The General Motors single-wire alternator only needs to have one wire attached to it to work. Read on and discover how to hook up a single wire alternator.
This feature has made this unit popular with car enthusiasts and off-road truck builders. With the proper mounts, this alternator can be used with almost any engine and vehicle combination.
Importance of the alternator
Your vehicle’s alternator is the only device responsible for maintaining your battery. A car battery is not an unlimited source of energy; the battery requires a constant charging source to maintain the proper voltage and amperage for the vehicle.
Without the alternator, your vehicle will completely drain the battery in as little as 20 minutes. If you recognize the signs that your alternator is going bad, avoid draining your battery and being stranded.
How to Wire a Single Wire Alternator
As mentioned above, the single cable alternator made by General Motors only requires one cable to be connected for it to work.
Mount the alternator on the engine
Brackets may need to be made if they are not available at a vehicle repair shop or junkyard. Make sure the belt lines are straight on the pulleys and disconnect the negative cable from the vehicle’s battery.
Connect a 10-gauge wire from the alternator output stud to the positive battery terminal. Make both connections with a solderless ring terminal. This connection can also be made to the starter relay, as long as it is connected to the same terminal as the positive battery cable.
Finally reconnect the negative cable to the battery. In this way you have already learned how to connect a single cable alternator.
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