Dynamo/alternator. help!

Hi I have a 1952 series 1 80"
And it has intermitent chargeing am getting fed up with it now so thought I would fit an alternator insted of a dynamo.
Does anyone know what else i have to change except the dynamo for an alternator? Do i need a new voltage regulator?
Cheers
Jon

It would be wise to use all the electrics that come with the alt you choose, an alt produces AC not DC, so 1st the wave is chopped by a circiut to produce a DC like output then it must be regulated in terms of its charging the batt.

My advice would be get the entire system from a scrap vehicle so it all matches. Some alt have the electric bits in the back of the alt but some did not. Choose a vehicle with a large capacity or 1 to match your vehicle, fiat 500 will not do. guess it may be best to also select aa vehicle with similar rev range, so lotus is also out.

Also
A alternator will put out alot more current that a dynamo so if you have a Amp meter it may not go high enough.

landyboy said:

Hi I have a 1952 series 1 80"
And it has intermitent chargeing am getting fed up with it now so thought I would fit an alternator insted of a dynamo.
Does anyone know what else i have to change except the dynamo for an alternator? Do i need a new voltage regulator?
Cheers
Jon

Click to expand...

An alternator is MUCH simpler to connect up than a dynamo.

BUT >>>>> ! ! !

The alternator WILL be NEGATIVE EARTH, whereas the old dynamo WILL be POSITIVE earth. There may be polarity conscious kit in the car so take care. For a start, the BATTERY will be connected the wrong way round!

You can throw the regulator away - the alternator one is built in.

What you need to do is make sure you connect ONE wire (the little one) from the alternator so that the IGN warning light is switched OFF when you take the key out.

The big wire from the alternator goes direct to the battery + usually at + the input cable of the starter motor.

The exact way to do this depends on which make and model alternator is used.