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Simplified "Fleet wiring" mod.

Started by b5blue, December 17, 2014, 07:09:30 PM

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b5blue

  New dash and front light harness for my 70 going on right now. I've been considering the best way combine the well known Fleet Modification with my Denso 120amp Alt. upgrade. The Denso, from Mancini was chosen NOT for the total 120amp output but rather the excellent 50-60amp output @ idle. With that in mind I bought an "Amplifier install kit" for about 30.00. It included plenty of 8ga. wire and the needed 60amp fuse and a weather proof fuse holder. I ditched the flimsy supplied connectors for heavy duty 8ga tube type connectors bought off eBay. 
  With the new OER brand "ALT" gauge rated for 60amp installed in my cluster I should have a system fully rated for 60amp and in top condition, ideal for a fairly stock vintage Mopar. I decided to run the 8ga wire with a short run to the 60amp fuse, along the passengers fender and across the firewall to near the bulkhead connector, through a pass through weather proof grommet and on to the + ALT gauge stud. That will leave output "capped off @ 60amp" with the least amount of connections. I've decided NOT to change the battery side of the ALT gauge. Here is why, if my battery was to go all wonky for some reason I want the factory fuse link to blow before overcharging/over working the system. I'll dead end the factory Alt. feed wire where it goes to the Alt. so all current feeds from the fused 8ga wire. Now that will have the main + junction fed from the + ALT gauge post back a few inches instead of about 4 feet and through an under rated connector set in the bulkhead. 
  Here are a few pics of what I mean so far: 1st is the start of the 8ga run to be installed, 2nd the hole I found in a good location to enlarge to 5/8ths for the pass through, 3rd an inside shot of the same hole. (This dimpled hole had a rubber plug in it on my car, I've no clue why?)
   

Roctania

In that last pic, are the terminals in the bulkhead block supposed to be exposed like that?

b5blue

That is a new M&H dash harness bulkhead you see from inside under the dash. So yes, they are still shiny new but nested inside the bulkhead's plastic connector.

Roctania

Ah, now I see

So, 2nd picture, engine side, are THOSE connectors exposed to the elements under the hood?  Seems like they should be sealed.

b5blue

The crimps are, there is a thin rubber/foam gasket on the inside of each harness connector head, it has slots for the tabs and mashes against the bulkhead connector to seal. I've sprayed everything with "DeoxIT Shield S5". ( After treating with DeoxIT D-100 if it had any age to it. )   www.caig.com    I've been testing this stuff for about 6 years now, it worked very well after treating old stuff with salt and vinegar mix to clean. After all install and mods I'll respray and pack with dielectric grease at the outside connectors crimps.

charger Downunder

So have i got this right even though you have a Denso 120amp Alt, by putting a 60 amp fuse in the wire that goes from the alt to your amp gauge means this fuse will never let more than 60 amps go through your AMP gauge thus saving it catching on fire or over heating. I thought the fuse would blow if it was getting more than 60 amps from the alt.
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b5blue

  Right....low output at idle was my problem for many years. With a good working voltage regulator and charging system the regulator increases Alt. output to MATCH demand.(Load.) If demand can't be matched the higher potential voltage of the battery is naturally drawn from.
  The entire maximum demand my 70 Charger could create should be less than 60 amperes, that's everything on and running at the highest load. My Denso can match that @ idle.  The total capacity of 120amp is not needed ever!  The at idle output of 60amp is. The Denso upgrade has been tested in use by me for many years and has only one requirement: Never run the car with a crippled/discharged battery. The old original style Alt. @ idle could produce about 28amp @ idle. Turn on lights and wipers and the system was struggling to keep up. Add defrost blower and now @ idle the ALT gauge swings to the right drawing power from the battery, lights dim, wipers slow down. (Sitting at a red light, in the pouring rain.)  The light goes green, you increase speed, Alt. output jumps up, but you just spent a few minutes @ idle...draining your battery of some power. So now when you have enough capacity to run the car fully...you have extra demand to replace battery loss. You stop at the next red light...repeating the cycle. If you didn't get very far between lights now you are in the hole deeper.   
  This is why old Mopars get a bad rap. This action all gets worse on aged systems. Rusty fuse holder clips, weak connections, poor grounds, old grease in wiper motors and oxidized contacts in switches all add resistance to current flow. Resistance adds HEAT and heat adds resistance so the more time it's run the worse it gets. ALL of this creates a situation where the battery compensates and the charging system tries to keep up. This cycling of power goes through the ALT gauge to keep the battery @ 13.5 Volts. So the gauge heats up. I've had my radio and plate out for 5 years, I've reached in to feel just how hot the posts get constantly! It's very simple if you can compute the maximum load your vehicle will ever need and MATCH that under any condition the entire system as a closed loop will perform just fine.     

charger Downunder

Thanks for that info, This mopar alt at the link has high output at idle looks like someone is on to it.

http://www.bouchillonperformance.com/alternators
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b5blue

That would work fine.  :2thumbs: I waited over a year back before the Denso. Everything was iffy back then. Many "back feed the system" by using a 1 wire alt. That's NOT something I wanted.