Brown wire charging issues.

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WVChevyBear

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I have a 94 K1500 with a 5.7 cs130 alternator with charging issues.

The gauge says that it's charging around 8-9 volts. I have done online searches and it seems that the brown excite wire that comes from the cluster is a major issue.
I have taken out the cluster, cleaned all connections, replaced battery light bulb and literally took out the whole harness, unwrapped it and looked for a broken or burnt place and everything looked fine. I put everything back together and I still have the same problem.
Painless wiring has a kit to fix this, but I'd like to do a ad244 swap.
Has anyone bypassed the brown wire on a ad244 swap using the resistor and it work?

I'd really love to drive my truck again. Thanks in advance.
 

Dubs

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Just hook the brown wire to key hot. I had to do this when I changed my Gauge cluster over
 

WVChevyBear

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Just hook the brown wire to key hot. I had to do this when I changed my Gauge cluster over

Out of curiosity, how long have you ran it that way?
I thought of doing that, but when I looked it up to see if it could be done I ran into people on forums saying that their voltmeters shot up to 19 and killed their alternator.
At this point I'm ready to try anything.
Thanks
 

someotherguy

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Before overthinking the solution have you checked the plug at the alternator? These can be problematic. Easy, inexpensive to replace. Give yours a wiggle and see if it momentarily improves.

Richard
 

WVChevyBear

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Before overthinking the solution have you checked the plug at the alternator? These can be problematic. Easy, inexpensive to replace. Give yours a wiggle and see if it momentarily improves.

Richard

I've tried it, but didn't know the actual plug was problematic. I'll replace it, they're cheap. At this point I have replaced the alternator, all cables and the battery, so what's a few more dollars.

Thanks
 

Dubs

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Out of curiosity, how long have you ran it that way?
I thought of doing that, but when I looked it up to see if it could be done I ran into people on forums saying that their voltmeters shot up to 19 and killed their alternator.
At this point I'm ready to try anything.
Thanks

I've ran it about 50 miles. 14.2 is what it holds at above idle and about 13.8 at idle according to my fitech display. Changing clutch and flywheel today, weather permitting.
 

Dubs

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Out of curiosity, how long have you ran it that way?
I thought of doing that, but when I looked it up to see if it could be done I ran into people on forums saying that their voltmeters shot up to 19 and killed their alternator.
At this point I'm ready to try anything.
Thanks


Also for the vm to shoot up, that has to be a regulator problem. All that wire does is tell the alt to charge. Has nothing to do with regulating voltage
 

Ken K

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Caution: Do Not Run Full Battery Voltage to the Voltage Regulator Without A Current Limiting Device!!!!

My GM electronic service information only goes back to 1997 with full schematics. If you have confirmed the CS130 as the alternator, the brown wire is F or "Field" and while it has voltage from the key switch, it's current must be limited.
The dash will have a peanut bulb (194) which when lit limits current to 0.25 amps. Depending on how they wired it. Many times a 470 ohms resistor is wired in parallel with the bulb. In this configuration, if the bulb fails and goes out, voltage can still flow through the resistor to supply the field terminal with B+, but at 0.25 amps. This keeps the alternator working, but the dash light won't come on.

On newer vehicles, the resistor has been eliminated and use the build only. Either way, with a bulb or resistor only, you will damage the voltage regulator permanently due to high amperage. So use a 470 ohm resistor of 1/4 amp capacity in line between the ignition's brown wire that goes to the alternator.

In 2004, GM had a total of 26 different voltage regulators, so that was their reason for not selling them. It's too easy to install the wrong one.

A 2 wire alternator connector was used into the mid 90's, but know have 4 terminals; P, S,F,L. Different functions depending on the application. Now they are PWM controlled by the PCM in most cases.

As a dealer tech, I still own a small "CS" alternator tester with LED's and connectors. It has an internal resistor that allows the alternator to "Full Field" for testing on the vehicle.

This alternator (CS130 / CS144) is popular and used in swaps, but the resistor has to be included. Mine is inline with solder and shrink tubing over it.

For additional information, try Alternatorman.com for parts, wiring, complete alternators and important information.
Hope this helps, depending on what you have already done.
 
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