triumphs
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: GM alternator

To: DANMAS@aol.com
Subject: Re: GM alternator
From: "John L. Walker" <up497@freenet.victoria.bc.ca>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 12:41:34 -0700 (PDT)
Cc: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
On Tue, 29 Jul 1997 DANMAS@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 97-07-29 20:54:50 EDT, up497@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
> writes:
> 
> > There is nothing on the other spade lug in the unit (labeled 'r' or 
> >  '1').  Does anyone know what this lug does?  Is it for the 'idiot light'?
> 
> Malcolm:
> 
> The Brown/Yellow wire should go to terminal #1. The other end of the B/Y wire
> should go to the "idiot light." This wire and this terminal also serves
> another purpose. When you turn the key on, voltage is fed through the idiot
> light to provide a source of "bootstrap" current to get the alternator to
> start producing current. Once the alternator is up to speed, and producing
> power, it will provide its own voltage at this terminal, at which time the
> light will go out. The light will then have 12 volts on both the key side and
> the alternator side, and thus will not be lit.

I'm still a little confused, more by my car than by your explanation.

I know about electric/magnetic fields and all that, and the bootstrap.

It's just that in my car, the brown/yellow wire (from alternator) is the 
larger (10 ga?) wire, and the brown/green wire is smaller (14/16 ga?)

Is this the same as 'everyone else's'?  If it is, I will change the 
wiring to be the same as the post re: alternator conversion for TR4A (I 
saved it, smart me :)))

I also have a hunch that the ignition light lead has been removed from 
the circuitry, I have a black wire and another (non-black ;) ) wire 
leading to nothing on the 4-way connector (replacing the Lucas control 
box...)

I will have another set of eyes to watch for anything.  I have a 7.2V r/c 
car battery pack that I can play with, far safer to dead-short than a 12V 
car battery.

> Hope this helps!

Everything helps...

Thanks,
Malcolm

    Too many rocks and not enough sand. 


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>