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Old 03-09-2015, 08:13 PM   #7
ray_mcavoy
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Sherman, ME
Posts: 2,358
Re: Do these alt conversion kits work?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Custom/Ten View Post
We'll that sounds pretty easy, what's the resister for?
The factory wiring in all 1967 - 1972 GM trucks contains a 10Ω resistance wire in the cab harness that prevents the alternator exciter circuit from back-feeding the ignition.

That 10Ω resistance wire will work fine if you are converting to a 10SI or 12SI internally regulated alternator.

But the newer CS-series alternators require at least 35Ω if you're hooking the circuit up to the L terminal. So there are conversion adapters available that contain an extra resistor to make up the difference.

Also, a lot of 1973 & newer GM vehicles no longer have the 10Ω resistance wire in applications without an ammeter or voltmeter ... they just rely on the resistance of the "gen" / "charge" indicator bulb. So that's why you see a difference in some adapters being listed for vehicles with vs. without gauges.
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