Ben N

Hi Everyone,
I have a question about my '69 convertible.

I just replaced the battery with a brand new Optima, because the car was having issues starting & re-starting.
The car starts & re-starts fine now.

Getting a reading of 12.50 volts from the battery terminals, when the battery is disconnected.

I'm getting 12.22 volts from the battery connections with the car running, and no electrical items on.

I thought I should get 13-14 volts from the alternator as the car is running.
Am I wrong?

Also, I'm wondering if this is the correct alternator for the car.
For some reason, the wiring on the battery & alternator doesn't look quite right to me.
I looked at the wiring diagrams, and I'm still not certain.


Any help is as always, GREATLY appreciated.

Thank Again,
Ben N


Battery pic is reversed of course. LOL...

The13Bats

I like to be in the 13's and the xterra gets into the 14's same battery you have.

the lead marine / quick connect with the wing nut looks well, no offense hack job, all mashed with wires spitting out,
Then the other side has a little import factory looking clamp that I never liked and I cant see the connections on it or the alt,

Anywhere you have a crappy connection you loose some juice, this didn't help your starting problems, more connections at starter too.

I scored off ebay a cool hydraulic cable tool, crimps those copper ends right on that cable....but I love to do wiring, if you just wanna fix this at the very least clean up the connections of cable to clamp and fittings at the alt/starter....

Oops...forgot...rather sweet car btw....

SB64

Interesting shot of the alternator with those heavy looking wires you still obtained the original rubber boot with the ribs showing. New ones don't have that. Pretty cool!
RVZIO

C3 Stroker

You should be getting around 13.8 - 14.3 volts with the motor running. Before blaming the alternator, check voltage at the alt. terminals (14v), then the batt. to see if you're losing voltage......you may just need to upgrade the wiring.

Ben N

Thanks for the replies & compliments fellas.

I purchased the car late last Summer, and now it's time to correct any issues created by our buddy "Bubba". LOL...
I put that Optima battery in the Corvette, as I have been using those batteries in my Pro-Street Monte for many years. Works GREAT!

Regarding the Corvette, there are TWO heavy cables from the positive side of the battery.
Naturally, one goes to the starter, but the second one???

In looking at the wiring diagram, there only appears to be one heavy cable off of the positive side (to the starter), bit no second cable.

Negative to a solid Ground.


PS: I'm SOOOO looking forward to receiving my BL-7000SLX QuickJack! LOL...

Thanks Again,
Ben

bj1k

Bubba has been working overtime on that one . You need to clean up those connections which is probably the only problem with the battery or charging system , but I would be leery about what he has done with the rest of the car like the dash wiring . Will make a beautiful car though when you get the bugs out. I love the 69's.

Ben N

Anyone have a decent drawing/idea of what the correct wiring should be?

Still not sure if there should be 2 cables from the positive battery terminal.

C3 Stroker

Should be only one cable. The second one may just parallel the first one as an "upgrade", or added as a 12v source for a stereo amp or something. Trace it.....you may find your problem. Something may be "jumpered" as a repair.

Richard454

I'm gonna guess your alternator is not working...

You can simply disconnect the plug on the top of the alt and if there is no change in voltage- that's your problem.

Depending on whats been done to the car-wiring wise- accessories added- of course need to be check that out as well. The smaller red wire off the battery should be fused close to the battery- I'd trace and see where it goes.

Here's a good read regarding how and why Chevy wired the cars back then- basically used smaller wires than "required" and bumping up the voltage to compensate for it!!!

http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...evymain1.shtml

Here's a wiring diagram for your car-

http://www.keystonestatecorvetteclub...tte%201969.pdf

The13Bats

Nothing is going to be right until you start with the basics and repair the hack jobs....

Ben N

Thanks again fellas.

I hope to get home from work today at a reasonable hour, so I can trace those cables/wires and continue the DE-Bubbaizing process.

Looking forward to finding & posting answers.

Ben N

Ben N

OK, finally have time off of work...

I traced those 2 black cables from the positive battery terminal.
The heavier one goes to the front of the car, and connects to absolutely NOTHING! It's covered in black tape and it was tucked under the panels.
I disconnected it from the battery and only left the thinner black cable connected, and of course the car starts.

With only the thin black cable still connected and with the car running, I disconnected the top wire from the alternator (as suggested above) and the voltage didn't move from 12.28, leading me to believe that it could be a bad alternator.
But before I replace the alt, I'll clean-up those ugly-*** connections first.

I'll also try and trace that thin red wire from the negative side of the battery.
What "should" that red wire connect to???

Any other thoughts?

Thanks Again,
Ben N

PS: Man, I can't wait to receive my QuickJack!!!

MelWff

That thin red wire on the negative wasn't there when the car left the factory. The negative cable should go out the bottom of the battery box and connect to the frame underneath.

The13Bats

I believe that we can safely assume that someone used a positive red cable on the negative side...that happens a lot, the cable doesn't know what color it is or where it's hooked up,

In this case it was working poorly but working,

gungatim

on the two plug in wires, what is the voltage on those? one should be switched with key, and they should have close to same voltage reading as the battery.

Ben N

Thanks all.

Yup, the heavy cable from the negative side goes to the frame for ground.
Might have to remove the seat(s) to correctly trace that thin red wire from the negative side though.

Gungatim, I'm not sure which TWO plug-in wires you're referring to.
On the alternator, there's only one plug and it has only one wire from it. BUT, it looks like there WAS another wire there at one point in time (pic also attached).
Being that I'm somewhat colorblind, sure doesn't help the effort to "DE-Bubbaize" my ride.

I DID however, find TWO other plugs that were just hanging under the carpet behind the seats (pic attached). Any idea what these are for???

Thanks again you folks are GREAT!!!

Ben N

gungatim

the ONE plug on the alternator top has TWO wires, there are two female spade connectors inside the plug. one of them is F, other is S.
• Field input to Voltage Regulator is current from key switch through the dash warning light.
• Sense input to Voltage Regulator is current sensing at main bus for power.

what voltage do you see at those two wires?

the two you show by the battery are likely for compartment lights or seatbelt or something, they are not related to the charging system.

Ben N

Thanks Gungatim.
I just added a close-up pic of that alternator plug.
The plot thickens... LOL...

Friggin' "Bubba" strikes again! LOL...

MelWff

The center storage box should have a light controlled by a switch at the edge of the compartment door. Is that light hooked up and working?
There was an optional alarm system in 69, do you have a key cylinder in the back of the car centered between the tail lights? If you do there was relay located in the storage compartment for the jack, if you have the alarm is the relay there and hooked up?

Rescue Rogers

Welcome aboard the Bubba train. Plenty of room as Bubba gets around. I feel your pain. Good luck. I had to deal with his electrical work in my engine compartment as well as behind the dash. Good luck!