to work with. Is there a way to wire it or should I try to swap for a different alt?

Ok my old alternator was 65 amp charge light was dim. So I changed it out for a 105 amp and now when I shut car off and pull key out charge light stays on plus my tack is on 9 k when I turn key on tack goes to 7 k and charge light goes out this is on 84 oldsmobile cutlass help …alt is 3 wire

Question. So I switched over to a 1 wire on my 71 Fastback. So, still having battery drainage and killing my battery. When installed, the OEM wiring harness isn't hooked up to the new alternator but still ties into the volt/reg and into solenoid. I'm thinking the issue is that the alternator isn't being told to turn on to charge the battery? Someone suggested running a "hot" wire switch to the alternator? Wouldnt that be just finding the old wire (prior alternator setup) and running that to the battery?

nice clean job

I've installed an HEI to my 67 GTO and it starts fine, runs fine but won't shut off with the key switch. All wires are run through a relay for the HEI. I have traced the wires can't find any ballast resistors and the resistance wire going to the starter has already been done away with. There is a splice from the alternator hot post ( single wire Alternator) going to the starter solenoid main lug. That splice is about 1ft from the alternator on top of the engine going down the front of the engine block to the starter.There is a working voltage regulator on the fire wall. Does that voltage regulator need to be bypassed and would that be the reason the engine won't shut off? The key switch does work properly.

I watched all your videos on alternator upgrades and how to get rid of the external regulator. I did everything in your videos. I have a 69 chevelle and i came across your 100 amp alternator upgrade. I believe my alternator is 115-120 amps. I want to upgrade my charge wire to a thicker wire but looks like my factory 10 gauge wire goes from alternator to wire harness all the way to plug on fire wall. Do i cut that wire and run into juction block witch has fusible link running from battery to juction block to horn relay. Then run a bigger gauge wire from alternator to battery.

Same funky core support in my 69, I put the bat in the trunk.

Didn't that alternator have the built-in voltage regulator? Are we completely not using that circuit at all on the alternator and the car both?

Hi Chris, I wired my 66 el camino up connecting the wires together - not using the plug and jumpers. My GEN light came on the other day alerting me to a dead alternator. But it ran great with no problems for about 2 years until I put a Holley Sniper EFI on it. Had problems off and on ever since. Now my new alt is showing no charge with my meter on the terminal. Don't know where to start. Ideas? Thank You.

Car Sounds good

What did you do with the 2 extra wires that no longer attach to the alternator?

Very well done

you're amazing dude great job explaining everything. only problem is the chevy

Great Video What did you do to the factory charging wire? Did you cap it or reroute it to the junction block?