Posted by Ben on August 30, 04 at 10:44:47:
In Reply to: Trip report...MA. to VA. posted by PeterW on August 29, 04 at 20:14:14:
Thanks for the nice post.
Suggestion on any alternator replacement, even new. Alterntors are built with two halves. Front half and rear half with the outer windings inbetween the clam shell halves.
All alternators that I've worked on have the electronics inside the back end.
Mounting, therefore grounding, is via the front half.
The ground curcuit must go through the body of the alternator, which is usually held together with VERY long #8 or #10 screws. In the rebuilding process, even new assembly, there is potential for bad (high resistance, intermittant) connections between the three parts (two halves and the field iron/windings).
I make a short jumper cable with min #10 AWG with ring lugs at both ends. Bolt each end to respective halves of the alternator case. Solves many jumpy gauages and mystery low voltages.
Again, thanks for the nice post!