Alternator shim

[ArdWrknTrk]

These instructions seem clear.

I mistook the ground wire as having an orange -not red- stripe. Mea culpa, but I'm trying to do this from my phone.

(I still think it should be straight black)

Where I differ from their instructions is that I would have the yellow/white somewhat parallel the black white stator wire in their illustration of the back of the 3G, and go directly to the output stud where you attach the cable.

This is a source if constant power, and since it's -before- the fuse, it won't cause the alternator to go crazy and burn itself up in the case that the fuse pops.

If you have substantial voltage drop across a couple of feet of 6Ga. wire something else is messed up.

Note what I said about bypassing the ammeter.

I said to take the big yellow wire from its splice with the key on green/red wire and bring it direct to either the starter relay, or the fused side of the fuse holder.

If the ammeter is not in the loop, there is no reason to have the increased power available to pass through the resistive (and undersized) shunt.

I'm not trying to cause confusion, or counter the instructions (thank you for posting them)

I'm just saying how I do it, and my reasoning behind my choices.

I've had the fuse link on my 2G fail, and that fuse going out caused my 2G alternator to burn itself up, because the regulator didn't know better.

I hope this is clear.

I still can't see what your "mystery wire" is. Maybe you can say what colors are there?

My phone isn't too big and my eyesight isn't as good as it was before.

I think this upgrade is something any Bullnose owner will appreciate.

You could disconnect the yellow wire at C610 and bring that directly to battery+ at the starter relay, or the fuseholder.

You see in Gary's illustration that there are two fusible links beyond that.

Once you remove fuse link J and either cut the splice or open connector 610 the ammeter should be completely disconnected.

The black/orange shunt wire is the problem you need to get around.

[FrazerJames]

You could disconnect the yellow wire at C610 and bring that directly to battery+ at the starter relay, or the fuseholder.

You see in Gary's illustration that there are two fusible links beyond that.

Once you remove fuse link J and either cut the splice or open connector 610 the ammeter should be completely disconnected.

The black/orange shunt wire is the problem you need to get around.

Thanks! Did I correctly identify fuse j there?

The mystery wire seems to be just red. I’ll clean it up today to be sure.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks! Did I correctly identify fuse j there?

The mystery wire seems to be just red. I’ll clean it up today to be sure.

Edit: In your earlier photo...

You have C610 in your hand.

As you see from the EVTM you have constant power to the cab, wires to and from the ammeter and switched power for the regulator.

The black/orange shunt is spliced between the Fuse link (J) and S202.

If you work strictly from C610 everything from (J) isn't needed -if/until- you decide to convert to a voltmeter.

Then you would need the relay Gary has mocked in to the schematic.

[FrazerJames]

Edit: In your earlier photo...

You have C610 in your hand.

As you see from the EVTM you have constant power to the cab, wires to and from the ammeter and switched power for the regulator.

The black/orange shunt is spliced between the Fuse link (J) and S202.

If you work strictly from C610 everything from (J) isn't needed -if/until- you decide to convert to a voltmeter.

Then you would need the relay Gary has mocked in to the schematic.

This is fuse J?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Edit: In your earlier photo...

You have C610 in your hand.

As you see from the EVTM you have constant power to the cab, wires to and from the ammeter and switched power for the regulator.

The black/orange shunt is spliced between the Fuse link (J) and S202.

If you work strictly from C610 everything from (J) isn't needed -if/until- you decide to convert to a voltmeter.

Then you would need the relay Gary has mocked in to the schematic.

Fuse J is connected directly to the starter relay, as shown in the EVTM.

I would say you are looking at (L) or (M) and that your mystery wire must be the red/orange wire of the ammeter.

The only other red wire I can see in that picture is the red/blue trigger wire of the starter relay.

[Gary Lewis]

Fuse J is connected directly to the starter relay, as shown in the EVTM.

I would say you are looking at (L) or (M) and that your mystery wire must be the red/orange wire of the ammeter.

The only other red wire I can see in that picture is the red/blue trigger wire of the starter relay.

I agree, that's either L or M. I know 'cause I cut them out on Big Blue.

And I also agree that the mystery wire is the red/orange wire. The orange is very hard to detect from red, so they look completely red.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I agree, that's either L or M. I know 'cause I cut them out on Big Blue.

And I also agree that the mystery wire is the red/orange wire. The orange is very hard to detect from red, so they look completely red.

Thanks for the reality check Gary!

I know you have a monitor (or a much better phone) -as well as cataract surgery- to better see these things.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks for the reality check Gary!

I know you have a monitor (or a much better phone) -as well as cataract surgery- to better see these things.

I'm trying to follow along and add some thoughts here and there, but you guys are going faster than I can keep up.

And, I'm trying to think about what needs to be done on the 3G page as this transpires. We can't answer every possible question, but we should answer a # of them. Maybe multiple schematics, including one leaving the shunt in place but with the alternator output moved to the to-be fuse, and one showing the ammeter turned into a voltmeter with the relay added - awa a fuse. Others?

[FrazerJames]

Thanks for the reality check Gary!

I know you have a monitor (or a much better phone) -as well as cataract surgery- to better see these things.

I’m not seeing anything near the starter relay that looks like a fuse. Maybe that’s where I’m having an issue following. There’s this thing I’m not sure of, but I don’t think it’s a fuse... Maybe I’m wrong?

Here’s a closer look at the wires that the old alternator used to connect to. After cleaning it a bit I’m not seeing orange at all.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm trying to follow along and add some thoughts here and there, but you guys are going faster than I can keep up.

And, I'm trying to think about what needs to be done on the 3G page as this transpires. We can't answer every possible question, but we should answer a # of them. Maybe multiple schematics, including one leaving the shunt in place but with the alternator output moved to the to-be fuse, and one showing the ammeter turned into a voltmeter with the relay added - awa a fuse. Others?

My original suggestion was to have a diagram for 1G and another for 2G.

It's really a shame the RJM diagrams are lost.

They were really simple (graphically) and the colors were clear, unlike where you have to keep colors and connectors/splices in mind with the EVTM diagrams.

While I think the EVTM is a great resource, the way that only the wires for whatever circuit are shown, can be misleading when a connector has more wires than you see.

Also, the same connectors can be in multiple places on the page.

I think that confuses some people who don't understand these conventions of the manual.