New alternator install

[mattkab]

All:

With work and life getting in the way, the free time I have to dedicate to boat projects is limited. Therefore my battery/alternator repair and upgrade is still ongoing. I have installed new house batteries, but the alternator was still giving me fits, so I have replaced it. But there is an odd problem, I was hoping to get your help on.

The old alternator was a Delco Remy 10-SI with a three blade harness, similar to this one:

The new alternator is a 12-SI, which is promised to be an in-place upgrade. And it is, for the most part, except for the wiring. The new alternator does not have a wiring harness, but rather has attached wires with bullet type connectors similar to the male one shown here:

.
This seems like a bad connector for the high-vibration, high amperage environment in and around an alternator.

"No problem", I think to myself "I'll just splice the wires with heat shrink butt connectors". But once I crawl into my engine room to do so, the wires going into the old clip state "do not cut, do not splice".

Replacing the entire wiring harness looks to be very difficult, as the wires go into conduit snaked around the engine, and the wires inside the conduit are ziptied. Further, I can't find a replacement alternator that uses the three-wire connector.

Thoughts?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. M. That looks like the harness plugs into an internal voltage regulator. IF you have an external regulator, the plug is somewhat redundant is it not?

 

[mattkab]

Greetings,
Mr. M. That looks like the harness plugs into an internal voltage regulator. IF you have an external regulator, the plug is somewhat redundant is it not?

Both alternators (old and replacement) are internally regulated.

I did not go external regulator... yet.

 

[obthomas]

All:

the wires going into the old clip state "do not cut, do not splice".

Usually this warning means that there is a fusible link and it should not be cut or spliced.

 

[mattkab]

Usually this warning means that there is a fusible link and it should not be cut or spliced.

Huh. Learn something new every day.

So, would the best plan of attack be to cut behind the fusible link (I'm assuming there is one) and then splice in an inline fuse?

Thus:
Engine conduit -> splice -> inline fuse -> splice -> alternator wire

 

[FF]

Both alternators (old and replacement) are internally regulated.

If you are going cruising and dont plan on long long days , it would be best to take the alt to a shop and have the internal V regulator removed so a 3 or 4 stage regulator can be installed.

If you just cruise marina to marina its not wortth the hassle.

Other choice is to simply purchase an alt that is more suitable for cruising with a house bank.