>Eric Frisbee
> Great info on the alternators, but... Doesn't the voltage regulator prevent
> the full 60 amps from hitting your wiring harness? As I understand the
> regulator, it sends only what is required by the electrical load. As to
> the amp guage not working, I have to disagree. Mine works perfectly,
> although only up to 30 amps which it would rarely hit, unless I have a dead
> battery. I have a pair of 30 amp fuses protecting my relatively fragile
> amp guage as well. As to the wiring. I am using a stock harness on
> the '67 and just hook up the white wire to my AC Delco, with a line run to
> #2 post on the alternator. No problems with that set up and it's got about
> 6 months of a 160 mile daily drive on it.
No. Voltage (volts) and current (amps) are different critters. Voltage is
pressure, current is flow. The voltage regulator does nothing regarding
current. The alternator will supply it's rated current at its specified
voltage. That's why you should at least use an additional, larger, wire to
connect the higher output of the new alternator to the battery.
You've been lucky that the loads you've put on the system haven't exceeded
the ability of the stock harness to carry the load. As an electrical load
increases the current it draws increases. If the wire (wires actually - both
power and ground have to be properly sized) can carry the needed current,
fine, if not, then it'll try anyway. But the wire(s) start to heat up since
it really can't carry the load comfortably. If the wire gets hot enough, the
insulation melts, exposing the conductor. Even if the insulation doesn't
melt, the heat tends to "cook" it, making it brittle and prone to cracking.
How are the two 30 amp fuses installed in the ammeter? If you have one on
each wire going to and from the ammeter, then yes, you have the circuit
fused for 30 amps, but if they're both in parallel (not series) on the
supply side of the gauge, then you are exposing the gauge to 60 amps.
HTH, Ron
Ronnie Day
ronday@attbi.com
Dallas/Ft. Worth
'71 510 2-dr (Prepared Class Autocrosser)
'73 510 2-dr (Street Toy)
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