One Wire Alternator Wiring

I've got a one wire alternator on my JH race car. I was thinking to simply run a short wire from it to the starter terminal lug instead of the battery. Any reason why I shouldn't do this?

Ron
Depending on your type of starter. If it is a type with the solenoid mounted on it this is a hot terminal at all times. If the starter has no solenoid the terminal is hot only in crank position, and you will need to go to the hot side of the solenoid..usually mounted in close proximity to keep voltage drop low. This is as good as a battery connection as your wiring to that point is heavy enough.
Phil

Phil,
That is sort of what I figured as well but I was not sure and here is why.


Two months ago I wired a one wire alternator on our racing TR8. I wired the output of the alternator to the large starter lug that got its' feed straight from the battery. We started the car and the alternator shot blue flame out, big sparks, then caught fire in a big puff of flame. Not good.

So, I assume that the alternator that blew up was bad and was bad from the factory, not from my wiring, but one could not tell. When I got another alternator and put it on I went straight to the battery so I never tested it again. Worked fine.

FF to today and you can see my apprehension. I was just wondering if there was something I didn't catch about a feed through a starter lug I didn't know about.

Hi Ron,
You did it right, B+ on alternator to Battery post on starter. sounds like you had a defective starter.
Regards,

Hey Jim,

actually, a bad ground was part of the problem but after the alternator blew up I could not tell what did what. The starter was okay though, but I am going to wire it as you suggested as well as others - that is what seems "right" to me and I think my TR8 experience was a "one off".

Let me know sometime when you are working on the car. I'd love to drive down and take a look and lend a hand. Wouldn't mind seeing that Lola either.

Ron

Ron,

I watched the last two episodes of Horsepower TV that were sitting on the TiVO from Saturday. In one of them, they installed a new one wire alternator ... and suggested that the wire be attached to the battery side of the starter. I can't imagine that they did not do their homework on this sort of thing.

Sounds very much as if you had a bad alternator.

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Let me know when you are working on the car.

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I'm always working on the car and you should come see the Lola - I think you would look great in an open wheel car!
Regards,