Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

So i am attempting to wire up an internal regulator alternator from an 1987 r10 suburban. I believe it to be a CS130 alternator. Its going in my 51 pickup with an EZwire harness.

Ive ran into a snag which I've since found is due to GM changing the wiring scheme on different vehicle platforms for these alternators.

All i want to do is figure out how to wire up the plug to my "alt exciter" and "alt power" wires running from my new harness. I am aware i need to wire in a resistor (which i have purchased) to act in place of the dash dummy light.

Is anybody really versed with these? Most plugs are wired into S and F terminals as seen in the diagram, whereas mine come out of the F and L. Supposedly these internal regulators are easily fried if you hook em up wrong. Im just trying not to do that.

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Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

You will need to wire the L terminal to a source of switched ignition-on power through the resistor. Connect the S terminal to the main power lead at the same junction where the alternator output lead connects to the main power lead that goes to the battery. That would normally be a couple feet away from the alternator. The F terminal is not used, so that plug you show in your fingers is not the right one, since it has F and L wires.

Here is a write up about using the CS alternators.
https://web.archive.org/web/20220703...20IN%203.0.pdf

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Here is more on the subject that I c/p from an internet site.
Your post diagram shows how to make the connections.

The CS130 alternators use a four-connection plug; however, for the purposes of a changeover into a vintage car, you will only be using two of the four connections. The connector will be marked "PLFS" or "PLIS."
Depending on the system, you will only be using the "S" and "L" or the "S" and "I" terminals. "P" is the phase connection for externally powered accessories, such as a tachometer or hour meter, and can be used as an option. "L" is the alternator indicator lamp circuit and in some systems will be the ignition connection. "F" is an external field monitor connection. "S" is the main power distribution connector. The "I" connection (when present) is for ignition and connects to the ignition switch (keyed on/off switch).
If you have the PLFS connector, it may be necessary to adapt the "L" connection. On a charging system with an "ALT" bulb, you can connect the ignition switch wire directly to the "L" terminal. If the system does not have an "ALT" bulb, it is necessary to install a 50 ohm diode in the wire leading to the "L" terminal. You can purchase a diode and solder it inline or you can purchase a jumper harness with the diode already in it (Delco 8078 or GM # 12102921). This harness has the 10SI connection on one end and the CS130 connection on the other.

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

DMJlambert beats me again.

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

First off, thank you both very much! Im still really confused however. @dmjlambert. The plug that you are saying is the incorrect one, came from my donor vehicle, the same donor vehicle as the alternator. The original Engine harness that i cut the plug from was unaltered. The S and P terminals in the plug dont have a wire in them at all...

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

If you look at the first sentence of Of what I posted you will see that there were two types of plugs PLIS and SFLP. You have a SFLP plug that was the donor plug in the harness that you cut which was unmolested.
You also stated that the P and the S slots in the plug were uninhabited. If you read the quoted again you will see that the F slots were not used in some vehicles and the P slot was used for accessories like a tach so it is entirely possible that the vehicle did not have those features

The purpose of the S terminal is for voltage sensing on the vehicle circuits which tell the alternator's internal regulator what the circuit voltag is and to increase or decrease it accordingly. Some vehicles read that data off the vehicle main junction via the ECM so the S terminal was not used. Some of the later year CS alternators had features that red the circuit voltage off the large output wire on the alternator. Your alternator might be one of those or it might not.

In any case, look at the terminals inside the alternator where the plug goes and see if you have the four terminals and if so you only need the L and the S terminals and in fact you may only need the L terminal if the alternator is post 1994. It would not hurt to run a sensing wire to the S terminal anyway. It would be constant hot from some hot source preferably the main junction of the battery and alternator.

You will definitely need to connect an ignition on source with a resistor inline to the L terminal to be the alternator exciter circuit.
I don't see any way that connecting it like that will hurt the alternator or the harness.

If it were me I would locate an alternator plug from a vehicle that matches the alternator and splice in these two wires to the alternator. The S and L wires. Here is the diagram I use to describe the conversion. It has been used by countless people and it works.

The brown wire from the firewall is the exciter wire from the ignition switch, and it shows the resistor wired inline to the L terminal and the other S wire comes from the main junction.

Attachment 1866108

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Since the donor vehicle didn't use the S lead, it is possible the alternator doesn't need it to work, especially in the 1987 truck. In your simpler wiring in the older truck where you are moving it to, it is possible connecting S anyway will better control the alternator output. To do that you would need to buy another plug that has the connector in the S position, or buy one of those adapters like VetteVet gives the part number for.

The American Autowire pdf I gave the link to they say you just need the L wire connected with a resistor as shown in their adapter diagram. That you can do with the donor plug, you just don't need to connect the red/black-stripe F wire to anything.

I'll agree this stuff is confusing. I bought a CS144 alternator for a 1993 Chevy truck, but I bought it new from the parts store instead of getting it with the plug out of a donor truck. So I don't have the benefit (or added confusion) of knowing what terminals were used in the 1993 application, but I just wired it using VetteVet's guidance in the many forum posts on this subject. I used the L and S terminals as shown in VetteVet's diagram above. Works great!

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Thanks! You guys are the best! @vettevet thanks for the lesson! And @DMJLAMBERT :agree:

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

O K electrical wizards please help me understand this ...
i have a cs 130D the plug is a p l i s my question is this --- i have read that these alternators have a built in resistor --- sooooooo do i need a 85 ohm 5 watt resister put inline also? or do i hook up directly to the I wire - any help would be appreaciated .
i dont want to burn up a good alternator
thank you for any kind of help -- i just want to be sure

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

It won't hurt to add the resistor. Between 35 ohms (5-Watt resistor) and 500 ohms (0.5 Watt resistor). Since 0.5 watt resistors are much smaller and do not get very hot dissipating 0.5 watts of heat and are less expensive, I suggest something around 500 ohm 1/2 W resistor. 470 ohms is the standard and common resistor value that is near 500 ohms.

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

thank you v v much......

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Where are you guys finding the necessary resistor?

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Here's one source.


https://www.google.com/search?q=35+o...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Any electronics store should have them.

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Thanks. Sometimes my search skills just plane suck.

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

I’m ready to swap my stock 65 amp alternator for a cs130. I’ve read many threads here and have not see one that goes straight to the cs130. I assume that after I modify the wiring at the external regulator I can run the brown and red to the plug below, cut the si plug off and direct wire it to the red and brown wires. Am I thinking correct? My 65 amp is not enough for my 2 electric fans, will the 105 amp cs130 be enough ? I don’t really want to go to the cs144 cause I found a cs130 with a v belt pulley.. this will be in my 71 BB short bed with no other big time electronic gadgets. I am also upgrading the wire to the battery to a 6 guage wire..
Below is the wire pig tail and cs130 alternator, I’m considering the new delco over the remy, I don’t know the difference in the 2, any opinions ?.?


Thanks

Keith

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Regarding the source of the alternator, I recommend getting the store brand rebuilt alternator from O'Reilly that comes with a lifetime warranty. The one I got from them has Remy USA embossed in the case, so it gives me a little confidence. I got a CS144 and put a v-belt pully on it. I probably over-bought on the alternator since I don't need the big one, but I was enthusiastic at the time. I would probably use the CS130 if doing it again, but considering the CS130's reputation for bearing going out I would definitely want a lifetime warranty one.

The stock wiring has a 10DN connector at the alternator. The adapter with resistor you show is what I have, I recommend it. I have the wiring like VetteVet shows in the diagram above, except I do have connectors and adapters creating that wiring. I plan to neaten that up by completely removing the wiring to the regulator area and spicing the alternator plug directly into the wiring with soldered connections and heat shrink tubing. I think it will be better than using male to female plug adapters like I have it now.

I would imagine it is enough to run electric fans. Just curious, why do you have electric fans? The most efficient setup is with thermal clutch, mechanical fan, and shroud.

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

They were on it when I bought it. Don’t know why the PO decided to go that route and the old shroud and fan were not in the box of parts he gave me.


Keith

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Ah, I understand. If it's keeping the engine cool then you should be OK. I would be surprised if the CS130 does not provide plenty of power for the fans. How can you tell that your 65 amp alternator is not enough for the fans? Are you getting some sort of malfunction or symptom?

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

I was charging the air conditioner the other day and the fans were running, with the fans running and the engine idling the voltmeter was down to around 11. While I was charging the air conditioner and I was about done The fans went off which I found to be that there was not enough juice in the battery to keep them running because the whole time I was charging the ac the battery was discharging.
If I could find a stock fan and shroud I would consider swapping back. I think thePO was trying to make it a show truck and the electric fans made it cleaner.


Keith

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

Other than the pulley did you have to make any other modifications to the bracket using the cs144??? With the bearing issues I am considering going with the CS 144, I saw someone mentioned that a 93 Chevy Cheyenne with a heavy duty alternator would be the proper alternator to use. Also a friend of mine told me he ran the positive main wire from the alternator to the hot side of the starter solenoid . Where are the big wire from the battery comes down, have you ever heard of that and would that work.

Re: Alternator wiring GM CS130
 

I had to file the slot on the top bracket to be slightly wider, to take the larger screw with metric threads. I ran connected the stock main wire that goes to the taped junction by the driver side headlight.

If I were running heavy draw accessories, I would run a separate 10 gauge wire to a junction block on the driver side fender, similar to the junction block on the passenger side fender by the battery. In my re-wired configuration that is what I will do. I will have a 6 inch 14 gauge fusible link attached to the 10 gauge wire, and a 6 inch 16 gauge fusible link attached to the stock 12 gauge wire. At the alternator junction block on the driver side fender, any wires I attach there that are smaller than 10 gauge will get their own appropriate smaller gauge fusible link (2 wire sizes smaller or 4 gauge numbers greater).

I don't see any value in running any extra wires to the starter solenoid, and that would interfere with my plan to continue using the stock ammeter on the dash.