10SI alt question ('82 diesel)

[DieselWarrior]

Thanks for looking, I hope you can help.

I have an '82 K5 with assumed to be 10SI 3 wire stock (~60amp) alt.

I am getting ready to upgrade to a 130 or 170 amp alt.

I went to get a new wire, to go from the BATT connection on the back of the alt, to the battery today (went to a car stereo shop, no one else can help).

I popped the hood, expecting to see the BATT to battery wire going direct, instead the wire BATT wire went down into split loom with the rest of the alt wires into never-land.

Where the hell does the wire go?

Can I just cut the stock wire at the lug and mask it off, and run a NEW wire straight from the BATT on the alt to the battery???

Thanks in advance for your advice!
Andrew

 

[DEMON44]

it has to put into the positive side of the system somewhere. it may go to the + starter post. or battery +

just chase it. theres not exactly a lot of harness in a K5.



try to chase a random shutdown in a 550ton crane. 2 engines 19 modules all talking to each other on CanBus high speed. 4 days later...........

 

[diesel4me]

The thick red wire that goes on the stud at the rear of the alenator goes into the wiring harness on top of the engine,and eventually leads to the other two "main" thick red wires that have the fusible links that go under the positive battery cable where it bolts to the starter solenoid--these wires are "hot" all the time...

It probably wouldn't matter if you just snipped the red wire at the altenator and ran a new heavier than stock one right to the positive battery terminal,so long as your careful to ensure the cut wire can never touch ground and burn up the wiring harness...another advantage would be the wire will be a lot shorter than the original one was the way GM routed it,so you'll get less voltage drop ..

 

[DieselWarrior]

The thick red wire that goes on the stud at the rear of the alenator goes into the wiring harness on top of the engine,and eventually leads to the other two "main" thick red wires that have the fusible links that go under the positive battery cable where it bolts to the starter solenoid--these wires are "hot" all the time...

It probably wouldn't matter if you just snipped the red wire at the altenator and ran a new heavier than stock one right to the positive battery terminal,so long as your careful to ensure the cut wire can never touch ground and burn up the wiring harness...another advantage would be the wire will be a lot shorter than the original one was the way GM routed it,so you'll get less voltage drop ..

Thank you sir, for your time. I also visited my mechanic today and spoke with him on the situation, your reply echos what he told me.

Very helpful to get confirmation from multiple sources.

I hope to do this next week, the next few daze will be snow and cold (I hope!)

Andrew

 

[mudbuggy]

I don't know if I would cut it, I think I would leave it alone and just add another wire from alt to bat.
This is what I've done in the past, with numerous vehicles and a bulldozer too. Electicity will go the path of least resistance so if you put a 2/o wire from alt top bat the majority of the juice will flow thru this wire. That way if the wire you 'cut' ever gets exposed there if an immediate short and ever more possibly a risk of fire. If you are wanting to get rid of it then unbolt it and then test it to make damn sure there is no juice live to it, then reinstall a larger wire in (if at all possible) the same loom as it came from or as close to it. That's just me cause Murphy has a thing for me!

 

[imiceman44]

I don't know if I would cut it, I think I would leave it alone and just add another wire from alt to bat.
This is what I've done in the past, with numerous vehicles and a bulldozer too. Electicity will go the path of least resistance so if you put a 2/o wire from alt top bat the majority of the juice will flow thru this wire. That way if the wire you 'cut' ever gets exposed there if an immediate short and ever more possibly a risk of fire. If you are wanting to get rid of it then unbolt it and then test it to make damn sure there is no juice live to it, then reinstall a larger wire in (if at all possible) the same loom as it came from or as close to it. That's just me cause Murphy has a thing for me!

I didn't think Murphy had time for you, he's always on my case.

 

[DieselWarrior]

I think I would leave it alone and just add another wire from alt to bat.

Ahhhh.... I didnt think of that, good idea!

Thanks for posting!

Andrew