Thread: Opinion - wiring a 1 wire alternator

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I have had a powermaster one wire on my 57 for about 7 years and no problems. The following year I put one on my 34 and within a year the internal regulator went berserk, over charged and blew up the battery, and scorched a lot of wires. Lucky no fire. Oh, and when it happened I was out in the eastern Kentucky, 125 miles from normal civilization.

When I got the regulator and wiring fixed, I had it converted to a 3 wire. that was 6 years ago and no problems since.

Therefore I offer no opinions as to your choices, only my little tale of two alternators.

Originally Posted by mopar34

I have had a powermaster one wire on my 57 for about 7 years and no problems. The following year I put one on my 34 and within a year the internal regulator went berserk, over charged and blew up the battery, and scorched a lot of wires. Lucky no fire. Oh, and when it happened I was out in the eastern Kentucky, 125 miles from normal civilization.

When I got the regulator and wiring fixed, I had it converted to a 3 wire. that was 6 years ago and no problems since.

Therefore I offer no opinions as to your choices, only my little tale of two alternators.

A few weeks back my cousins 94 Ford F-150 went beserk and boiled out the battery and pegged all the gauges and popped a few fuses. The alternator was suspected and he had the garage replace the battery, alternator & regulator. Trucks got over 100K for miles and even more hours just idling. He spends a lot of hours on frost watch at night, that's how he noticed the problem. Sitting alongside a cranberry bog watching the temp and he sees the tach go to the max. Then the radio died so he shut down the truck and later it wouldn't restart, the battery was dry. I've got a one wire alternator and so far it's okay. I guess if the regulator "sticks", it don't matter if it's 1 wire or 3. IMHO...