Electrical gremlin.....HELP!!!

[Aussie Mike]

Hi Bobby,

If you think about how the charge light works it should be fairly easy to work out where the problem is. The charge light has +12V battery on one side of it and the brown wire from the alternator on the other side. When the alternator isn't charging the brown wire has a potential close to - ground so current flows from the 12v on one side of the bulb to the ground potential and lights the bulb. As the alternator turns and starts charging the potential of the brown wire increases bringing it closer to the +12V battery. Once it's voltage reaches the same potential as the +12V battery no current will flow from the +12V on one side of the bulb to the brown wires now +12V potential and so the bulb goes out.

If you disconnect the alternator brown wire the dash light should go out as that's where it's supposed to be getting its ground from. If it doesn't then you may have a short to ground back in your loom somewhere.

I believe the white wire is the exciter. This will be connected to ignition battery and will fire up the field winding when you turn the key so the whole thing starts charging.

Cheers