Alternatoer wire?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
That brown wire is the sense wire for the reglulator, and also excites the field to "turn on" the alternator.
Pretty common for that wire to break. The help section at your parts store has replacement pigtails.
Pretty common for that wire to break. The help section at your parts store has replacement pigtails.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
It might charge, but it'll be at a very low rate if at all. Not enough it'll keep you going for very long. IF your Vette has a voltmeter instead of an ammeter it'll fool you since the voltmeter reads battery voltage and not current or "load".
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 297
Likes: 19
From: arlington TX
Whenever I broke that wire (several times), the alternator wouldn't charge at idle, but rather had to be reved above about 2000 rpm, then the ammeter would show a charge. I think there is a point (rpm level) where the alternator becomes 'self-exciting'.
Hope that helps.
walt
Hope that helps.
walt
