12 Volt Conv, Idiot Update. I haven't been able to post

Dave Brown

This was my original post:

Let me preface this. I converted a front mount 8N last week and with your alls help it runs fine. Now I am converting a side mount 8N, got it wired and it won't shut off.

Before I thoroughly explain my wiring, I'll tll you that the 2 post terminal block was broken and I am using a ballast resistor in place of it. I refer to that as "1st resistor" from here on out. Here goes:

1) Wire from the distributor post to the + post on 6 volt coil

2) Wire from - post coil to the left side of the 2nd ballast resistor

3) From the bat post on the alt a wire goes to the + post on the ammeter, P2 short wire to bat post on alt, P1 goes to one wire on the side marker lite, the other wire from the side marker light goes to left post of the first resistor.

4) Solenoid small post wire to starter switch, from the bat post a wire goes to the - post on ammeter

5) On the ignition, the yellow wire goes to the right post of the 1st ballast resistor, the black wire goes to the left post of the first resistor.

6) There is a wire going from the right post of the 1st ballast resistor to the right post of the 2nd resistor also.

7) there is also a short wire from the - post on ammeter that goes to the left post of the 1st resistor.

I wired it exactly like the drawing with the exception of using a side marker lite (which the drawing did not call for and the original terminal block was missing a post so I used a ballast resistor.

Any Ideas. It runs fine except it won't turn off????? ???

Thanks, Dave Brown

And YES, your idiot light will come ON and stay ON, until alternator is charging. If'n it really bothers you, by-pass your 1st resistor. But I wouldn't worry about it. Yeah, a correctly done Delco 10-SI 3-wire 12 volt conversion should start charging about 600 rpms and is a direct result of using that 1st resistor. Ya gotts a working 12 volt conversion, leave itt, unless yer a perfectionist. (grin)

General rule of roundcan ignition coils, 6 or 12 volts, coil points connection should match battery polarity. That means for a negative ground 12 volt electrical system, the coil (-) terminal should hook to the distributor points terminal..... ....Dell

The problem is that the side marker light has a resistance a little too high to provide enough bootstrap field current to get things going at low speeds. You can correct this with a series combo of a 1N4001 diode and a 10 ohm 10 watt resistor in parallel with the light or you can just put up with it. I recommend the latter strategy for now -- there isn't much practical impact to the alternator dropping out at slow idle -- it's just annoying to look at that glowing light.

As for the ammeter:

The alternator "BAT" post should be connected to the (-) post on the ammeter, not the (+) post as you indicated you wired it.

The battery post on the solenoid should be connected to the (+) post on the ammeter, not the (-) post as you indicated you wired it. But leave the black ignition switch wire on the (-) post as Dell suggested.

See Brian Beck's handy wiring diagram:

Link

I still say your coil is wired backwards.

Scroll to the bottom of Brian's page, and you will see the Genesee Product's wiring diagram showing the coil wired with (-) to distributor and (+) to the battery.

Hope you supply return postage!