Alternator Question

[Aaron1989]

the truck is an 89 c1500. motor is a 350 out of a 89 k5 blazer. the alternator was not charging the battery right. pulled it out and the single wire attached to the back of the alternator by a nut is cut about three inches away from the alternator. and i dont see the other end of the cut wire. is this a hot wire or a ground wire? and where is it supposed to be connected to? The single wire going into the connector is good but the one on the back of the alternator is not. if it is a hot wire can i just run a new wire to the positive post on the battery?

Thanks in advance! -Aaron

 

[paratrooper307]

Yes you can. That wire on the back of the alternator is a hot wire. If I recall, it runs down to the starter and is connected to the starter wire which connects directly to the battery, at least it does on my 85. The ground wire should be a thick wire connected to the alternator bracket running to the negative battery terminal. When I upgraded my alternator I ran an additional wire of heavier gauge straight from the back post to the battery terminal. It works fine.