Re: electrical wiring

Posted by humanpotatohybrid On 2023/12/5 20:35:52

The front-of-firewall wiring for the Delco vs. AL cars is essentially identical. The reason the generator/regulator wiring is different is because the AL cars (Clippers) used an "idiot light" whereas the Delco cars (Packard) used an ammeter. For an ammeter, all the current passing between the charging system and battery should go through it (you will note that all the loads are connected on the charging system side of the ammeter, aside from the starter and the accessories connected to it, which use both intermittent and large amounts of electricity, so that the ammeter accurately shows the battery charge or discharge rate). Whereas for the "idiot light" it only needs to monitor the generator voltage as the light lights when this voltage is too low. The light itself is powered through the instrument cluster fuse.

So you should use the wiring corresponding to what gauge you have on the dashboard. Obviously, the generator and regulator connections themselves should be made according to their labels and not their physical position.