NissanDiesel Forums

cseger1 wrote:I have been thinking hard about getting one of those "Painless" wiring harnesses that they build for hot rods. It would be hugely labor intensive but at least I'd know what was what.

If you plan on retaining the GP control system and the IPC, you will not save any work by trying to use a universal wiring harness, I guarantee.

IPC and GPC are both already gone. The alt is putting out 11.3 V. I have been running in total loss mode with a recharge every night. How bad an idea is that? Only until the new alt arrives. Also, should I plug the low voltage alt back in or is it a drain if its less than 13V?

cseger1 wrote:IPC and GPC are both already gone.

In that case, I'd look for a used harness from a donor truck. I had one, but just sold it to Andy in AZ for his truck that had melted wiring; I don't have another one. But they're around.

The alt is putting out 11.3 V. I have been running in total loss mode with a recharge every night. How bad an idea is that?

Hard on lead/acid batteries, which do not like being deep discharged. Anecdotally, ~32 dead/charge cycles = pretty much kills a non-deep-cycle battery. Don't know if that's true, it's just what I've heard.

should I plug the low voltage alt back in or is it a drain if its less than 13V?

My experience is that even if the diodes crack (as I showed in the pics in the link above), they still will function as "check valves", so I'd leave it plugged in. The three old Hitachi alternators that had the symptom you describe, that I've seen personally, would output less than ten amps, which is better than nothing. Won't run headlights or wipers and keep up, but might help with turn signal draw etc., extending usable run time.

If you don't have to turn in a core, don't throw away your bad alternator. I can use it for parts.

asavage wrote:SNIP- Hard on lead/acid batteries, which do not like being deep discharged. Anecdotally, ~32 dead/charge cycles = pretty much kills a non-deep-cycle battery. Don't know if that's true, it's just what I've heard.

Lead / acid batteries of the high discharge (shorter time period) design survive fewer full discharge cycles. Varta vs Yuasa motorcycle batteries a well known comparison. Vartas for cold weather but replace every 12-18 months.

I did a little experiment. Not by choice. I got caught out tonight 100 mi. from home (one of those wonderful kinked water hoses gave up) and had to plug the alt back in. The lights worked on batt alone for about 50 miles and then got really dim. I tested the batt and got 11.2. With the alt plugged in it went to 11.8 and held there til I got home. Lights were OK for the rest of the trip.

As far as the core goes, I am going to have it rebuilt for later. I don't get a great feeling about the one from ebay.

Just so long as you're not tossing it

No way. I am a recycling freak. I have one out of my 63 Buick that is going on a windmill to power my television.

cseger1 wrote:No way. I am a recycling freak. I have one out of my 63 Buick that is going on a windmill to power my television.

Only if your going to use an inverter, or your TV can tolerate humpy DC. Or if you add a battery bank for some filtering.

That Delco alternator I am extremely familiar with: I used to rework them to make them positive ground for use in conversions (mostly older British cars). You can't get single phase AC from them (though you can get 3-ph).

asavage wrote:

cseger1 wrote:No way. I am a recycling freak. I have one out of my 63 Buick that is going on a windmill to power my television.

Only if your going to use an inverter, or your TV can tolerate humpy DC. Or if you add a battery bank for some filtering.

That Delco alternator I am extremely familiar with: I used to rework them to make them positive ground for use in conversions (mostly older British cars). You can't get single phase AC from them (though you can get 3-ph).

At what voltage and current I wonder?

The plan is to use some batteries and an inverter. Hopefully mother nature will limit my TV time better than I seem to.

goglio704 wrote:At what voltage and current I wonder?

Hmmm? Is this a Q I can answer? I don't understand it.

The lowest-capacity 10DN alternator that I recall was either 35a or 37a (non-A/C applications), and pretty much any time I took one apart, I swapped in the higher-cap 63a rotor if I had one around.

I don't recall the voltage at which the alternator's current rating is taken. It's typically at the 14v level or thereabouts. If you drop the output voltage a couple of volts, you can really see some heavy current -- for a while! At full load, alternators can have a hard time shedding heat fast enough.

Sorry for the cryptic question. I was wondering out loud about the three phase AC output voltage and continuous current capability of the 63 amp Delco alternator.