Generator

[slowmo]

Fiddlesticks. While powering up my little mountain road, 2nd gear due to a fierce headwind, with a line of cars behind giving me the one finger Series Rover salute, I glanced at my volt-meter (installed this year for just such an occurrence) and low and behold it indicated 10 volts. But that was odd, since I was at max RPM and the only thing I was running was the ineffective heater, it should be been 13-14 volts.

Got home, eventually, and disconnected the generator, jumped the D and F terminals together, started up the truck and measured exactly 0 VDC. Wonderful. My almost 1 year old generator is dead.

I can buy a new one for $143 and get perhaps almost another year out it or I can convert to an alternator. Sheesh. Who has done the alternator conversion and were the results everything you imagined?

[o2batsea]

Yeh if generators were so great they would still be in use on every car.

[cedryck]

The generator was the first thing I converted on my 65 2A, yes it is all that I expected it to be.

[slowmo]

Yep. I noticed it couldn't keep up with the electric fuel pump, lights and heater fan running and I assume it died trying. Bought an alternator in the GM 10si case style.

[bugeye88]

slowmo,
Did you select a mounting bracket yet? I recommend the one from Pangolin. It mounts the alternator up top in the engine for easy access and is solid. Mine is one of the good things I've done to the Bug Eye.
Rob
bugeye88

[cedryck]

I remember my truck when I first had it, before I started a frame off, it had the generator, it was an ass pain. Always failed, and drained my battery a number of times, and then there was the Prince of Darkness,,,

[lumpydog]

I'm a fan of the generator. Dialed in well and not overloaded it's extremely capable and reliable.

You need to set your RB106 control box up right. My generator puts out about 14.2 volts at 2500 rpm. Cuts out (in) at 13 volts. Battery stays reliably charged at just over 12.5 volts.

They're basic devices and shouldn't just fail.

All that bring said - if I drove my truck every day and at night (headlights) and had a few accessories... It would make it harder to justify keeping as it can't handle much over what was factory delivered with the truck.

[o2batsea]

Keep your genny and use it as a compressor motor to run your air conditioning

[clearcut]

I used a alternator on my 109. Just had to replace it with a ACDelco 335-1003 Professional Alternator

also i bought a ACDelco PT1742 GM Original Equipment Multi-Purpose Pigtail

josh

[bugeye88]

There has been a lot written on this subject on this and other sites. Terriann has some excellent wiring diagrams and discussion on her site, give it a look.
Cheers
Rob
Bugeye88

[lumpydog]

Keep your genny and use it as a compressor motor to run your air conditioning

Bill - if I could just get Wynns to make one for the Series I'd be on it! In my 97 D90 I could almost get it to snow!

[slowmo]

Thanks. I have seen that on Terriann's site as well. I'll give it a go first...bust a couple of knuckles...and then probably order the dang thing for $80. :(

I bought a one-wire alternator, so all my wiring (other than getting voltage to the systems) is running a big a$$ wire from the alternator to the battery.

[bugeye88]

Slowmo,

Yep, your on the right path, Just skip to the Pangolin bracket, put that big ass wire in the right place and motor on!

Cheers,
Rob
Bugeye88

[slowmo]

Rob,
You were right about the Pangolin bracket.

Note to others doing this conversion: Get a one wire Delco/GM alternator in case style 10si with plenty of amps of capacity. These are plentiful. Then get the Pangolin bracket (a little expensive for what it is but a big time saver). Put on at least a 10ga wire (or 8ga) but not less, straight to the battery. The shortest routing is the best.

[RoverForm]

Does the GEN to ALT conversion require an earth swap as well? Currently running SIIa w/ generator on positive earth. Generator was rebuilt and battery replaced. Starting amps have never been reliable. Vehicle requires trickle charging, and I have to carry the hand crank, jumper cables and a lil' lighting jump starter everywhere.

[mearstrae]

One wire systems are self earthing through the alt housing. But, if you're having that much trouble with starter electrics, be sure to check and clean all the earths, and add one directly to the starter mounting bolt if needed. And check the battery capacity, you may have weak cells. I run a 100amp one wire myself, with a home-made bracket. (I also have this set-up on my 3500S)

'99 Disco II
'95 R.R.C. Lwb (Gone...)
'76 Series III Hybrid 109
'70 Rover 3500S

[slowmo]

I have a 100amp alternator as well. It is a GM (Delco) 10si case style. There is a separate ground terminal on mine which I connected to the block, though it is supposedly case grounded.

Once you install the alternator and run a heavy gauge wire to the new battery, you might what to check if you have some kind of short which is draining your battery. If you have a multimeter, set it up to measure current. Disconnect the positive terminal on the battery and put the multimeter in series. See if an current is flowing with the ignition off. If so you have a short somewhere and will have to track it down.

[RoverForm]

Thanks all. I got the Delco Alternator, but before GEN/ALT swap, a POS to NEG earth conversion is recommended.

I've read all the info on TerriAnns's site and spoke to her briefly via email. Have watched numerous videos on the swap, have printed the POS and NEG wiring diagrams for the IIa. I understand I need to swap the wires on:

ammeter
ignition coil
interior LEDs
and fuel pump (if solid state)?
Is my fuel pump solid state? How do I know? If it's not, do I have to replace the fuel pump with a solid state pump? This was not described on TerriAnn's site.
This is the pump I have:
11393

[lumpydog]

Keep it simple: https://www.roversnorth.com/info/40

That fuel pump is mechanical (vs electric) and doesn't know the difference between pos and neg earthed engines. It will keep pumping as long as the engine is working. Don't concern yourself with it while you're switching over to negative earth.

[SafeAirOne]

That fuel pump is mechanical (vs electric) and doesn't know the difference between pos and neg earthed engines.


It must be an electric pump--it says "AC" on it! ;)

[RoverForm]

Thanks guys!

After verifying that there were no electric wires connected to the pump, I went ahead and did the POS to NEG earth conversion last night.

disconnected batt
had to re-position the ground cable
swapped wires on the ammeter
swapped wires on the interior LEDs
swapped wires on the ignition coil
re-polarized the generator from the POS batt terminal
inserted batt in reverse position and connected

Result:
truck starts and runs
ammeter still reads (-)amps
LEDs work
charge light is still on

So basically the truck functions exactly as it did before the conversion.

I'd say that's a success?

[lumpydog]

Awesome! Nice work and welcome to negative earth.

[VTRover]

My 61 still has the original generator and at over 85,000 miles it's still working fine. I'm thinking it must be constructed from Roswell materials.............

[lumpydog]

If you took your generator apart, you would find it to be a pretty simple device. To those reading this far, the consumable part is the brushes and they can be found for $8 to $10. Also - there is a small oil hole on the engine side/very center of the generator's circular end cap. A few drops of sewing machine oil in there goes a long way. Probably a good idea to have a spear bearing handy too.