Alternator to dynamo - AGAIN!

[John Morrison]

Yes I know I raised my voice there but exasperation is too short a word for how I'm feeling at the minute.

 

So years ago I converted to Alternator from Dynamo, following Ian C's brilliant article in TrAction.

 

Used the base of the control box as a junction box, and a 30Amp Alternator, all worked swimmingly well ever since.

 

So offerred to help a guy with a 3A wanting to go down the same road, but who had bought everything, my conversion cost about a tenner all in.

 

So we now have a 45 amp alternator, which I realise the standard wiring might not cope with. In the said kit is a connector for the alternator, with what I assume, cause its thicker, is uprated wiring.

 

This heavier cable terminates in a tag that fits the solenoid.

 

By the way this expensive pile comes with NO instructions, and bought from a supplier who should know better.

 

So how do I now conect this lot?

 

At the solenoid? Change to a lucar connector (Big one) and connect at the modified control box as for my set up or

something completely different?

 

John

Edited January 26, 2015 by john

[RobH]

John - 45 amps is just the maximum capability of the alternator. Unless the battery is run very flat that amount of current will probably never be drawn, and even if it is it will only be for a few seconds while the battery recovers. Most of the time the current drawn will be the same as it always was. The existing 30A wiring from the control box to the ammeter and ammeter to battery ought to be beefed up though. To maintain the use of the ammeter you need to connect the alternator to the modified control box rather than direct to the solenoid. If the ammeter does go off-scale after starting the engine it might be necessary to fit a 45 amp one though it might be possible to adjust the existing one at the expense of having the scale incorrect.

 

Obviously the seller has intended a direct connection to the solenoid/battery which will be OK for the wiring size but means the ammeter will just show discharges on load rather than the aggregate current (charge current minus load current).

 

Rob

Edited January 26, 2015 by RobH

[ianc]

John - when Jim Christie (based in France for many years now) ran into problems fitting a kit from a well-known supplier, i helped him with a stream of emails and, at the end, we compiled an article which was published in TR Action 248 (March 2011).

If you haven't got that TRA, email me (see page 82 of TRA for address) and I'll send it.

 

Ian Cornish

[John Morrison]

Got it Ian,

Thanks as ever, 'll go with this,

 

Rob, thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

 

john.

[Lebro]

FWIW I have an 18ACR 45A alternator fitted to my '3, standard 30 A ammeter, & standard wiring, except for a second yellow wire from the second ouput terminal on the alternator to the same point on the bulhead wher the original yellow wire now joins the brown / blue wires going to ammeter, etc.

 

I have been running this setup for 16 months now with no problems, & have never seen the ammeter get close to the end stops.

 

For interest here is the circuit diagram of my car:

 

 

Bob.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Lebro