Alternator field terminals

[beanhead]

Hi guys, I just got a new alternator due to the old one seizing up without notice... The new one I noticed has a stud and two spade terminals marked 'field', whereas my old one only had one field terminal... I hook my wire to one and simply ground the other one am I remembering that correctly? Been a while thanks!

 

[66chargerpat]

Yep! that all you have to do. Will be just fine. Pat

 

[beanhead]

Thank you for the speedy reply Pat!

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Yep! that all you have to do. Will be just fine. Pat

No kidding? Please explain a little bit more (sorry to hijack bean). My 70 has two field wires, both hot. I think one runs to the voltage regulator & the other I can't remember. Do you have any more info of 1-field vs. 2-field you can share?

 

[bm02tj]

The new two wire alt are controlled on the ground side the old one wire on the positive side

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

.......My 70 has two field wires, both hot....

No, they are not BOTH hot. One wire is constant +12V to the field coil. The second wire is the SWITCHED ground wire from the Voltage Regulator (on '70 & up). There is only ONE field coil in an alternator. It has TWO ends to it. On pre-70 alternators, one end of the field coil was INTERNALLY grounded, the other end was the spade terminal that you hooked a wire to coming from the voltage regulator. Those pre-70 regulators switched the +12V on/off to regulate output and had a constant ground (internal). The '70 up regulators are the opposite, they switch the GROUND on/off (on one terminal) to regulate output and have a constant +12V on the other terminal.

 

[beanhead]

Back up and running....my car (68) still uses the original style wiring with one field connection. Bent one of the spade tabs under itself and against the housing to ground it..all good thanks again for the memory re-fresh!