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What gauge wire??? #1417705 04/10/13 11:19 AM 04/10/13 11:19 AM
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA M mopowers OP master
mopowers OP master M Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA	What gauge wire should I use to go from the Alt. to the voltage regulator (the green one). I noticed mine is cracked and needs to be replaced. The factory one looks tiny, almost like 18 or 20 gauge.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: mopowers] #1417706 04/10/13 01:07 PM 04/10/13 01:07 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,991 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,991 Grand Prairie,Texas	Use the same size.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: stumpy] #1417707 04/10/13 01:32 PM 04/10/13 01:32 PM
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA M mopowers OP master
mopowers OP master M Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA	I just checked the FSM wiring diagram and that particular wire is labelled as "R3 18DGN." I'm assuming the 18DGM means it's 18 gauge with dark green insulation. Any idea what the R3 stands for? Would it be bad to step it up to 16g? Last edited by mopowers; 04/10/13 01:33 PM.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: mopowers] #1417708 04/10/13 01:35 PM 04/10/13 01:35 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,085 Niles , Ohio T therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah. T Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,085 Niles , Ohio	Never hurts to go bigger.Bigger handles more amps and has less resistance.Its like battery cables.I run 1 gauge.Rocky Chrysler Firepower

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: mopowers] #1417709 04/10/13 06:05 PM 04/10/13 06:05 PM
Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,822 Colorado D denfireguy top fuel
denfireguy top fuel D Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,822 Colorado	Quote: I just checked the FSM wiring diagram and that particular wire is labelled as "R3 18DGN." I'm assuming the 18DGM means it's 18 gauge with dark green insulation. Any idea what the R3 stands for? Would it be bad to step it up to 16g? R3 is the circuit number, presumably the third wire in the regulator circuit. Is usually does not hurt to go bigger. Never go smaller. Craig 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie, 73 Cuda Previous mopars: 62 Valiant, 65 Fury III, 68 Fury III, 72 Satellite, 74 Satellite, 89 Acclaim, 98 Caravan, 2003 Durango Only previous Non-Mopar: Schwinn Tornado

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: mopowers] #1417710 04/10/13 07:11 PM 04/10/13 07:11 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,138 tucson az F frank top fuel
frank top fuel F Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,138 tucson az	Does not hurt to go bigger; I do it when I need to replace wires. Make sure you use the correct wire: GXL or SXL

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: frank] #1417711 04/10/13 07:24 PM 04/10/13 07:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 17,862 albany ny 0 05dakota I Live Here
05dakota I Live Here 0 Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 17,862 albany ny	18 IS FINE, ITS A SENSING wire, it has no load 5549 post on old board

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: frank] #1417712 04/10/13 09:10 PM 04/10/13 09:10 PM
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA M mopowers OP master
mopowers OP master M Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA	Quote: Does not hurt to go bigger; I do it when I need to replace wires. Make sure you use the correct wire: GXL or SXL What is the difference between GXL and SXL??

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: mopowers] #1417713 04/10/13 10:57 PM 04/10/13 10:57 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,138 tucson az F frank top fuel
frank top fuel F Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,138 tucson az	Quote: Quote: Does not hurt to go bigger; I do it when I need to replace wires. Make sure you use the correct wire: GXL or SXL What is the difference between GXL and SXL?? The thickness of the insulation. SXL is considered standard wall. GXL is thin wall TXL is very thin wall. The SXL/GXL/TXL wire insulation is different from the wire you get at the parts store; its called cross linked polyethylene. It can withstand high temperatures, I believe up to 125C. The cheep stuff from AZ has a different insulation. No where near as good as this stuff. I believe most factory wire (late model) is GXL. In any event you want a wire that can withstand high temps in your engine compartment. I prefer SXL.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: frank] #1417714 04/11/13 01:20 AM 04/11/13 01:20 AM
Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 4,785 Utah and Alaska astjp2 master
astjp2 master Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 4,785 Utah and Alaska	I use tefzel, it comes in many colors and you CAN run 1 gauge smaller than regular auto grade wire. http://www.terminaltown.com/Pages/Page20.html 1941 Taylorcraft 1968 Charger 1994 Wrangler 1998 Wrangler 2008 Kia Rio 2017 Jetta I didn't do 4 years and 9 months of Graduate School to be called Mister!

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: frank] #1417715 04/11/13 10:37 AM 04/11/13 10:37 AM
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA M mopowers OP master
mopowers OP master M Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA	Quote: Quote: Quote: Does not hurt to go bigger; I do it when I need to replace wires. Make sure you use the correct wire: GXL or SXL What is the difference between GXL and SXL?? The thickness of the insulation. SXL is considered standard wall. GXL is thin wall TXL is very thin wall. The SXL/GXL/TXL wire insulation is different from the wire you get at the parts store; its called cross linked polyethylene. It can withstand high temperatures, I believe up to 125C. The cheep stuff from AZ has a different insulation. No where near as good as this stuff. I believe most factory wire (late model) is GXL. In any event you want a wire that can withstand high temps in your engine compartment. I prefer SXL. I've been using wire from a place that does light systems for emergency vehicles. Not once have I ever been asked SXL, GXL, or TXL. I guess I just never knew of such a thing.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: 05dakota] #1417716 04/11/13 08:03 PM 04/11/13 08:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md 3 383man Too Many Posts
383man Too Many Posts 3 Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md	Quote: 18 IS FINE, ITS A SENSING wire, it has no load 18 is fine. Its actually just the ground wire for the field circuit going to the regulator. It just gets grounded and ungrounded to control alt output. Ron

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: 383man] #1417717 04/14/13 06:47 PM 04/14/13 06:47 PM
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA M mopowers OP master
mopowers OP master M Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA	I just re-made this 6' green wire and can't for the life of me remember where one end goes. I know one end goes to one side of the voltage regulator on the fire wall. Where does the ring terminal side of this wire go??? So far all I have on my alternator is a few wires coming off the power output. There is also a male spade connector with nothing going to it. I can't imagine the other end of this green wire going to this connector because it's got a ring connector on it? Man, I wish I had taken a picture!!! Any ideas where the end of this wire goes?? The wiring diagram shows it going from the voltage regulator to the alternator, but where on the alt. should it go??

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: mopowers] #1417718 04/14/13 08:00 PM 04/14/13 08:00 PM
Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 197 Nor-Cal L loaderpro member
loaderpro member L Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 197 Nor-Cal	This should be the field wire, should be marked "FLD" on the alt.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: loaderpro] #1417719 04/14/13 10:06 PM 04/14/13 10:06 PM
Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 3,886 Lost and Spaced B bboogieart master
bboogieart master B Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 3,886 Lost and Spaced	Quote: This should be the field wire, should be marked "FLD" on the alt. and that would be a spade connector not a ring. Maybe you put the wrong connector on it (?) 7668405-68Polaraalternator.jpg (31 downloads) I have mechanical Aptitude. I can screw up anything.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: bboogieart] #1417720 04/14/13 10:58 PM 04/14/13 10:58 PM
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA M mopowers OP master
mopowers OP master M Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA	There was a ring terminal when I took the old wire off. I made a new one because I noticed a break in the wire insulation. I just made a new wire with a spade terminal for the voltage regulator (like the old one had). I did notice the "FLD" cast into the back of the alternator. It has a male blade connector there. So I just put the appropriate female on the new wire. It's just weird that the old wire would've had a ring terminal on it. I don't recall how it was connected. Here are a few pics: Here is where the spade connects to the voltage regulator Here is a picture of the old wire with the ring terminal. I just tied it together for the purpose of the picture. Back of Alternator: Here's the field blade terminal on the back of the alternator.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: mopowers] #1417721 04/14/13 11:16 PM 04/14/13 11:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 3,886 Lost and Spaced B bboogieart master
bboogieart master B Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 3,886 Lost and Spaced	The green wire from the regulator goes on that spade with a female end just like you said. If you have another field tab on the alternator you will need to ground it like in my picture. Those wire ends look a little weird to me. Do you know if they are original? I have mechanical Aptitude. I can screw up anything.

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: bboogieart] #1417722 04/14/13 11:31 PM 04/14/13 11:31 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: The green wire from the regulator goes on that spade with a female end just like you said. If you have another field tab on the alternator you will need to ground it like in my picture. X2 The blue wire with the female connector goes on the "ign" terminal on the reg and a green wire with a spade terminal goes on the other "field" terminal on the reg & the other end of this green wire has a female connector on the end & it goes on the alt single male field terminal. That green wire never had a ring terminal on it from the factory. When I redid my 65 dart wiring I went one size larger on everything which is 2 gauge numbers smaller IE 18 to 16. I dont doubt that some sizes in the circuit are adequate as is but I wanted it to last forever & be OK with any future add ons so I crimped/soldered/replaced everything live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: What gauge wire??? [Re: RapidRobert] #1417723 04/15/13 10:27 AM 04/15/13 10:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA M mopowers OP master
mopowers OP master M Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,011 Sac, CA	Thanks guys. The alternator only seems to have one field wire, so I think I'm good. I hope so anyway...

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