new powermaster one wire alternator??

[69wannabe]

Has anybody went with one of these new powermaster one wire alternators from summit or jegs? I am new to the forums and I have a 68 charger that is getting one of these when it arrives from summit racing. I have had this car since 99 and only had a couple of minor issues with the charging system til the last couple of years. I have had the alternator checked several times and replaced the regulator at least 5 times in the last two years. just lately had a alternator rebuilt to 55amps and went with one of the non point style electronic regulator and driving it this weekend it died and while checking it under the hood the regulator bursted into flames and it burnt the ignition wire all the way back to the ignition switch. My wiring is not new but isnt in that bad of shape either. Im pretty decent at wiring so I got the spade terminals out of the bulkhead and the plug and drilled it out so i could just run the wire straight through it to the switch. I got the bad wire out of the harness inside and out under the hood and it didnt melt any of the other wires thank goodness and ran a new wire for my ignition. Not going to use a regulator on the firewall anymore, im really just over it I guess. Gonna bolt one up and run some dummy wires to it so it looks to be hooked up and hopefully this one wire alternator I got ordered will be an upgrade from what I had. Just wondered if anybody else had went with one of these or had a similar problem. Thanks!!

[Pete in NH]

Hi,

I don't have any experience with these one wire alternators, but, have had some experience over the years with aftermarket Chrysler electronic regulators. Most of it was bad. The only regulators that have worked long term for me are original Mopar units. They are a bit pricey compared to aftermarket units but they hold up very well.

Also, your 69 Charger would have had the one field wire alternator origianlly with a mechcanical regulator. When you converted it to an electronic regulator did you also change the alternator to a two field wire unit?

[69wannabe]

It is a single field alternator or I will say was, The regulator was for the single field style alternator and instead of having the points stlye and what looked like a fishing reel inside of it it was a printed circuit style regulator supposedly compatable with electronic ignition. I got my alternator in today and put it on it it works fine and it is a one wire hook up and it is a natural finish alternator and my alternator gauge works fine too. Maybe this will be a good quality alternator and will be trouble free for awhile.

[Pete in NH]

Hi,

I'm not sure what type of set up you had with your old one field wire alternator and some type of electronic regulator as it doesn't sound like it was a factory type design.  Good luck with the new one wire alternator it sounds like it will solve the issue.

[69wannabe]

It was a regular factory pre 70 set up, for several years I had a regulator that looked like a plastic box and it was on there for 6 to 8 of the years that I have owned this car and it worked great until it finally just went bad from wear I guess. After that I bought a standard brand VR101 and it worked good for a couple of years and after that its been one after the other on there. I use a local alternator guy for my alternators and starters and he does great work and even told me he can get the conversion kits to make my single field alternator into a one wire unit. I was just aggravated I guess having to haul the charger home on a trailer so I hit summit racing as soon as I got in saturday night on the web and found that one wire unit and hit the order button. Still may have my guy to build me up the one I pulled off so I will have a spare. Doesnt hurt to have extra parts laying around!! This powermaster unit seems to be a good unit so far and when you are idiling with the lights on and even with your foot on the brake it's still charging toward the positive side of the middle of the gauge instead of they way it used to do which when it was loaded with lights on idiling it was always slightly to the left of the middle of the gauge until the rpm's came up off idle. Going to try it out saturday at a local car show and see how it does since I replaced the alternator and the carburetor at the same time.