For those wondering what the R terminal is on the starter solenoid ? On the older contact points ignition systems. 12v was too much voltage with the engine running. It would prematurely burn up the points. So they ran a resister to the points in the distributor.and drop the voltage to 9 or 10 volts. The R on the starter, also ran to the distributor, but only sent power during cranking. Giving you 12 v. To the points during cranking, as an aid to help start the engine. 12v.= hotter spark.once the engine has started, you let the key off the crank position, and the 9 volt resister wire was now running the distributor.
#1 alternator exciter terminal wire requires diode inline or key won't turn off engine on 10si alternator. Do not buy new alternator if dummy light does not shut off and engine does not shut off with key.
Dude, I'll dance at your wedding, make no mistake about it, you are the man. I've got an 86' GMC, and the wiring on it is a mess. I've been pulling my hair out trying to get it straight. If only I had found your video yesterday morning. No lie dude, this is the best, most concise, idiot proof, no fuss no muss, instructional video I have ever seen. Much respect to you my Friend
You make an EXCELLENT teacher! Few folks would take the time to lay out an open air high visibility functonal model for others to view so they can actually "Follow The Wires"(paths) so they can fully comprehend what you are teaching them to do. Great instructional video Chris!!!
This is the best and easiest to understand video I found to explain this. No nonsense and too the point. You're a great teacher. This helped me with my 50 CHEVY TRUCK 12V conversion. I especially appreciate the safety factors you stress, wire guages, etc. I will however add a 50 amp in line fuse to the hot wire that feeds the whole system to prevent any spikes.
This was EXACTLY what I wanted to watch!!! I bought a 63 c10 and it didn’t have an ignition switch. The wires under the dash were all jacked up and spliced with different colors. Needles to say I did trust the wire colors. Thank you very much.
Big thanks for this I have a 73 pickup with a birds nest of wires that wont run because the last owner wired it all wrong so I plan to strip it down and re wire it but I dont know much about electrical stuff on cars so I wanted to be sure on the basics and you did this in a very simple but informative way that I understand! Again thank you!
Chris, thank you very much for making these videos. I am 54 years old and grew up turning a wrench or two with my day - first car was a 1970 Grand Prix (my dad had a '69 GP). Currently I have a 1969 Grand Prix (428)- which I screwed up the charging system (don't ask how) - anyway, my father passed away several years ago, and without his guidance, I have used your videos to help me through several fixes - THANK YOU! Completely awesome! Much respect.
Best vid for me to understand how it all works. Will be completing my '89 Massey Ferg tractor. Can't wait to get started. Thanks so much pal. 😊 In the late '50's chevy Dad's car had a generator and voltage regulator. He'd turn on the headlights on long highway trips so that the regulator wouldn't overcharge the battery. Gas was 39 to 50 cents a gallon then.
Hi Chris, this is one of the most informative videos I have seen. Very helpful thanks. Due to a faulty ignition switch I burned out the starter. On this old tractor I had to replace everything and this helped me tremendously. Great stuff !!!
It's true what they say! Use it or lose it. Being a retired heavy equipment mechanic in my late 60s, I worked on all types of cars as a kid and did all this type of wiring work back then. Now I have to refresh the brain seels and you are a great help with that for sure. Keep up the good work.
Great video and very informative. Only thing is that you should have mentioned that the big cable going from the battery to the starter is a POSITIVE cable. Given that the cable is black some people might think that it is the NEGATIVE cable going to the starter.
You can just replace the voltage regulator which is where number one and number two connect to. It's a chip and it's a lot cheaper. Then buying the whole alternator A lot of times the stator and windings in those GM alternators do not go bad or like you said the diode or rectifier but the diode and the regulator are pretty cheap and relatively easy to replace. There is brushes in there too like an electric motor but they come in a kit I think or you can buy them separate but they're not that expensive. Of course if you're savvy at rebuilding stuff like that, which you are just throwing that at you cuz that's what I do Good video on the wiring I like it!
You are very generous to share your knowledge. This will definitely be a reference when I start wiring my 85 monte SS back up. (previous owner cut out most wiring for some reason.) Also have an 87 SS with a drain. Will double check the wiring on that one. Thanks again.
What actually happens when the alternator starts charging is it sends +12v from the alternator to the dummy light bulb. Since the bulb will have +12v going into it from both sides there will be no current 'flow' and the bulb goes out. It doesn't break the circuit to the bulb. That is why on some vehicles if the alternator isn't supplying the full current it should, and the "balance of power" is unequal, the dummy light can glow a little. It's a alert to check the system, both ends of the main circuit, the alternator and the battery which could be malfunctioning as well. Great video exposition, Really great to see the wiring displayed like that, Thanks Just sayin' Mike
I love though you drew it,because unfortunately not every body learns the same way and as an old woman it takes me more time to get it. I home more people in RUclips can adopt this system and help more people like me learn easy and fast. Thank you very much.
Thank you for your video, it helped me to understand and to rewire my 1973 Case 580 CK tractor. The alternator that was on the machine had two wires not three, but I went out and purchased a GM Three wire alternator. The prestolite alternator wasn't working so it had to go. Your video was very informative and easy to understand. Now the dummy light works. Thank you again Charles Mares
Big thanks here as well, helped my 12 volt conversion go much smoother since I couldn't get a single wire alternator. It was very informative and you kept it simple as it should be. Thanks again
If your application is in a tractor with a 6 volt starter (no solenoid) and coil with a ballast resister, the dummie light will go on the S or center post on key switch, and the coil will go to the I or Ign. Otherwise the motor cuts off when the ignition is returned to the ON position. Great video thanks helped alot
Hey man Thank you for making this video and your 2nd video pertaining to this. I got an old 69 c10 wired ALL WRONG! they used painless wiring kits and trust me it was nothing less than PAINFUL!! This video alone allowed me to come back to thinking simply. as I am a mechanic and this puzzled me for weeks. it took a "2nd eye" for me to get collected again. Good emphasis where needed on particular gauge wiring. Thankyou
Dude, this is such a helpful video! Great explanation, great diagram, and you used real props to explain. Thank you for helping at least one person here a lot!
thanks for all the vids Chris - i'm building a street strip "71 Cutlass - you've helped me many times. I like the way you present your material- you talk about the same speed that I listen.....you have a knack of simplifying things and I really appreciate that you get to the point and skip all the stupid jabber that so many other You Tubers put in their videos.
dude, thank u SO MUCH! how detailed explanation .. I am about to use alternator as generator in one project and I was not sure about connections.. I have 3 wire bosch alternator and this video explained me 110% how exactly to connect it. thanks!
Chris, I appreciate the help very much. Drawing the diagram is key for me. I have a John Deere Diesel engine that my so-called, X mechanic rewired. He had a small clamp on one end of a wire you were required to clamp it on the positive side of the battery with the other end of the wire going to the fuel pump. We had to hook it up to start the engine and unhook it to kill the engine. I am fixing to go repair my equipment with the help from you. I subscribed to your channel and look forward to many more of your demonstrations. Now I have to get to work. Thanks again!!!!
Perfect explination. Thanks man I am in the process of a complete rewireing of my 66 chevelle SS 396 using American Autowire. I ripped out the old and after doing the simple stuff I went to the engine compartment. To say its confusing is an understatement. The wires are different colors than what is normally there. Tough times...
Good video man! I had replaced the starter on my old Camaro and didn't have any power after I got the new one back on.. A small wire was coming off of the battery hot wire cable that I assumed was going to the junction box. As it turned out the 12 volts to the junction block was actually coming from the starter hot wire terminal, which of course I hadn't hook back up.(to be honest I had never seen that before) I'm glad you mentioned it in the video, or else I would have looking in a whole different area. As soon as I heard you say that I knew what had happened. I'm not a great mechanic, but I understand the electronic part pretty well. Thanks for taking time to do this.I've learned a lot from your videos. David
i followed this video and was suscessful running a temporary ignition setup on my 74 chevy c20 after ditching all the factory wiring and replacing the fusable links everything is brighter and the engine woke up thank you for doing it right used all the same stuff
Thank you man this video really explains it in a way other videos couldn’t. Really helped to see you actually wire it up outside of a vehicle. Thank you.
thank you.fianly I can see if this truck I bought in pieces runs because no wires are there .your the first to show how to hook it up.and showed it the easy way also. thank you so much
I was banging my head against the wall trying to figure out why my 78 C10 was not charging, the harness was all cut up when I got it now I can confidently fix this thank you so much.
I'm Completely rewiring My 69 C10 with a 1980 350 sbc using American Autowire (AA) Harnesses. Trying to figure out where AA's Brown wire (Alternator Ign) and red wire (Custom Jumper Supplied by AA) connected. The original Alternator harness wire colors were Blue and Red. From your Video, I'm now confident that I'm connecting the correct wires to the 1 an 2 terminals (as shown in your video. Thanks a million. Now I can get some sleep!
Good job explaining. I never knew how they were wired. Makes perfect sense. The dummy light is the "Alt" red light on some vehicles. Thank you very much !
ALOHA 🤙🏽 If only the whole entire world know what you have shown on this video and have the knowledge. Especially for the uncivilized areas to homelessness this system would helped many people around the world where there is no electricity at all. #knowledgeisPOWER
Thanks for the refresher course. Been tied up fixing newer stuff forgot all this. Just had someone bring a truck to me, 78 Chevy, that I don't think even one wire worked. Someone replaced all the gauges in the dash with aftermarket, cut holes out where the original gauges were and literally used silicone caulk to glue them in. An amp gauge, that was tapped into the power supply to the ignition switch. The copper oil line to the gauge was cut about 5" before the gauge, a rubber hose with 2 clamps on a plastic nipple connected it to the gauge, It had been leaking oil down onto the switch. The aftermarket temp gauge with the probe into the the head had just been cut off when they exchanged engines. As for the alternator, the battery lead ran all the way back to the firewall and was butt connected directly to the #2 alternator lead on the alternator, with a big yellow splice connector barely connected to a red wire into the harness. Plus 10' of rubber gas line from the saddlebag tank switch valve laying on the exhaust to the manual pump, then a metal line up to the manifold, from the pump, that had a kink.... what a mess. And the one working tank is full of bad gas. All this crap connected to a new engine, trans, Edelbrock carb. Now new electric fuel pump, ran to original metal line along the frame. Tomorrow hopefully I can finish this mess, thanks to your help.
it wouldn't hurt to use 8 ga. wire from the alt. to batt. especially with higher amp alts. like 100 amp and up. and if long distances. or 150 amp plus 6 ga. or 4 ga. wire if using high current devices. more wire. means less voltage drop. and more current flow. and don't forget the ground. or negative side. there has to be a ground strap or wire. from the batt. to the engine. and body. I have heard of fires from poor grounds melting break lines . and fuel lines. because of the metal lines carrying the full current of the battery . when starting. or under heavy load. lots of the time ppl forget about the ground cables.
hey Chris, I was trying to finish connecting my 1964 scout 80 starter switch. your video helped me, clear and with precise drawing. I made a sketch to have the reference when I do this connection. deeply appreciate your help. bob
British Classic Car Folks, BMC, British Leyland (MG, Triumph, Austin Healey, Jaguar all pre-1980) The main 10 gauge battery charging wire and the #1 (R) for the ignition light (14 gauge on my MGBGT) on the tachometer. The #2 (F) jump it to the main screw battery using 10gauge minimum. Great video that documents the electric path.
Great job Chris! .. Good overview of the alt, start and key switch hookup .. If the light does not go out and there is and issue with the alternator its usually the rectifier going bad. Normally the alternator is still good and a simple replacement of the rectifier will fix this issue. However, it's still not to say the alternator has an internal short of open winding somewhere still causing the problem. Most people will just replace the alternator costing $$$ where the simple replacement of the rectifier is a whole lot less.
Saved me a lot of drama here, I was about to hook it up all wrong, I've been watching other vids and couldn't work it out, you have nailed it with this vid thank you
Thanks I think I'm all good now I just had trouble getting my head around the dash light and the white and brown wires, but I would like to ask if the main drawback to connecting the White right at the alternator be not knowing if the charge is reaching the battery?
Great explanation. Every time you added a wire I took a screenshot. I always wondered about the number one wire on the alternator and now I know. Thank you
Excellent video. Your vid is the only simple explanation (3 wire alt) diagram and demonstration I’ve been able to find. Thanks. Hands down nothing out there compares. With all that said shame on you for using a BLACK cable from the battery to the starter. 😳 it’s easy to find a mistake once you educated me. 😁
There ya go and now we all know without a doubt why you are the teacher. Appears that I have even more to learn... That’s ok I had already subscribed. Again Thanks for the excellent vid
great video!! rat rod is on the road again and my headache is gone. wiring isn't my fortae so you saved my life!! very slow and you explained everything
Great job..... im a electric guy. I always use the correct wire size. I also make everything look good thats very important to me. I tell people if they can't draw it out don't be wire up a car.
Thanks for the very good video. This helped me diagnose a short which happened to be on the starter wire going to the alternator. I was able to follow the wire - The wire was broken off. It is a 1972 LeMans.
it's usually a 4 Ga. cable from battery to starter, or larger. It certainly doesn't hurt using a larger cable. Just make sure to use "Tinned OFC Copper cable" so it does not corrode being out under your hood. cool video
Outstanding video!!! Exactly what anyone would need to know for this type of project, and super easy to understand. Been looking for about a month for some decent instructions ..., to no avail,, and finally..., these are perfect!!! Thank you so much!
As a side bar. If you were to swap out the points distributor with an HEI ignition, you needed to get rid of the resister. Most people do this, as HEI gives you a much hotter spark, and is trouble free. No maintenance.
Thank you for taking the time to set up a real time illustration as well as drawing the diagram. Can't ask for anymore than this. Liked and subscribed!
great video. the "dummy" light can be replaced with a 10 ohm, wirewound resistor. wirewound resistors are more rugged than carbon resistors or "dummy" bulbs. years ago, they were referred to as "idiot"lights. a voltmeter or ammeter will tell you if your charging or not.
video was great. after watching I was able to fix a problem with my corvette that had me ready to throw in the towel. lol. and it took about an hour and cost me 10 bucks. thanks again brother. u r. the man!!
i have an 86' Chevy C10 and i started to do lots of repairs. one at night noticed a big huge sparks... when i looked at my bulk of wires from harness, their was like 5 wires exposed to metal and so after repairing the wires noticed my charching system would not charge. this was about 8 months ago so after a struggle of new alternator new battery fixing wires i was upset could not find the issue. so ive been upset let truck sit now no tags and seen this vid. it has giving me hope!!! im starting all fresh and rewireing the whole charging sytem like on this video hope it works for me or else im burning the truck to the ground. engine has 88,000 orig. miles from previous owner n the old man never requested pink from bank, so i did that was easy and i do have pink in hand but i will also burn pink slip on the ground next to truck if it dont work!
Very very helpful. Straight to the point. It’s works. :) My neighbor was pointing all kinds of stuff to replaced. I switch the 2 smaller wires and walaaaa! Now my battery is charging by the alternator. Unplug the positive and negative from the battery and if the vehicle turns off there’s a problem with your alternator or may be wired wrong. Lol. I end up buying a new alternator anyways for peace of mind. Good luck Gracias.
Chris Craft thanks for the heads up. I just seen your other video. I recently had to upgrade my new starter because the way my wired the alternator actually drained my batt the next morning. I had to take it to a auto electric spot not break my head. $140 ans solved my problem. They had to replaced my alternator to a similar but one that works different with an internal part that doesn’t need a 12vlt regulator.
had to check the GM wirign for a friend. thx for the wirign colors, etc you mention for the dummy light ''it interrupts the cicuit' - the way it works is if you switch on ignition one side of bulb gets 12V and at the alternator (exciter) it grounds -> light is on but the moment the laternator is charging, the exciter is _also_ 12V. if you have 12V on both sides, the bulb goes off ;-) so its njot an interrupotion as such - just a neat trick
wwwwwooooaaaw thanks Sr. !!! i replaced my accessories band, what a headache ! but in the pulling to fit it... i disconnected a wire, and now i know that i plug in the wrong place, my c10 alternator have more than 2 pins in the back. THANKS AGAIN !!!
Thank you for this Awesome video! I couldn’t understand why my dummy light wouldn’t go out or was dim even though the alternator was charging. Guess it’s time to replace it.
Chris, Great video. Thanks. Replacing the generator in my 58 Chevy panel truck with an alternator. The difference is the ignition key merely completes a circuit and the starter is engaged with a foot pedal. Please help me apply your video to my situation. Thanks!
Chris Craft Just subscribed so will watch a lot of them. Got an old JD tractor that was converted to an alternator and its not working too pretty good, either wiring or alternator not highly salubrious
thanks so much for the video. am restoring a 442 1968 and someone put on it a 455 from another year and the harness dont fit on the engine. this can work perfect. thanks Chris!
Thanks Chris for the video. it just made my work straight forward. this deserves thumps up. This is of great help to my project. keep up the good work. if u get time, help me to wire a radiator switch, thermostat, equas gauge. thanks a lot for the video.
Best video I have come across of the subject. It would have been better without the noise in the background which is a little distracting when someone is trying to learn. Thanks for the diagram and especially the wire gauges!
This is great my 77 gmc c60 will not charge this video made me understand how it works. I'm just gonna run new wires exactly like this an be done with it. Thanks
Nice video but how do I also wire the coil and resistor?
I have a points ignition video this is the charging system. Not the ignition system
For those wondering what the R terminal is on the starter solenoid ? On the older contact points ignition systems. 12v was too much voltage with the engine running. It would prematurely burn up the points. So they ran a resister to the points in the distributor.and drop the voltage to 9 or 10 volts. The R on the starter, also ran to the distributor, but only sent power during cranking. Giving you 12 v. To the points during cranking, as an aid to help start the engine. 12v.= hotter spark.once the engine has started, you let the key off the crank position, and the 9 volt resister wire was now running the distributor.
Exactly
#1 alternator exciter terminal wire requires diode inline or key won't turn off engine on 10si alternator.
Do not buy new alternator if dummy light does not shut off and engine does not shut off with key.
Dude, I'll dance at your wedding, make no mistake about it, you are the man. I've got an 86' GMC, and the wiring on it is a mess. I've been pulling my hair out trying to get it straight. If only I had found your video yesterday morning. No lie dude, this is the best, most concise, idiot proof, no fuss no muss, instructional video I have ever seen.
Much respect to you my Friend
You make an EXCELLENT teacher! Few folks would take the time to lay out an open air high visibility functonal model for others to view so they can actually "Follow The Wires"(paths) so they can fully comprehend what you are teaching them to do. Great instructional video Chris!!!
Chris..it is people like you who truly change people's lives just by your teaching.. thank you and my Yahwah bless you in Yashauwahs Holy name. Amen.
This is the best and easiest to understand video I found to explain this. No nonsense and too the point. You're a great teacher. This helped me with my 50 CHEVY TRUCK 12V conversion. I especially appreciate the safety factors you stress, wire guages, etc. I will however add a 50 amp in line fuse to the hot wire that feeds the whole system to prevent any spikes.
This was EXACTLY what I wanted to watch!!! I bought a 63 c10 and it didn’t have an ignition switch. The wires under the dash were all jacked up and spliced with different colors. Needles to say I did trust the wire colors. Thank you very much.
WOW GREAT explanation, I love it when someone understands that we're not experts, and shows us in basic understandable language 😃😃😃 Thanks
Big thanks for this I have a 73 pickup with a birds nest of wires that wont run because the last owner wired it all wrong so I plan to strip it down and re wire it but I dont know much about electrical stuff on cars so I wanted to be sure on the basics and you did this in a very simple but informative way that I understand! Again thank you!
Chris, thank you very much for making these videos. I am 54 years old and grew up turning a wrench or two with my day - first car was a 1970 Grand Prix (my dad had a '69 GP). Currently I have a 1969 Grand Prix (428)- which I screwed up the charging system (don't ask how) - anyway, my father passed away several years ago, and without his guidance, I have used your videos to help me through several fixes - THANK YOU! Completely awesome! Much respect.
What else what else is number one and number Number 2 called
thanks man.
Best vid for me to understand how it all works. Will be completing my '89 Massey Ferg tractor. Can't wait to get started. Thanks so much pal. 😊 In the late '50's chevy Dad's car had a generator and voltage regulator. He'd turn on the headlights on long highway trips so that the regulator wouldn't overcharge the battery. Gas was 39 to 50 cents a gallon then.
Hi Chris, this is one of the most informative videos I have seen. Very helpful thanks. Due to a faulty ignition switch I burned out the starter. On this old tractor I had to replace everything and this helped me tremendously. Great stuff !!!
It's true what they say! Use it or lose it. Being a retired heavy equipment mechanic in my late 60s, I worked on all types of cars as a kid and did all this type of wiring work back then. Now I have to refresh the brain seels and you are a great help with that for sure. Keep up the good work.
Great video and very informative. Only thing is that you should have mentioned that the big cable going from the battery to the starter is a POSITIVE cable. Given that the cable is black some people might think that it is the NEGATIVE cable going to the starter.
You can just replace the voltage regulator which is where number one and number two connect to. It's a chip and it's a lot cheaper. Then buying the whole alternator A lot of times the stator and windings in those GM alternators do not go bad or like you said the diode or rectifier but the diode and the regulator are pretty cheap and relatively easy to replace. There is brushes in there too like an electric motor but they come in a kit I think or you can buy them separate but they're not that expensive. Of course if you're savvy at rebuilding stuff like that, which you are just throwing that at you cuz that's what I do Good video on the wiring I like it!
You are very generous to share your knowledge. This will definitely be a reference when I start wiring my 85 monte SS back up. (previous owner cut out most wiring for some reason.) Also have an 87 SS with a drain. Will double check the wiring on that one. Thanks again.
What actually happens when the alternator starts charging is it sends +12v from the alternator to the dummy light bulb. Since the bulb will have +12v going into it from both sides there will be no current 'flow' and the bulb goes out. It doesn't break the circuit to the bulb. That is why on some vehicles if the alternator isn't supplying the full current it should, and the "balance of power" is unequal, the dummy light can glow a little. It's a alert to check the system, both ends of the main circuit, the alternator and the battery which could be malfunctioning as well. Great video exposition, Really great to see the wiring displayed like that, Thanks Just sayin' Mike
I love though you drew it,because unfortunately not every body learns the same way and as an old woman it takes me more time to get it. I home more people in RUclips can adopt this system and help more people like me learn easy and fast. Thank you very much.
Thank you for your video, it helped me to understand and to rewire my 1973 Case 580 CK tractor. The alternator that was on the machine had two wires not three, but I went out and purchased a GM Three wire alternator. The prestolite alternator wasn't working so it had to go. Your video was very informative and easy to understand. Now the dummy light works. Thank you again Charles Mares
Big thanks here as well, helped my 12 volt conversion go much smoother since I couldn't get a single wire alternator. It was very informative and you kept it simple as it should be. Thanks again
If your application is in a tractor with a 6 volt starter (no solenoid) and coil with a ballast resister, the dummie light will go on the S or center post on key switch, and the coil will go to the I or Ign. Otherwise the motor cuts off when the ignition is returned to the ON position. Great video thanks helped alot
Hey man Thank you for making this video and your 2nd video pertaining to this. I got an old 69 c10 wired ALL WRONG! they used painless wiring kits and trust me it was nothing less than PAINFUL!! This video alone allowed me to come back to thinking simply. as I am a mechanic and this puzzled me for weeks. it took a "2nd eye" for me to get collected again. Good emphasis where needed on particular gauge wiring. Thankyou
I wired up my truck like 25 years ago with out the internet... I'm like how the heck did I do it. This is a very helpful video, I'm wiring
Dude, this is such a helpful video! Great explanation, great diagram, and you used real props to explain. Thank you for helping at least one person here a lot!
thanks for all the vids Chris - i'm building a street strip "71 Cutlass - you've helped me many times. I like the way you present your material- you talk about the same speed that I listen.....you have a knack of simplifying things and I really appreciate that you get to the point and skip all the stupid jabber that so many other You Tubers put in their videos.
dude, thank u SO MUCH! how detailed explanation .. I am about to use alternator as generator in one project and I was not sure about connections.. I have 3 wire bosch alternator and this video explained me 110% how exactly to connect it. thanks!
Chris, I appreciate the help very much. Drawing the diagram is key for me. I have a John Deere Diesel engine that my so-called, X mechanic rewired. He had a small clamp on one end of a wire you were required to clamp it on the positive side of the battery with the other end of the wire going to the fuel pump. We had to hook it up to start the engine and unhook it to kill the engine. I am fixing to go repair my equipment with the help from you. I subscribed to your channel and look forward to many more of your demonstrations. Now I have to get to work. Thanks again!!!!
That is the best video that I have seen on hooking up an alternator. Nice work.
I have a video on hooking up a gm 3 wire alternator that goes over more
Perfect explination. Thanks man I am in the process of a complete rewireing of my 66 chevelle SS 396 using American Autowire. I ripped out the old and after doing the simple stuff I went to the engine compartment. To say its confusing is an understatement. The wires are different colors than what is normally there. Tough times...
Good video man! I had replaced the starter on my old Camaro and didn't have any power after I got the new one back on.. A small wire was coming off of the battery hot wire cable that I assumed was going to the junction box. As it turned out the 12 volts to the junction block was actually coming from the starter hot wire terminal, which of course I hadn't hook back up.(to be honest I had never seen that before) I'm glad you mentioned it in the video, or else I would have looking in a whole different area. As soon as I heard you say that I knew what had happened. I'm not a great mechanic, but I understand the electronic part pretty well. Thanks for taking time to do this.I've learned a lot from your videos. David
yeah, after 71 they ran a fused link off of the starter to feed everything.. good comment
David Slack the
i followed this video and was suscessful running a temporary ignition setup on my 74 chevy c20 after ditching all the factory wiring and replacing the fusable links everything is brighter and the engine woke up thank you for doing it right used all the same stuff
watch my 3 wire gm alternator video in case your truck won’t shut off
What did the fusible links run to, and where did you buy new ones?
Thank you man this video really explains it in a way other videos couldn’t. Really helped to see you actually wire it up outside of a vehicle. Thank you.
thank you.fianly I can see if this truck I bought in pieces runs because no wires are there .your the first to show how to hook it up.and showed it the easy way also. thank you so much
Thank you for explaining in detail , a simple way to wire my sbc ...Plus you told me what gauge wire to use..which is what I was looking for..
I was banging my head against the wall trying to figure out why my 78 C10 was not charging, the harness was all cut up when I got it now I can confidently fix this thank you so much.
Chris , this is what I’ve been looking for!! You’re an excellent instructor!!!. Thank you, thank you.
Thanks for making this procedure so simple to understand. Great job. Working on the wiring for a CJ 2 A(1948).
This is exactly what I needed. Thank you very much for uploading this video.
I'm Completely rewiring My 69 C10 with a 1980 350 sbc using American Autowire (AA) Harnesses. Trying to figure out where AA's Brown wire (Alternator Ign) and red wire (Custom Jumper Supplied by AA) connected. The original Alternator harness wire colors were Blue and Red. From your Video, I'm now confident that I'm connecting the correct wires to the 1 an 2 terminals (as shown in your video. Thanks a million. Now I can get some sleep!
I have a gm 3 wire alternator video,,, it’s old
outstanding vid, thanks for putting the time and effort into this.
Good job explaining. I never knew how they were wired. Makes perfect sense. The dummy light is the "Alt" red light on some vehicles. Thank you very much !
Great video. Why is it so hard to tell it like it is? Good job here!!!
ALOHA 🤙🏽
If only the whole entire world know what you have shown on this video and have the knowledge. Especially for the uncivilized areas to homelessness this system would helped many people around the world where there is no electricity at all.
#knowledgeisPOWER
Thanks Chris
This was very informative
All respect
Thanks for the refresher course. Been tied up fixing newer stuff forgot all this. Just had someone bring a truck to me, 78 Chevy, that I don't think even one wire worked. Someone replaced all the gauges in the dash with aftermarket, cut holes out where the original gauges were and literally used silicone caulk to glue them in. An amp gauge, that was tapped into the power supply to the ignition switch. The copper oil line to the gauge was cut about 5" before the gauge, a rubber hose with 2 clamps on a plastic nipple connected it to the gauge, It had been leaking oil down onto the switch. The aftermarket temp gauge with the probe into the the head had just been cut off when they exchanged engines. As for the alternator, the battery lead ran all the way back to the firewall and was butt connected directly to the #2 alternator lead on the alternator, with a big yellow splice connector barely connected to a red wire into the harness. Plus 10' of rubber gas line from the saddlebag tank switch valve laying on the exhaust to the manual pump, then a metal line up to the manifold, from the pump, that had a kink.... what a mess. And the one working tank is full of bad gas. All this crap connected to a new engine, trans, Edelbrock carb. Now new electric fuel pump, ran to original metal line along the frame. Tomorrow hopefully I can finish this mess, thanks to your help.
Thx man this helped a lot. Gave me a complete different understanding of it
This video is gold. I have added this as a favorite which I don't often do. Great work, Chris Craft!
it wouldn't hurt to use 8 ga. wire from the alt. to batt. especially with higher amp alts. like 100 amp and up. and if long distances. or 150 amp plus 6 ga. or 4 ga. wire if using high current devices. more wire. means less voltage drop. and more current flow. and don't forget the ground. or negative side. there has to be a ground strap or wire. from the batt. to the engine. and body. I have heard of fires from poor grounds melting break lines . and fuel lines. because of the metal lines carrying the full current of the battery . when starting. or under heavy load. lots of the time ppl forget about the ground cables.
+James stranger watch my 100 amp alternator video.. this is factory 70 chevelle .. early video that I need to remake
I liked it.
hey Chris, I was trying to finish connecting my 1964 scout 80 starter switch. your video helped me, clear and with precise drawing. I made a sketch to have the reference when I do this connection. deeply appreciate your help. bob
Thank you! Very well done, clear and right to the point. Exactly what I needed.
British Classic Car Folks, BMC, British Leyland (MG, Triumph, Austin Healey, Jaguar all pre-1980) The main 10 gauge battery charging wire and the #1 (R) for the ignition light (14 gauge on my MGBGT) on the tachometer. The #2 (F) jump it to the main screw battery using 10gauge minimum. Great video that documents the electric path.
Thanks for sharing this. Exactly what I was looking for.
Great job Chris! .. Good overview of the alt, start and key switch hookup .. If the light does not go out and there is and issue with the alternator its usually the rectifier going bad. Normally the alternator is still good and a simple replacement of the rectifier will fix this issue. However, it's still not to say the alternator has an internal short of open winding somewhere still causing the problem. Most people will just replace the alternator costing $$$ where the simple replacement of the rectifier is a whole lot less.
Awesome, thank you man
wiring my old tractor
Awesome video
Saved me a lot of drama here, I was about to hook it up all wrong, I've been watching other vids and couldn't work it out, you have nailed it with this vid thank you
ask me any questions.. this video is actually an early one... but i know all about wiring anything old school...
Thanks I think I'm all good now I just had trouble getting my head around the dash light and the white and brown wires, but I would like to ask if the main drawback to connecting the White right at the alternator be not knowing if the charge is reaching the battery?
@@715101 watch my gm 3 wire alternator hook up video
Thank you Chris, Great video😀👌🏽
Great explanation. Every time you added a wire I took a screenshot. I always wondered about the number one wire on the alternator and now I know. Thank you
I have a video on wiring a Gm 3 wire that goes more in depth
Very nice video, very useful! =D
Excellent video. Your vid is the only simple explanation (3 wire alt) diagram and demonstration I’ve been able to find. Thanks. Hands down nothing out there compares. With all that said shame on you for using a BLACK cable from the battery to the starter. 😳 it’s easy to find a mistake once you educated me. 😁
the factory cables on old cars were ALL black... those are factory reproductions for a 70 chevelle... watch my 3 wire alternator hook up video
There ya go and now we all know without a doubt why you are the teacher. Appears that I have even more to learn... That’s ok I had already subscribed. Again Thanks for the excellent vid
Well done!
great video!! rat rod is on the road again and my headache is gone. wiring isn't my fortae so you saved my life!! very slow and you explained everything
this is actually my worst wiring video.. let me know if you have any questions.. check out the 3 wire GM alternator hook up video..
thank you good video. .
thanks again want more info visit
This video saved my bacon man, you really broke it down simple enough for a beginner like me. Thank you!
Perfect video
Some of us struggle to learn. Having unfamiliar music playing only makes it more difficult. But thank you for the easy to understand video.
early video, sorry
great video but that music is very off putting
Great job..... im a electric guy. I always use the correct wire size. I also make everything look good thats very important to me. I tell people if they can't draw it out don't be wire up a car.
Thankyou man👍
Very concise and very well explained....I'm wiring a T-Roadster up, so any wiring explanations are great.
Turn the music off!
William Garrett turn the freaking music offfffffffffff!
but I LIIIIIIIIKE it!
It's barely noticeable 😑
William Garrett p
Whaaaaaaaaaa :(
You saved my life brother couldn’t have been explained any better thank you very much.
Thanks for the very good video. This helped me diagnose a short which happened to be on the starter wire going to the alternator. I was able to follow the wire - The wire was broken off. It is a 1972 LeMans.
it's usually a 4 Ga. cable from battery to starter, or larger. It certainly doesn't hurt using a larger cable. Just make sure to use "Tinned OFC Copper cable" so it does not corrode being out under your hood. cool video
Bro just found this channel, I have a 1962 chevy I bought it doesn't run and im no mechanic so I will be watching your videos !!! Thanks big homie !!!
Outstanding video!!! Exactly what anyone would need to know for this type of project, and super easy to understand. Been looking for about a month for some decent instructions ..., to no avail,, and finally..., these are perfect!!! Thank you so much!
As a side bar. If you were to swap out the points distributor with an HEI ignition, you needed to get rid of the resister. Most people do this, as HEI gives you a much hotter spark, and is trouble free. No maintenance.
Thank you for taking the time to set up a real time illustration as well as drawing the diagram. Can't ask for anymore than this. Liked and subscribed!
Glad I found you, I'm not a Chevy guy, put am building a ratrod, using Chevy motor, now I know how to wire it up. Thanks
watch my gm 3 wire alternator video and you won’t have any problems at all
great video. the "dummy" light can be replaced with a 10 ohm, wirewound resistor. wirewound resistors are more rugged than carbon resistors or "dummy" bulbs. years ago, they were referred to as "idiot"lights. a voltmeter or ammeter will tell you if your charging or not.
Thanks for the wiring chart. My dads old tractor had a problem charging. You just showed me what the problem was. Thanks
this is the best explanation ive seen. other videos have been just like wtf are you talking about.
video was great. after watching I was able to fix a problem with my corvette that had me ready to throw in the towel. lol. and it took about an hour and cost me 10 bucks. thanks again brother. u r. the man!!
i have an 86' Chevy C10 and i started to do lots of repairs. one at night noticed a big huge sparks... when i looked at my bulk of wires from harness, their was like 5 wires exposed to metal and so after repairing the wires noticed my charching system would not charge. this was about 8 months ago so after a struggle of new alternator new battery fixing wires i was upset could not find the issue. so ive been upset let truck sit now no tags and seen this vid. it has giving me hope!!! im starting all fresh and rewireing the whole charging sytem like on this video hope it works for me or else im burning the truck to the ground. engine has 88,000 orig. miles from previous owner n the old man never requested pink from bank, so i did that was easy and i do have pink in hand but i will also burn pink slip on the ground next to truck if it dont work!
Very very helpful.
Straight to the point.
It’s works. :)
My neighbor was pointing all kinds of stuff to replaced. I switch the 2 smaller wires and walaaaa!
Now my battery is charging by the alternator. Unplug the positive and negative from the battery and if the vehicle turns off there’s a problem with your alternator or may be wired wrong.
Lol. I end up buying a new alternator anyways for peace of mind.
Good luck
Gracias.
I have a gm 3 wire alternator video going over charging problems
Chris Craft thanks for the heads up.
I just seen your other video.
I recently had to upgrade my new starter because the way my wired the alternator actually drained my batt the next morning. I had to take it to a auto electric spot not break my head. $140 ans solved my problem.
They had to replaced my alternator to a similar but one that works different with an internal part that doesn’t need a 12vlt regulator.
had to check the GM wirign for a friend. thx for the wirign colors, etc
you mention for the dummy light ''it interrupts the cicuit' - the way it works is if you switch on ignition one side of bulb gets 12V and at the alternator (exciter) it grounds -> light is on
but the moment the laternator is charging, the exciter is _also_ 12V. if you have 12V on both sides, the bulb goes off ;-) so its njot an interrupotion as such - just a neat trick
This is The only alt wiring instructional video that I can understand . Thank you very much
wwwwwooooaaaw thanks Sr. !!! i replaced my accessories band, what a headache ! but in the pulling to fit it... i disconnected a wire, and now i know that i plug in the wrong place, my c10 alternator have more than 2 pins in the back. THANKS AGAIN !!!
Today am going to install alternator n starter on my 15 kva generator....thanks....its the best explanation video i found
Thank you for this Awesome video! I couldn’t understand why my dummy light wouldn’t go out or was dim even though the alternator was charging. Guess it’s time to replace it.
Chris, Great video. Thanks. Replacing the generator in my 58 Chevy panel truck with an alternator. The difference is the ignition key merely completes a circuit and the starter is engaged with a foot pedal. Please help me apply your video to my situation. Thanks!
Thanks Chris. Eggszackly what I was looking for. So much easier to understand on a bench without all the engine compartment clutter
Watch my 3 wire external hook up alternator video as well...
Chris Craft Just subscribed so will watch a lot of them. Got an old JD tractor that was converted to an alternator and its not working too pretty good, either wiring or alternator not highly salubrious
thanks so much for the video. am restoring a 442 1968 and someone put on it a 455 from another year and the harness dont fit on the engine. this can work perfect. thanks Chris!
Thanks Chris for the video. it just made my work straight forward. this deserves thumps up. This is of great help to my project. keep up the good work. if u get time, help me to wire a radiator switch, thermostat, equas gauge. thanks a lot for the video.
Chris you need to include a Fusible link / Maxi fuse into the circuit for safety....
Good Simple video .... Nice work.
Great video man I’m 17 and trying to start my fresh rebuild 350 probably watched this 5 times lol thanks for the vid
I have the 3 wire alternator video you should check out
I'm upgrading my '70 C-10 truck alternator to one of these. Your video is very helpful.
Very cool, I forgot how to do this 😂😂 Great video, very helpful
Best video I have come across of the subject. It would have been better without the noise in the background which is a little distracting when someone is trying to learn. Thanks for the diagram and especially the wire gauges!
This is great my 77 gmc c60 will not charge this video made me understand how it works. I'm just gonna run new wires exactly like this an be done with it. Thanks
i have an alternator hook up video too
@@chriscraft77022 can you send the link
God bless you with more knowledge.
Clearly explained beyond my expectations