I replaces my alternator on my oday 272.I stupidly lost track as to where the wires attach. My alternator has three wires .The red goes on the top of the alternator.I have a black and a possibly brown wire left.looking at the alternator from the back .there are only to spots left both the same size.the black wire can only go in the spot on the left rear of the alternator,or in the spot to the lower right of the alternator. can any one help. ps if the wires are attached the wrong way can I damage the alternator.please help.
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Go to a mechanic or parts department and find out. Hook it up wrong and you might do more than fry the alternator. I have a single wire alternator that keeps life simple. Advice given here should be taken with extreme caution....you may have noticed that there are more opinions than questions on this board.
Go to a mechanic or parts department and find out. Hook it up wrong and you might do more than fry the alternator. I have a single wire alternator that keeps life simple. Advice given here should be taken with extreme caution....you may have noticed that there are more opinions than questions on this board.
Nigel Calder's "Boatowners Mechanical & Electrical
Manual" has a lot of diagrams and discussions about alternators. It costs $50 but could end up saving you a lot more money than it costs. And yes, you WILL fry your alternator if you hook it up incorrectly. If you see the slightest amount of smoke coming from the alternator you have probably melted the diodes in it that convert the AC current to DC. If you see a lot of smoke you have probably fried the wire windings. Get the book. You should have it anyway. Good luck.
Manual" has a lot of diagrams and discussions about alternators. It costs $50 but could end up saving you a lot more money than it costs. And yes, you WILL fry your alternator if you hook it up incorrectly. If you see the slightest amount of smoke coming from the alternator you have probably melted the diodes in it that convert the AC current to DC. If you see a lot of smoke you have probably fried the wire windings. Get the book. You should have it anyway. Good luck.
This is going to sound dumb
Most alternators, solenoids, starters and the like have little alphanumeric symbols stamped/cast on/in the body next to the terminal. Things like "R" for regulator, "+" or "P" for positive pole of the battery "-" or "N" for the negative pole etc. Do the old alternator and the new one have the same number of terminals? Do you have an external or internal regulator? Did the old alternator use external or internal regulation? Where do the brown and black wires go after leaving the alternator? Are there any markings on the alternator near the terminals in question? An alternator can only have 3 connections; +, -, and possibly a regulator if it is not an internal one. Since you say the black wire/terminal and brown wire/terminal are the same size I'm assuming this means smaller than the + cable. Black is usually ground but you would not put a great big positive cable and a little bitty ground cable together so I'm thinking it is the regulator return (ground). Brown is the classic color for regulators but then there is usually only one "small" wire for this as the regulator uses the alternator ground wire to complete the circuit. But then circuits vary. A picture of the regulator (if equipped) and terminal end of the alternator would help a lot in the diagnosis. The learning point is you did GREAT right up till you lost your map. Never loose your map. But then you already know that. I'm laughing WITH you as I too have lost my map on occasion. Don't worry, you are in the channel and we have you on radar. Continue to proceed straight ahead at slow speed.
Most alternators, solenoids, starters and the like have little alphanumeric symbols stamped/cast on/in the body next to the terminal. Things like "R" for regulator, "+" or "P" for positive pole of the battery "-" or "N" for the negative pole etc. Do the old alternator and the new one have the same number of terminals? Do you have an external or internal regulator? Did the old alternator use external or internal regulation? Where do the brown and black wires go after leaving the alternator? Are there any markings on the alternator near the terminals in question? An alternator can only have 3 connections; +, -, and possibly a regulator if it is not an internal one. Since you say the black wire/terminal and brown wire/terminal are the same size I'm assuming this means smaller than the + cable. Black is usually ground but you would not put a great big positive cable and a little bitty ground cable together so I'm thinking it is the regulator return (ground). Brown is the classic color for regulators but then there is usually only one "small" wire for this as the regulator uses the alternator ground wire to complete the circuit. But then circuits vary. A picture of the regulator (if equipped) and terminal end of the alternator would help a lot in the diagnosis. The learning point is you did GREAT right up till you lost your map. Never loose your map. But then you already know that. I'm laughing WITH you as I too have lost my map on occasion. Don't worry, you are in the channel and we have you on radar. Continue to proceed straight ahead at slow speed.
On my 32 ODay
With a Westerbeke 30 there are 3 wires and the heavy gauge red wire goes to the alt output,the black goes to ground and the extra wire which is green on my alt goes to my tach. If you first find the heavy gauge wire and the positive output you'll be left with two wires to figure out. Do you have an engine parts manual or try looking on line for an engine wiring diagram.
With a Westerbeke 30 there are 3 wires and the heavy gauge red wire goes to the alt output,the black goes to ground and the extra wire which is green on my alt goes to my tach. If you first find the heavy gauge wire and the positive output you'll be left with two wires to figure out. Do you have an engine parts manual or try looking on line for an engine wiring diagram.
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