Re: [Chevelle-List] High Amp Alternator Upgrade=3 wire vs. one wire set up

[Dan McIntosh]

Ken, From everything I've read, you get much better performance with a 3 wire than you do with a 1 wire. A 3 wire will sense voltage wherever you hook the sensor wire to, and maintain 14.4 volts. A 1 wire senses itself, so it will put out only 14.4 volts. Ever. No matter what the load is. If a 3 wire has the sensing wire hooked up to the battery, or the horn relay (bussbar), it will provide 14.4 volts to that point, regardless of the voltage loss over the wiring. So, if you lose 2 volts in your wiring, a 3 wire setup will supply 16.4 volts to compensate for this,giving your charging system 14.4 volts,  while a single wire will still supply only 14.4 volts, effectively giving your charging system only 12.4 volts. I hope I wrote this in a way that makes sense.   Dan McIntosh 64 Impala SS www.alloldchevy.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Ken's Email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 9:55 PM Subject: [Chevelle-List] High Amp Alternator Upgrade=3 wire vs. one wire set up  This question applies to my 67 Chevelle Malibu with 383 stroker engine. I have a 63 amp alternator now. It has the 3 wire with external voltage regulator set up=original style set up. I noticed that when I drive the 67 Chevelle at night with headlights on, the voltage meter drops from 14 to 12  volts(or 10-11 at idle), and one time the idiot generator light came on. I am planning to add a stereo system plus maybe an electric fan to my radiator. So I know I have to upgrade to a High Amp alternator. I was planning to go with a 138 High Amp alternator that uses the original three wire set up. I understand with this set up I can have both the idiot lights and separate after market guages--which I currently have. My question is first comment on drop in voltage above. Second, do I just stick with the 3 wire, High AMp Alternator at 138 amps. Or go to a one wire set up with the same 138 Amp alternator. Is there a significant performance gain in a one wire set up over the original 3 wire set up ? Note: The external voltage regulator is new. Thanks, Ken McDee   Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now