Fried Alternator Wire

[DanEC]

The fuse is OK and I don't see any shorting tracks to the case. The orange insulator ring around the alternator post got a bit scortched from heat. The eyelet , nut and washer securing the terminal had signs of shorting like arcing. My theory is it didn't so much short as just get real hot from the increased resistance. I suspect Motorhead is right that the eyelet insulation was pinched and worked off leaving the connection loose.

[DanEC]

Bob - do you think I need to replace the length of orange wire? Looks like it would be quite a job to unwrap and re-wrap the harness but certainly do-able.

[Gaz64]

Dan,

You are correct in your analysis of your problem.

You'll find the ring terminal is not large enough in cross sectional area to carry the current draw required. Combined with a loose nut and/or poor crimp to the wire, and the connection overheats.

Seen it many times, still see it today in modern cars.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Gaz64

Dan,

You are correct in your analysis of your problem.

You'll find the ring terminal is not large enough in cross sectional area to carry the current draw required. Combined with a loose nut and/or poor crimp to the wire, and the connection overheats.

Seen it many times, still see it today in modern cars.

It did get hot - I noticed when I was through, 2 spots of solder on top of the frame rail. Apparently the ring had been soldered on and it melted and dripped down. I wonder if there is any detriment to the properties of the copper wire from the heat (Bob ??). Not sure if I need to replace the wire in the harness or maybe just strip it back again and re-solder the ring and insulate it back.

[patrickt]

I think you fried the wire back when you couldn't get it to charge properly and you were jumpering the voltage regulator. Jumpering the feed from the VR, to try and find the original problem had it running at absolute 100% max output if you revved it up past 1500 RPM or so.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I think you fried the wire back when you couldn't get it to charge properly and you were jumpering the voltage regulator. Jumpering the feed from the VR, to try and find the original problem had it running at absolute 100% max output if you revved it up past 1500 RPM or so.

Patrick

I think I would have noticed it before. Plus, I've noticed some twitchiness in the amp gage the last time I drove it. Pretty sure it just happened.

[strictlypersonl]

Originally Posted by Gaz64

Dan,
...You'll find the ring terminal is not large enough in cross sectional area to carry the current draw required. Combined with a loose nut and/or poor crimp to the wire, and the connection overheats.

After about 1000 ERA kits that have worked fine with that eye-ring, I suspect the problem was a bad physical/electrical contact somewhere at or near the ring. For those using high-draw or high-output charging systems, I've occasionally supplied a different feed wire that bypassed the ammeter circuit - the real limiting factor.