onewire alternator

[Roy Lemmond]

I have an AC HD10 dozer that has positive ground. I would like to install a one wire alternator and use a 12 volt battery. Can I get an alternator that has positive ground?

 

[Jon Hagen]

Yes, 12V pos ground alternators are avalible, but not very common. Why not convert the tractor to neg ground and use a much more common neg ground alternator that the parts places will likely have in stock at all times?
I have not worked on a HD10, but do own a HD5 and can not think of anything on the HD 5 that would not work if connected to 12V neg ground, in fact mine is alternator equipped and connected neg ground.
The lights do not care, starter does not care, ammeter would only need the wires swapped from side to side and the batteries reconnected for neg ground.

 

[Anonymous-0]

the only thing i want to add to what Jon said is the 1 wire alternators are notorious about not charging at low RPM's...i suggest the GM 10SI with 3 wires...its simple to wire and works.

 

[greyhead]

Someone please correct me if Iam Wrong But the starter will need to rewired interialy for negitive ground (unless that diesel motor will run backwards LOL )

 

[Anonymous-0]

Nope, starter needs no internal changes! In fact, it needs no external changes. Only thing that needs to be changed on gassers, you will need to swap the coil wires, and on all, if you use the same wiring harness, you will need to swap the wires on the amp meter, if so equipped.

 

[Dandy Dave]

A starter will only run backward if the brush holding end of the starter is turned 1/4th of a turn, redrilled, and bolted in that position. + or - polarity does not affect it. Of course the pinion gear won't work backward and would have to be changed for the other direction. Strange but true. :shock: Dandy Dave!

 

[greyhead]

Dandy Dave are you sure about that?

 

[Jon Hagen]

If you install a one wire alternator and the "excite" rpm is higher than you are comfortable with, you only need to add the regulator plug, and wire a resistor/gen light / diode inline between the load side of the ignition switch and alternators #1 terminal to have it work as a 3 wire alternator. The 1 wire alt usually works fine as a 1 wire, but if you want / need a lower excite rpm or want to add a generator light, wiring them as a 2 or 3 wire is no problem.

 

[greyhead]

Sorry I was thinking alternator while writing about starters. starters will reverse dir with polarity change

 

[Jon Hagen]

A starter with field coils will run the same direction with either pos or neg polarity, as the fields and armature both change magnetic polarity when the voltage polarity changes.

This is not the case with permanent magnet field starters, they will run backwards if the polarity is changed.
About the only place you will find permanent magnet starters is on small lawn tractor / mower type starters and a very few newer car / truck starters.

 

[greyhead]

Thanks I didn't even think about poles changing with polarity just was on the thought of current flow Opps

 

[mEl]

Jon , FYI if you don't know already. There is a lesser known regulator available for the 10SI. My local rebuilder stocks a AC10 regulator. It is a regulator that senses low level AC generated by the stator and sends 12 V directly to the rotor from the hot terminal inside the alternator and regulates the voltage when the terminal voltage come up as the Battery charges. You remove the diode trio and install the new regulator with a couple of short wires, one to a stud on the new regulator and one to one of the insulated terminal screws from the rectifier bridge. It comes with complete directions for install. Google AC regulator for 10SI. the alternators charge nearly when they start to turn with this setup, I have one on an 830 Case and just put one on a 400 Case diesel, both slow running engines, both with excellent results, no comparison with the SE jobs which are unsatisfactory for tractor use. mEl

 

[Jon Hagen]

Thats new to me, I will check it out. Thanks for the tip.

 

[mEl]

Glad to be of help, mEl

 

[mEl]

Jon, Check EBay motors item number 260359861283 "low turn on regulator" hope this helps. try one, You'll like it. mEl