I made the mistake of disconnecting the battery in the boat while the
engine was running.
Now, as expected, my alternator is not producing juice to charge the
battery.
The alt. is on an older Ford 302 , is a 3 wire, and has an external
regulator.
What is it that goes when I made this mistake - the alternator or the
regulator?
Which should be replaced?

Thanks - Michael

wrote:
I made the mistake of disconnecting the battery in the boat while the
engine was running.
Now, as expected, my alternator is not producing juice to charge the
battery.
The alt. is on an older Ford 302 , is a 3 wire, and has an external
regulator.
What is it that goes when I made this mistake - the alternator or the
regulator?
Which should be replaced?

Thanks - Michael

It's most likely a diode in the alternator.

If your alternator is as old as the "older Ford 302" this might be a
good excuse to take it to a shop for an overhaul or a rebuild. While
replacing the (probably) failed diode, the shop can inspect the rest of
the mechanism and replace or adjust components as required.

Depends on the alternator, and depending on the Volt regulator being
seperate fropm teh alternator.

On automotive use, Ford has their own motorcraft, but on a boat, it
could be a Delco, or Motorola, or an OMC ould probably use a
Prestolite (ugh!). Chances are its a delco remy.

BUT! If it is a Ford Motorcraft, there's ways of testing it. First see
if you have a blown fuse link, which would be between the Alt. output
(heavy wire) , and usually attach's to the pos. Bat. cable attached to
the solonoiod. If that wire is dead, then you have probably blown out
the fuse link, which is made in the wire. Not hard to splice and
replace. But I doub't if that has happened.

Next , you can go to the back of the alternator,a nd supposing the
output wire is hot, you can un plug, or un bolt the field wire (
usually orange) which is right under the back bearing. right next to
the output post. With the engine running, you can use a jumper wire and
cross those two terminals and the alternator should run wide open. You
can tell this by using a remote battery guage the voltage will usually
clime from the standarrd 12v/ up to about 16.

If thats the case, then get another voltage regulator.

On a Delco system with the expternal VR, you can do the same thing, by
unplugging the alt, and running a jumper between the bat output wire,
and the "F" or "1" terminal. it should run wide open as well.





Chuck Gould wrote:
wrote:
I made the mistake of disconnecting the battery in the boat while the
engine was running.
Now, as expected, my alternator is not producing juice to charge the
battery.
The alt. is on an older Ford 302 , is a 3 wire, and has an external
regulator.
What is it that goes when I made this mistake - the alternator or the
regulator?
Which should be replaced?

Thanks - Michael

It's most likely a diode in the alternator.

If your alternator is as old as the "older Ford 302" this might be a
good excuse to take it to a shop for an overhaul or a rebuild. While
replacing the (probably) failed diode, the shop can inspect the rest of
the mechanism and replace or adjust components as required.

Even marine single wire alternators can usually be found for under a
$100 if you shop around. That's the route I'd take.

Tim wrote:
Depends on the alternator, and depending on the Volt regulator being
seperate fropm teh alternator.

On automotive use, Ford has their own motorcraft, but on a boat, it
could be a Delco, or Motorola, or an OMC ould probably use a
Prestolite (ugh!). Chances are its a delco remy.

BUT! If it is a Ford Motorcraft, there's ways of testing it. First see
if you have a blown fuse link, which would be between the Alt. output
(heavy wire) , and usually attach's to the pos. Bat. cable attached to
the solonoiod. If that wire is dead, then you have probably blown out
the fuse link, which is made in the wire. Not hard to splice and
replace. But I doub't if that has happened.

Next , you can go to the back of the alternator,a nd supposing the
output wire is hot, you can un plug, or un bolt the field wire (
usually orange) which is right under the back bearing. right next to
the output post. With the engine running, you can use a jumper wire and
cross those two terminals and the alternator should run wide open. You
can tell this by using a remote battery guage the voltage will usually
clime from the standarrd 12v/ up to about 16.

If thats the case, then get another voltage regulator.

On a Delco system with the expternal VR, you can do the same thing, by
unplugging the alt, and running a jumper between the bat output wire,
and the "F" or "1" terminal. it should run wide open as well.





Chuck Gould wrote:
wrote:
I made the mistake of disconnecting the battery in the boat while the
engine was running.
Now, as expected, my alternator is not producing juice to charge the
battery.
The alt. is on an older Ford 302 , is a 3 wire, and has an external
regulator.
What is it that goes when I made this mistake - the alternator or the
regulator?
Which should be replaced?

Thanks - Michael

It's most likely a diode in the alternator.

If your alternator is as old as the "older Ford 302" this might be a
good excuse to take it to a shop for an overhaul or a rebuild. While
replacing the (probably) failed diode, the shop can inspect the rest of
the mechanism and replace or adjust components as required.

Hello

To find out for sure you have to full field the alternator ,This mean's you have to bypass the regulator i think by jumping the field and arm wire.
if you have any questions you can e-mail me at and i will give you a phone to contact me.

Andre Foster

Andre foster wrote:
Wrote:

I made the mistake of disconnecting the battery in the boat while the
engine was running.
Now, as expected, my alternator is not producing juice to charge the
battery.
The alt. is on an older Ford 302 , is a 3 wire, and has an external
regulator.
What is it that goes when I made this mistake - the alternator or the
regulator?
Which should be replaced?

Thanks - Michael



Hello

To find out for sure you have to full field the alternator ,This mean's
you have to bypass the regulator i think by jumping the field and arm
wire.
if you have any questions you can e-mail me at
and i will give you a phone to contact me.

Andre Foster





Full field test:

Low RPM, watch the ammeter, jump BAT(12v) to FLD on alternator case. If
you get a jump in output, alt is probably OK.

If the regulator has failed, it would be a good time to upgrade to a
off-the-shelf solid state Ford external regulator(1979 & up electronic -
they are all ignition protected & quite inexpensive) & pigtail. NAPA
should have everything you need. The boat need not have a Ford engine
for this upgrade, just an external regulator. Those little "marine"
regulator bricks are ridiculously expensive!

Rob