mean green alternator wire

[billschroeder5842]

Wondering where a little green wire goes that is coming off the alternator wiring harness. I have a 69 with a 383 but was converted to electronic ignition.

I did a project today where I took the alternator off the mount, did not disconnect any wires and layed it back on the engine firguring that all I had to do what re mount the bolts and off I'd go.

Well, that did not work as some of the wires "pulled" out of the connections. I had a blue and a green wire pull out.

The blue wire was easy as it pulled out of its female connector. That connected terminal on the back of the alternator.

The question I have is with this green wire. Now, I looked and there happens to be two green ones coming from my harness. One of them (the slighly lager one) stayed connected. It is one that has a black female plastic connector.

The other green one pulled out of something as it was a stripped, bare wire. I tried to find a connection and am stuck as to where it goes.

Here is a couple of things...with the key in the "on" position, the green wire is hot, showing 6 volts. Also, when I start the car (leaving the green wire lose) the alternator does not charge. Previous to this project the alternator charged just fine.

My gut tells me that the blue and the green wire should be joined and connected. But I've allready had a wiring melt down so I'm very cautious!

I looked every where

Thanks!

[maxwellwedge]

How many terminals on your alternator? 69 and earlier had the thick "hot" wire that went on the threaded stud and one male slide on "Field" terminal. In 70 another "Field" was added to go with the electronic voltage regulator.

[billschroeder5842]

Looks like mine has three connection points.

The threaded connection
The thicker green wire
The blue connection

So where do you thing the spare (hot) green one goes? Do you think it has something to do with the charging

thanks for the reply!

[Purple68]

Is it possible that the green belongs on the horn relay? I believe there are 2 greens spliced at the relay that go to the horns.

[Nacho-RT74]

something fishy here

what regulator do you have ?

wire for horn up to 69s are black because drives negative from inside cab, being relay is into engine bay... becomes green ( traced red ) since  70 when changed to drive positive from inside the cab with relay moved inside

[billschroeder5842]

The "spare" green has electricity flowing with the key on run. The length looks like it could (should?) fit with the blue wire.

Since the blue and the spare green became disconnected, the alternator no longer charges.

I just went out an tried to do some tracing....

The blue and the green from the alternator go to the voltage regulator which is a "Newer" style. The new regulator is mounted on the wall near the horns. The blue and green clearly run from the alternator to the regulator.

The Spare green is taped into the original harness and runs back to the fire wall. From what I can tell there is a green one (very similar looking) that comes out of the back of the harness and connects into the "old" big black box voltage regulator on the fire wall. According to the previous owner, he kept it. I never questioned it as everything seemed to work.

Could the Spare green connect into the main green to the voltage regulator and connect up to the old voltage regulator? Could the car run with two regulators?

Thanks for helping!

[billschroeder5842]

**UPDATE**

The "Spare" green wire is definitely connected to the "old" voltage regulator--obviously the original field wire before the "upgrade."

The "new" green wire off the alternator field wire has no current flowing with the ignition on run, but motor not started.

Since the the "old green" has power from the old regulator and the "new green" has none running to the "new regulator", would it not make sense to connect the two together to the field terminal, completing the circuit and hence charging the battery?

Again, just playing it safe before I melt something again!

[squeakfinder]

    I hope this helps. Go to page 3, scroll down. Nacho has diagrams in his post....



http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,22649.40.html

[Nacho-RT74]

buddy, the fishy part on this is:

the correct setup for pre 70 cars is the old mechanical regulator with just one field wire to alt, coming directly from regulator field terminal. Alternator is just one prong setup. This green wire driving positive regulated source. Is hard to read this with a digital tester since is a pulse signal, so only will be able to read you are getting some voltage on this one. Analog tester is a best option for this.

then since 70 the alternator wiring and regulator was changed to two wires arriving to alternator prongs. Of course two prongs at alternator, both isolated from alternator chassis. On these the green wire is stil a regulated source but THIS TIME IS NEGATIVE. Blue is constant positive from ign switch ( spliced in to same blue wire at ballast and regulator )

so to know what you are getting there and what is correc we need to know what do you have on car ?

elect or mech regulator ?

dual prong or single prong setup on back of alt ?

if dual... are both correctly isolated from alt chassis ?

[maxwellwedge]

Sounds like he has both styles of reg on the car    If so - that needs to be fixed first.

[Nacho-RT74]

thinking the same

[billschroeder5842]

Thanks so much (On a side note... I'm feeling like such the idiot. I USED to be good with all this car stuff but lately it seems I can't fix anything) for all your help and patience!!

So, I looked at the diagrams (thanks for the link) and My system more closely resembles the 70. I must have a hybrid or something so here  what I've come up with....

*This '69 now has a two field (Battery plus Green and Blue) alternator
*The car has an electronic ignition upgrade
*It has TWO voltage regulators, one mechanical and the other the modern one.
*The green off the mechanical is HOT with the key on RUN
*with the blue and green attached (and nothing from the mechanical VR) to alternator the NEW voltage regulator the car does not charge

Reading the diagrams, the two field alternator needs juice at the green terminal to "power it up."

So the BIG question...if I attach the green lead from the mechanical VR to the green field in the alternator, will that complete the circuit and make the car charge?

Or should I get beer, invite the neighbors and kick back for the almost certain Viking funeral?

Thanks for all your help!!!!

[billschroeder5842]

Okay...

So, I've simplified this. Would a fuse testing device work? I figure I have a 50/50 chance of having it work (green or blue field lead) and the worse that happens is I blow a fuse on the tool?

Could that work?

[Nacho-RT74]

I would make it ever simply... REMOVE EVERYTHING you won't use. If you have a dual field/prongs alternator, remove the mechanical unit and the green wire related and save any confusion. Wire it like 70s sytem. Be sure both alt prongs are isolated from chassis

on electrical unit... green wire is juiced, yes but NEGATIVE from regulator, not positive... then blue must also juiced, yes but constant keyed POSITIVE. If you hook the green lead from mechanical, and the blue wire if is this positive too, you will get two positives sources. You need negative and positive to create magnetic fields inside alternator and get power.

On mechanical system, one of the alt brushes is grounded directly to alternator chasis, thats why the green wire sends positive

honestly, untape the harness and check what you got down it. Meet diagrams and match devices, tape it and VRROOOOM

[billschroeder5842]

Nacho! Thank you and everyone! I have my Charger back!

I connected the green "old" regulator  field with the Blue field wire on the new system and "Sha-zam" everything works and I have positive charge and nothing is melting!

Thank you all from saving my '69 from my planned Viking funeral replete with flames, inferno and small elven creatures dancing around the melting carcass.

"Sybil" lives for another day thanks to your help!

[Nacho-RT74]

nice... but did you make sure to remove everything not in use check and the "old" green wire was arriving to the electronic regulator unit ?