[Shotimes] Electrical/Alternator Question...Ford, but not SHO

[George Fourchy]

Hey, all..

Now that the list seems to be working again, I have a question.

Please read all the information before answering...thanks..  ;-)

This is on my '87 F-350 Crew Cab.  It has a 460 CID, with Holly carb....built a few
weeks before they went to EFI.  It has full gauges, with a voltmeter, and also a
battery light.  It got a new alternator 11 years ago.  I didn't change the output
connector then, despite the strong suggestion to do so.  That new alternator lasted
until a couple of weeks ago, when the connector finally overheated and melted.  I
got a new one, with a new connector, and changed them both, and used the dielectric
grease that came with the connector.  It now puts out much more voltage, even when
all the accessories are on, than the other one ever did.....that's why the connector
needed to be changed...it was corroded, and blocked some of the current, and got too
hot, finally letting go after 11 years.

There are two plugs on this alternator.  Each one has three wires...one has three
small wires, various colors.  The other one, the one that burned, has three wires,
too.  Two of them are very big...obviously carrying the load, and they go (at least
one does) to the starter solenoid, where the battery connects, to charge it.  I
didn't follow the other one when I was replacing things, since I needed to get it
running.  The third wire on the plug with the two big ones is a very small wire,
white with blue stripe, I think.  I thought it went to the automatic choke, to
provide constant voltage to it so it will warm up and let the engine idle slow after
it warms up.  That wire is temporarily disconnected, since the original one shorted
out long ago to the engine block, and gave me an alternator light, even though I had
a charge on the voltmeter.

OK...here's the question....

I don't have a wiring diagram, so I can't trace the wires now.  The problem is that
when it is running, and I have a really good charge on the voltmeter, the battery
light is still on.  I remember us talking about the battery lights in SHOs, and how
they turn off after current is flowing one way, rather than the other.