My Phoenix has stopped charging So I bought a replacement alternator and belt from the local factors (45 Amp for £35 ) but it still doesn't charge. Further investigation of the dodgy wiring shows that the two large leads from the alternator went into a chocolate block which was hidden by tape. All the wires where hanging out of the block.

Am I right in assuming that I need 1 large wire to the positive side of the battery and that the 2nd large wire is redundant ? It has a smaller guage wire connected to the small connector on the alternator plug which should be for the warning light I assume ?

I think some cars have two thickish wires in parallel from the alternator to the battery rather than one hugely thick wire to carry the current.

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Originally posted by Macbeast
I think some cars have two thickish wires in parallel from the alternator to the battery rather than one hugely thick wire to carry the current.

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^ yip

But no switched connection or anything like that...just two large wires to the positive side of the battery ?

That’s where the wires go from the alternator B+ terminal...over to the battery positive. There's diodes inside the alternator that prevent current flowing back through the alternator when the engines off. It doesn't need any switches.

The small wire is fed from the ignition switch and gets the alternator charging and then current flow through it stops, hence the charge light goes out on the dash as that’s in series with the wire.

My Nissan has two brown wires too rather than a big thick signal cable.

[Edited on 10/9/09 by Mr Whippy]

from your description, sounds like you have one with 3 tags.

two large 6.8 mm tags - these are connected together to run two sets of fat wires to carry more current, usually go to the solenoid terminal that is connected to the battery positive.

one 4.7 mm connector - this is connected to switched igntion via a bulb.

this is necessary to provide current for the alternator to self-excite - you can google for that that means but the effect of not having that lead is you will get no current out of the alternator. when the alternator is providing current, the lamp goes out.

nothing more to it than that but ensure that the alternator body has good contact to the battery negative terminal.

Jury rigged some leads up and it all works

Will replace all the old stuff with new wiring.

.... a picture someone prepared earlier

<--- linky

not sure why that diagram shows + and B+; they are botrh the sme on ACR alternator. i.e. connected together.

[Edited on 10/9/09 by 02GF74]