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Pinto alternator
pmc_3 - 1/4/05 at 04:02 PM

My standard pinto alternator has a 3 connector plug. Two are thicker wires than the other. The thin wire is blue, the other two are red I think?

At the moment one of the reds is going to the starter motor and the blue to the battery.

I've had no problems with it charging, but want to hook up the charge light. Which wire should run to that? I'll check colours and what the terminals are labelled when I get home from work.

Cheers


Bart69 - 1/4/05 at 06:42 PM

thin Blue wire


pmc_3 - 2/4/05 at 07:52 AM

Thats what I thought. I take it then, that one of the reds should go to the starter, the other red to the battery and the blue one to the light?


richard - 2/4/05 at 05:24 PM

When I have wired up charging lights before for racing cars, I have discovered through talking to a auto electricians that you need to put a positive supply through the ignition, to one side of a light, the other side of the light will go to the small blue wire you discribed on the alternator and all the time the ignition is on and alternator is not turning, it allows an earth through it and the light glows.
When the alternator starts working which normally takes a bit of a blip on the the fast peddle, the alternator disconnects the earth through itself and the light goes out.
I have found that most wiring looms I have undone have both the large red wires connected together and normally go to the starter solenoid, but as the main battery lead from the battery goes to the same terminal on the starter motor solenoid, it does not marter where you put it.Hope this helps


Bart69 - 2/4/05 at 07:37 PM

Good advice Richard.
AFAIK the alt when generating produces 12v at the blue wire hence 12v either side of the bulb so it goes out.

cheers

Graham


pmc_3 - 3/4/05 at 09:39 PM

Good stuff, will give it a go on wednesday when I have a day off


stevebubs - 3/4/05 at 11:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by richard
When I have wired up charging lights before for racing cars, I have discovered through talking to a auto electricians that you need to put a positive supply through the ignition, to one side of a light, the other side of the light will go to the small blue wire you discribed on the alternator and all the time the ignition is on and alternator is not turning, it allows an earth through it and the light glows.
When the alternator starts working which normally takes a bit of a blip on the the fast peddle, the alternator disconnects the earth through itself and the light goes out.
I have found that most wiring looms I have undone have both the large red wires connected together and normally go to the starter solenoid, but as the main battery lead from the battery goes to the same terminal on the starter motor solenoid, it does not marter where you put it.Hope this helps


Yep - on my Xflow, I had 2 thick red wires directly connected to the battery + terminal, and the other (thin) wire to the - side of the battery warning light.

When charging, both sides of the warning light were at 12v so no PD across the bulb = no light (i.e. treat as switched earth)

[Edited on 3/4/05 by stevebubs]