alternator conversion

[worzel]

Hi all

Apologies for this old one but- anyone shed any light on this.

I'm using a new 17ACR but this has only 3 connections on it. Two of these are themselves interconnected so in effect there are only two physically separate connectors.

The voltage control box is showing the following cables in this order

Black
Thick Brown/Yellow
Thin Brown/Yellow
Brown/Green
Thick Brown
Thick Brown and Thick Blue

According to the manual instructions and circuit layout the brown/green and one of the brown/yellow both connect to the horn compressor. My car has never been "got at" so to speak and I know for certain that the horn compressor is being fed entirely differently so where are these two wires ending up from the control box?

The manual mentions connecting the Brown/Black cable to the "battery" terminal on the alternator. Where did the Brown/Black cable come from?- it's not mentioned previously.

Where does the "ring terminal" cable come from?

As you gather - slightly confused!

Normally I can work these out but this one is foxing me.

Anyone out there who can give a definitive answer as to what connects to what and in particular what feeds into the alternator end.

Help mucho appreciated.

I've trawled thru the archives but still not too clear.

Finally is it true that the alternator mounting bracket from the crossflow Ford range is the same as the lotus item- I've just made my own mounts so upset me!

Regards

John

[hatman]

John, I have just recently carried out the alternator conversion and, initially, was even more confused than you about the various wiring permutations/possibilities. Following the patient help and input of forum members, especially Iain Hamilton (whom God preserve, to quote the late, lamented Beachcomber) I bit the bullet, wired up and, bless my soul, it works as per.

The two, connected, wires from the alternator (output and field, apparently) I connected to the same terminal on the regulator box as the thick brown cable (the live feed that goes directly to the solenoid) and the thin wire from the alternator I connected to the thin brown and yellow wire that previously was connected to the third terminal from the top of the regulator (the warning light feed).

I left all the other wiring in place on the regulator (the thick brown and yellow and the brown and green are the erstwhile connections to the dynamo and, having been disconnected therefrom I just taped up the ends and cable-tied them out of harm's way - that way the system is instantly transferable back to generator if ever called for by any originality-freak subsequent owner).

Result - total bliss; even at tickover I can use headlights, flashers and window motors whilst listening to Radio Caroline at the same time (the last bit's a lie).