Dynamo to Alternator

[gs.davies]

I'm considering an alternator conversion on my car. The loom was new last year and was a dynamo specific loom - I plan to gut an old control box to use as a junction box but I'm wondering if I need to somehow beef up the yellow cable that runs to the dynamo to take the extra current.

Would running a second cable in parallel suffice?

[Peter Laidler]

But first, a question for you Gary..... Is your new loom cotton braided or wrapped tape?

If it is tape wrapped, like my 69-S then I wouldn't even bother with a duff/empty control box to act as a junction box. Just unwrap the relevant parts of the loom and join the wires, heat shrink the joints - Then re-wrap. It's invisible

If it's a cotton braided loom, then that's slightly different. But only slightly because you've still got to un-pick it. But this time, you can't hide it as you would a tape-wrapped loom.

My loom was a bit of a pigs ear, with a useless 11AC alternator that wouldn't pull you off the nest and an external regulator. BUT, it was a tape wrapped loom. So I unwrapped it, got some new loom tape (for heavens sake, don't use sticky stuff....) and made a new front loom that incorporated the ACR harnness. All invisible

On the other hand, my pal Dave Chaplin did the same but made a distinctly separate loom for the charging circuit. And then sold the perfect control box!

[gs.davies]

It's a cotton wrapped loom as per the original fitment...

If I have to put another cable in, I think I'll get another length of the thick yellow cotton braided stuff and put it in a sleeve and route it along with the existing trunk back to the control box. I suppose I'll also have to run it back to the solenoid under the floor too to ensure that the circuit back to the battery has enough capacity.

I don't fancy unwrapping a relatively new loom

[timmy201]

I bought an alternator from a local mini auto electrician and he included a new length of thick wire to go from one of the alternator charging terminals (there’s 2 or 3 + terminals) to the starter solenoid

In my case the push button starter solenoid is under the floor, so I added a battery distribution post in the engine bay and connected it to the battery side of the starter switch. I figured at the time it would be handy to have a decent source of high current battery cable to the engine bay in case I wanted to add spotlights/headlight relays and not use the existing wiring

Some photos - normally I had a rubber battery terminal cover over the post to prevent any shorts. I’ve since changed the post for a dummy starter solenoid to make it look a bit neater. You can of course mount the post anywhere in the engine bay, probably down near the subframe would have been better

IMG_9246.jpeg

IMG_1075.jpeg

Now I’m using an Aussie solenoid bracket and dummy solenoid. (One day I’ll get a smaller terminal cover)

IMG_7948.jpeg

[gs.davies]

I bought an alternator from a local mini auto electrician and he included a new length of thick wire to go from one of the alternator charging terminals (there’s 2 or 3 + terminals) to the starter solenoid

In my case the push button starter solenoid is under the floor, so I added a battery distribution post in the engine bay and connected it to the battery side of the starter switch. I figured at the time it would be handy to have a decent source of high current battery cable to the engine bay in case I wanted to add spotlights/headlight relays and not use the existing wiring

Some photos - normally I had a rubber battery terminal cover over the post to prevent any shorts. I’ve since changed the post for a dummy starter solenoid to make it look a bit neater. You can of course mount the post anywhere in the engine bay, probably down near the subframe would have been better
IMG_9246.jpeg
IMG_1075.jpeg

Now I’m using an Aussie solenoid bracket and dummy solenoid. (One day I’ll get a smaller terminal cover)
IMG_7948.jpeg

Now that IS a great idea! I do plan on adding some lamps up front and I’ve had an idea involving putting heating pads into my seats…