
Full Answer
How do the wires hook up on an alternator?
Wire alternators require only 1-wire to operate. Simply run one wire from the alternator ‘battery’ terminal to the positive terminal of the battery or to the starter solenoid main lug, which is connected to the positive battery post. Make sure that the battery is fully charged. Reconnect the ground cable, start the engine and using a VOM meter, verify that the alternator is charging at least 13.8 volts @ 1,000 engine
How do you wire an alternator with internal regulator?
How to Wire an Alternator Voltage Regulator
- Open the hood of your car. Ensure the engine is cool before wiring the alternator voltage regulator.
- Remove the black battery cable from the car’s battery terminal using a wrench. Remove the red battery cable using the same method.
- Locate the voltage regulator. ...
- Find the multi-wired harness nearby the alternator and voltage regulator. ...
How many wires go to an alternator?
How many wires go to an alternator?
- S terminal - Senses battery voltage.
- IG terminal - Ignition switch that turns the voltage regulator on.
- L terminal - Closes the circuit to the warning lamp.
- B terminal - Main alternator output terminal (connected to the battery)
- F terminal - Full-field bypass for regulator.
Is there a wire between starter and alternator?
The wire that comes off the stater is spliced and one end goes to the alternator and the other to the fuse block. Where the wire connects to the starter is a fusible link so it protects the wire. I have since moved over to a midi fuse instead.

What does the stator do in an alternator?
The main stator is the main component part an AC generator (or alternator). It is where the electrical energy is created to supply a load. The alternators excitation system attempts to control the voltage generated in the main stator to a pre-set point.
What are the 3 wires on an alternator?
There are three key wires in the loop: a positive wire for the battery, a sensing wire for voltage, and an igniting wire. The ignition input wire is linked to the engine. The energy detection cable monitors voltage and transmits it to the converter, while the energy wire links the alternator and the engine.
What is a stator wire?
The stator is the coil of wire housed inside the engine case. A magnet on a shaft spins within the stator, creating alternating current (AC). That current travels along fairly heavy gauge wire through the case and into the rectifier/regulator which converts it to DC power, and at a consistent output.
Where does the alternator exciter wire go?
Voltage goes through the light and down the exciter wire to the alternator. The wire is connected to the “L” terminal of the alternator. The exciter wire is used to turn on the voltage regulator.
What are the 2 small wires on an alternator?
The positive and negative cables are small and connected to the respective terminals of the battery. The alternator also shows a connection with the 'battery charging wire.
What wire goes from alternator to battery?
The alternator is connected to the battery via two thick wires. The Positive (Red) wire goes from the alternator directly to the battery. The Negative (Black) wire goes from the alternator to the car's chassis and the battery. The car's chassis acts as a “ground” or “earth” connection for the electrical system.
Do stator wires matter?
The answer the original question is simple, the order of the Stator wires doesn't matter and the order of the HOT / GROUND wires don't matter BUT hot must go to hot and ground to ground (obviously), but there are two of each.
What is the purpose of stators?
In an electric motor, the stator provides a magnetic field that drives the rotating armature; in a generator, the stator converts the rotating magnetic field to electric current. In fluid powered devices, the stator guides the flow of fluid to or from the rotating part of the system.
Does a stator charge a battery?
An ATV uses what is called a stator system or magneto system to charge its battery. This is a fairly simple and robust system located on the inside of the ATV's engine. Any time the engine is running, the stator is continuously generating an electric charge.
Why do you need to excite an alternator?
Without the excitation system the AC alternator would have no way of building its voltage as it starts to rotate, nor would not be able to regulate its voltage to the pre-set nominal level while running at its rated speed. So, without an excitation system, an AC alternator would be useless for its purpose.
Can you run a wire from alternator to battery?
No, you cannot straight wire your alternator directly to your battery. You will need to attach a cable directly to the positive side of the battery from the alternator output post. This is because when heavy electrical demands are placed on the alternator, the battery will help the alternator to produce full output.
What is the S terminal on an alternator?
Alternators usually have four terminals marked with letters. The "B" terminal is the main output which connects to the battery. The "S" terminal also connects to the battery and measures the voltage. The "IG" terminal is connected to the ignition switch, and the "L" terminal is connected the charging light.
How do you wire a 3 pin alternator?
How To Wire A Three Wire Alternator Wiring Diagram?Unplug the Negative Terminal of the Vehicle Battery. ... Assemble the Alternator Mounting Brackets. ... Connect the Positive Terminal Of The Battery To The Output Bolt. ... Plug-In the Negative Battery Cable. ... Unplug the Battery's Negative Terminal. ... Connect The Wire To The Output Stud.More items...•
Can I connect the alternator directly to the battery?
No, you cannot straight wire your alternator directly to your battery. You will need to attach a cable directly to the positive side of the battery from the alternator output post. This is because when heavy electrical demands are placed on the alternator, the battery will help the alternator to produce full output.
What are the terminals on an alternator?
Alternators usually have four terminals marked with letters. The "B" terminal is the main output which connects to the battery. The "S" terminal also connects to the battery and measures the voltage. The "IG" terminal is connected to the ignition switch, and the "L" terminal is connected the charging light.
What tells the alternator to charge?
A VOLTAGE REGULATOR regulates the charging voltage that the alternator produces, keeping it between 13.5 and 14.5 volts to protect the electrical components throughout the vehicle. There is also a system to warn the driver if something is not right with the charging system.
What is a main stator?
The main stator is the main component part an AC generator (or alternator). It is where the electrical energy is created to supply a load. The alternators excitation system attempts to control the voltage generated in the main stator to a preset point. The main stator is manufactured primarily from wound copper and electrical steel.
How does the main stator work?
The main stator works because the main rotor has a magnetic field, generated by the excitation system. As this field cuts through the copper windings of the main stator it induces a voltage. The voltage in the main stator is dependant on the electrical load connected and the amount of excitation provided by the excitation system. The output is connected to the terminals and voltage is monitored by the AVR, which can then adjust the excitation to increase or decrease the voltage to the preset level.
What is the main wire of an alternator?
Since an alternator is connected to so many components, it exhibits a complex wiring system. The main wirings include the exciter wire, positive and negative cables. Exciter wire is connected to the L terminal of an alternator and is used to turn on the voltage regulator. Excitor wire is needed to generate the voltage required for the alternator to start running.
What is an alternator?
The alternator comprises a cooling fan, voltage regulator, rotor, stator, diode bridge rectifier, slip rings, slip ring end bearings, carbon brushes, pulley. The rotor and stator are the central units for electricity generation, while the rectifier helps in converting AC to DC. All the components work jointly to monitor and regulate the power to match the energy needs of different components of the car’s engine.
Why do we need wiring diagrams?
Wiring diagrams provide a visual representation of the connections and physical layout of the circuit. With a clear visualization of each component’s wiring connections and position, it becomes easier to create circuits and connect the alternator correctly. Creating circuits with proper wiring is necessary to supply a proper voltage to each unit, so none gets over or underpowered.
Why are alternators important?
Alternators are very useful for keeping the car running when the engine is ignited. Alternators involve complex wiring, and the wires must be connected to the correct units and terminals. This can be simplified by creating alternator wiring diagrams .
What are the three wires in a circuit?
The circuit comprises three main wires: battery positive cable, voltage sensing wire, and ignition wire. The ignition input wire is attached to the engine. It conducts electricity from the engine to the alternator while the voltage detecting cable senses the voltage and is attached to the rectifier.
What is an electromechanical regulator?
Electromechanical regulators coil the voltage sensing cable into an electromagnet. This creates a magnetic field around the magnet and attracts the ferrous block towards itself. Such circuits have three electromagnetic switches- cutout relays, regulator and, current regulator. The cutout relay connects the battery to the alternator while the regulator and current regulator switch regulate the voltage output by controlling the alternator’s field circuit.
How does an alternator work?
The alternator works by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy from alternating current to the direct current.
How many wires does an alternator have?
An alternator typically has two wires - a main connection (usually labelled B+) which delivers power to the car (and charges the battery) and an IND wire which feeds the internal exciter coils of the alternator. Without a current to the exciter coils, the alternator produces no output.
What RPM does a one wire alternator need?
One-wire alternators require an initial rev of the engine to 2000–2500 RPM for the alternator to begin charging and they don’t have the ability to illuminate a warning light in the event of alternator or belt failure. If the driver simply starts the engine and drives-off gently, one-wire alternato. Continue Reading.
Why is the sense wire not connected to the main positive?
The sense wire is directly connected to the battery positive via a separate wire, the reason why it is not connected to the main positive at the alternator is to check the real voltage at the battery itself, connecting it this way is to ensure that even if there is a voltage drop in the main cable the regulator knows what the voltage at the battery is and will adjust the charging accordingly.
What is field wire?
A field wire is the wire that supplies voltage to the alternator’s rotating field coil. They could have used permanent magnets, but that would make it more complex to control the output of the alternator stator coils.
Why does an alternator produce voltage?
When the engine starts, the alternator produces voltage, because it has an exciter current. A diode connects the main feed output to the IND circuit, so now the alternator is self-sustaining: the main feed also drives the exciter feed.
What happens to the voltage after the first few revs of an engine?
This voltage drowns the weak earth through the fie
When does an alternator start charging?
Once the engine is revved up, alternator starts charging as it begins to self excite from its own excitor diodes output.
