charging system - times running out for the rally! HELP

[franklin2]

The "I" terminal brings the alternator system "online" when the keyswitch is turned to run.

The "A" terminal is not the output terminal, this is the feedback sensing wire for the regulator to monitor the system voltage. It's tied to the battery + somewhere convenient so it can sample the voltage.

The "S" terminal goes to the stator in your original trucks configuration(one of two Ford used, you should stick with it). Make sure this terminal is hooked to the stator of the Chrysler alternator, I am not familiar with the Chrysler alternator, but it does not have two fields, it will have one stator terminal(the windings mounted to the outside of the case) and a field terminal.

The "F" terminal hooks to the field terminal of the alternator. The regulator takes the info that it gets from the "A" terminal, and sends a varying voltage out on the "F" terminal to control the charge output of the alternator. More voltage on the "F" means more output. Be careful and do not short out the "F" wire while it's hooked to the regulator, it will burn up the regulator.

The first thing I would try after you verify your connections, is take the "I" wire off the regulator, and run a jumper from it over to the battery + terminal. While it's hooked like this, run the engine and check the voltage(should be around 14v or so). If it starts charging, then your charge light problem from the dash you have been suspecting is the problem, and you are not getting a trigger signal from the light to the "I" terminal. Do not leave the "I" terminal on the battery + all the time, it will keep the system online with the truck off, and run the battery down eventually.

 

[GRU]

ok franklin and biofarmer have great ideas, gonna give them a shot! all the writeups ive read say the S and F are interchangeable with either terminal on the alternator. but if one is definately the field and one definately the stator then this may clear some issues up. thank you guys, ill give it a go and post results for sure.

 

[GRU]

is there any way i can tell which terminal is which on the alternator if one is field and the other is stator? i dont believe they are labeled. and if i did hook it up wrong at some point did i fry that regulator?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Dodge/Cummins used the same NipponDenso 120-amp alternator for years and may even still use it.

When they dropped the fire-wall mounted regulator, the computer then took over voltage regulating; the alternator remained the same.

The Dodge/Cummins rotates the same direction as any normal engine.

If you are gonna use the Dodge ND alternator, it is a whole lot easier to use the Mopar fire-wall mounted external regulator than to try to adapt to the Ford regulator; BUT, the Ford regulator is a lot longer lived.

The Dodge regulator only has TWO wires; one HOT in ignition=run; the other turning ON the alternator when the regulator demands it.

There should only be three wires connected to a factory Dodge/Cummins alternator; a HOT charging cable that eventually connects to battery-HOT, a short GROUND cable that fastens to the engine block adjacent to the alternator mount, and the single wire from the voltage regulator.

I have numerous 1st Generation Dodge/Cummins trucks around here.


Another option is to make a simple bracket and mount your original Ford alternator.


The BEST option is to go to Diesel Truck Resource website, go to the 1st Gen forum, look in the "stickies", and follow Jim Lane's very intensive article on retrofitting a 110-555 160-amp J-mount Leece-Neville which is commonly found on big trucks.

The Leece-Neville IS externally regulated; BUT, the regulator is mounted onto the back of the alternator case.

The Leece-Neville is self-exciting, much like a "one-wire" alternator.

The 110-555 Leece-Neville is also electrically isolated, meaning you have TWO big #2AWG cables to connect; HOT to the battery-junction and GROUND to wherever; these are the only wires you hook to anything.

The old factory alternator wiring is simply taped/insulated and tucked somewhere out of the way.

I have eliminated and discarded most of the original wiring on mine, as I have absolutely no intention of ever going back.


I highly recommend the Leece-Neville conversion over any of the other options and have had one on my truck for quite a few years.

New genuine Leece-Neville 110-555s are all over eBAY for less money than either a new 1G Ford or a new Dodge/ND.

 

[GRU]

thank you midnight! ok, for the sake of time i want to retain the factory dodge alternator. since i have to take the new one back i take it i should pic up a chrysler voltage regulator to simplify things? now the only thing i have a question on is you say only one small wire should be hooked up, there are terminals in the molded plastic block that already has both wires/terminals for the harness (dodge alternator harness). am i correct in my interpretation that i should only be using one of these wires? and if so, which one do i use??

 

[GRU]

ok i looked up the leece-nevilles on ebay and ya youre right, very affordable! i went on DTR but was unable to locate the stickies to find that article. do the 110-555s bolt right in place of the dodge ND120??

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

>>> HERE YOU GO <<<

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...-conversion-t55799.html?&highlight=LEECE+BELT


http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/leece-neville-alternator-6bt-cummins-t247286.html


If you actually get serious about the Leece-Neville conversion, you need to join that site and also contact a guy whose handle is APWatson; he helped me as much as anyone and has a bunch of good pictures.


I am myself knee-deep in a project that must get finished before it gets dark; I just sat down for a sandwich.

Once I get my job finished, I will poke around in some of the Dodges around here and see if I can't give you a better explanation of just how the Nippon-Denso is hooked up.

 

[GRU]

ok i picked up a dodge 2 pin regulator to try. thatll be tomorrows project. hopefully i finally got my waterneck to quit leaking.

 

[franklin2]

I found this description on how to use the Ford regulator system.
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/9...lternator-external-regulator-how-89-02-a.html

It seems if you use the Ford system, you will need to reconfigure it to work. Ford had two different ways they wired their regulators, and the description above uses the way that does not use the "I" terminal.

Here's a link to how to use the Dodge regulator.
http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...q&nr=161&catnr=20&prog=1&lang=en&onlynewfaq=1

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I went out and looked at an externally-regulated 1991.5 Dodge/Cummins and I will amend my previous statement; there are TWO small wires, along with the big charge and GROUND wires; BLUE and GREEN.

That DTR picture franklin posted is worth thousands of words.

After I made my previous post, I remembered that FAQ article and was going to post the link; franklin saved me the trouble.


By the way, just because you might get that ND alternator up and running, don't hesitate to start gathering parts and pieces to go ahead and do the Leece-Neville upgrade.

Sooner or later, that ND is gonna lay down and I had rather such things happen when I already have all my ducks in a row and not be forced into just buying another ND.

 

[GRU]

franklin - ya i tried the ford regulator both ways to no avail. hence the decision to try the dodge regulator. i am assuming in the article showing the dodge regulator that when he says "the two alternator wires" he is talking about the field wires. correct?? thank you gentlemen for lending a hand. ill post up how it does later on. im getting to the point where im nervous to even start the truck now only to be let down by it not working!

 

[franklin2]

Reading the description of how to hook the Ford regulator to the Dodge alternator(hook one small terminal to "F" and the other small terminal to ground) and also looking at the description of how to hook up the older Chrysler regulator(hook the small terminals up, it doesn't matter which one goes where) I can only come to the conclusion that both ends of the field are hooked to the small terminals of the Dodge alternator. Someone who may know more can correct me if I am wrong, but reading between the lines it's the only conclusion I can come up with. I don't remember if you said you hooked one of these small terminals to ground or not in a previous post when you tried the Ford regulator.

The Ford alternator's field is internally grounded, thus it only has one terminal feeding it.

 

[GRU]

well i hooked up the dodge regulator. still not working. however i checked the 12v switched wire for the ford regulator and when the motors running it barely has 2 volts. so after church ill find a better 12v switched to tap into to go to the top post of the regulator. then we will see what happens...

 

[GRU]

ok i rant a jumper straight from the positive terminal on the batter to the top regulator post and ......I HAVE 14 VOLTS!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!! now i just need to wire it in... thank you guys so much!

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Great News! I know that this has been frustrating! Now on to other stuff,..