Alternator connections

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adyw

adyw

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54
Location
plymouth
So a little advice please,

So spotted the alternator was not aways charhing the battery, but one the engine got warm it would kick in. However today not being damp it didn't So stuck my hand under the bonnet to find mucky connectors which obviously wouldn't be helping. Gave the feed to the battery a rub in and out. And all working again.
But having taken some pictures my question is. The alternator has a bank of three spade fittings. Two are used. But happens to the third. As looking at my picture the previous owner has stuffed something on it. Or something has come loose

20221028_164055.jpg
 
The big wire is the voltage out and the little wire is voltage in (yes alternators need 12V to work).
The two large connectors are the same (V out) aned can be used to send the output to 2 different locations, or, as with my 300tdi, provide a 2nd parrallel wire to the main fusebox.

It's difficult to tell but it may have had 2 wires at one point and one has been 'lost', they deffo look like they need a clean up.
10mm2 cable can carry 70Amps and is 11.5mm in diameter (7x1.35mm strands + 1mm sheath).
Looking at that fat cable in your photo, in comparison to the bolt, i'd say it was around 6mm so its good for circa 40Amps.
 
I think early cars had 45amp alternators, and even that would be pushing that one large wire to its limit, add in that corrosion!
 
I think I might be changing the wiring. If I'm reading this photo correctly. I'm hoping i find another wire later when it stops raining and i can finally get under the car
20221028_164058.jpg
 
Originally there would have been a plastic oblong plug that held the three wires to the alternator held in place by a wire clip that fitted on the hooks each side of the slot. Lucas CYC400 kit on the Flebay or Amazon.
 
So. I'll order that in clean the mess up all at once. Final question, does the fuse box need two feeds. Eg whilst I am there it's not going to be much more work adding a cable in. Especially if there is a spare pin on tbe plug. I've got nothing that needs it from a load point of view. Just wondered if it was worth it, and would it overload the fuse box in any way.
 
From what I recall the series had just one feed from alternator to starter main connection and then wires went to fuse box and ignition switch ect.
Fuse box would only over load if there was something connected that needed a lot of power, then a fuse would blow.
 
So the plot thickens for the good .
Got under the bonnet. Pulled the cables out the back of the alternator for a clean, and found one of the pins had a connection with no cable attached. So decided to trace the loom and found about 8 inches away the loom covering changed to a wrap rather than plastic and inside was the missing cable slightly burnt. So I recon at some point the loom has touched the exhaust.

What do you recon. o_O
 
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