Gregor 4,846 #1 Posted January 3, 2022 on automotive alternators. I have an alternator from a '79 Mustang. Do alternators have a built in regulator / rectifier? Thanks Greg 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 8,327 #2 Posted January 3, 2022 Yes - they have diodes inside - the major issue is when one fails. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,591 #3 Posted January 3, 2022 2 minutes ago, Gregor said: Do alternators have a built in regulator / rectifier? I do believe that Ford had gone to an internal reg/rec by '79. Dodge held out a little longer with an external reg/rec I think till the early '80's. GM switched to internal reg/rec in the early '70's 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 8,327 #4 Posted January 3, 2022 Alternators were a HUGE improvement over generators - the battery charges even at idle. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregor 4,846 #5 Posted January 3, 2022 So I assume they don't have to have a high RPM. I was just thinking about that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,173 #7 Posted January 3, 2022 If you need a replacement, more than likely itll have an internal. You will need to know what that 79 came with. FWIW my grey market 70ish Mitsubishi w/FEL alternator went out and when I - finally - found a replacement it had internal reg, and the original was separate ... Hmmm, what do I do? The wiring harness was closely tied into the existing reg and was therefore operating the instruments on dash. I finally decided to go ahead and leave the orig reg in the loop and see what happened --- and, fortunately every thing worked...whew! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregor 4,846 #8 Posted January 3, 2022 I bought the alternator new last summer, and put it on my grand daughters car. Two months later she, rear ended someone and totaled it. NO I WASN'T ON MY PHONE ! The car is still at my daughters house. My SIL says he's gonna fix it. ....Again... .....At any rate, I think I am taxing Caspers electrical system to the max, and then some. I have another modification in mind that will require yet another winch. I have that alternator, and I have lots of spare motors, soooo, I have a plan . Now it's just a question of which spare motor to use? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,591 #9 Posted January 3, 2022 34 minutes ago, Gregor said: I have another modification in mind that will require yet another winch. Have you checked out the AC Delco single wire alternators? Just run a wire from the alt to the "+" side of the battery and your done. No exciter wire or anything else to hook up. Here is one source for them, some more searching may find them at a lower price. https://www.amazon.com/DELCO-TYPE-SINGLE-ENERGIZING-ALTERNATOR/dp/B00B1M96AQ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2sqOBhCGARIsAPuPK0j3-DnCflYty8lgVkcMoi56fGh3W6EYqiwwJ8jjolxNCNML_0n7sRcaAk6HEALw_wcB&hvadid=570596343497&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019452&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16761553981200277454&hvtargid=kwd-329711530938&hydadcr=19085_13375751&keywords=delco+single+wire+alternator&qid=1641235237&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A3DQWNDT09WO3V&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFaNUwxR0tSOFFCTFUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0Nzg5MDgxTkZFR05HMzdNOVlMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyMTk4NzUyU0lZQzNSMjVXWktBJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregor 4,846 #10 Posted January 3, 2022 38 minutes ago, Achto said: No exciter wire or anything else to hook up. Exciter wire? That's something new into the mix. I'm not going to go stand in the snow and cold, remove this alternator, just to find out my plan has gone awry. I want to mount this alternator on a platform, mount the motor on said platform, run a belt from point A to point B, and let the alternator do what alternators do, ALTERNATE ! Are you saying it's not that simple? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,131 #11 Posted January 3, 2022 (edited) If you want to install an alternator go with a GM 1 wire alternator they use on Farm tractors Edited January 3, 2022 by squonk 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregor 4,846 #12 Posted January 3, 2022 Now I got to wondering about rotation. CW ? CCW ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,173 #13 Posted January 3, 2022 11 minutes ago, Gregor said: Now I got to wondering about rotation. CW ? CCW ? The fan tells you that - facing the fan CCW 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,131 #14 Posted January 3, 2022 Napa single wire Alt 2134011SW $66.00 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,591 #15 Posted January 3, 2022 2 hours ago, Gregor said: Exciter wire? That's something new into the mix. On an alternator you have to send voltage to the alt. in order for it to produce voltage. Most automotive alts. accomplish this by sending 12vdc to the alt when the key is in the run position. The single wire alts. use a secondary permanent magnet gen to produce exciter voltage. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregor 4,846 #16 Posted January 4, 2022 If one of you find folks could supply me with a complete Genny motor, that sure would simplify things. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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