----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 11:20
AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Alternator
wires
There are two small wires coming out of my stock alternator.
I'm guessing that one is field and one is the idiot light. Does anyone know
which is which, or how to test this, and what comes out of the idiot light
wire - 12v or ground? John Slade
When you say stock
alternator, do you mean from a 2nd gen RX-7, or ??? I'm sure we can
cough up the actual schematic info if it's an RX-7 alt. FWIW,
you're probably right about what the wires do, and the idiot light circuit
probably provides a ground to turn the light on.
Rusty
Actually, I think its just the
opposite Rusty. The idiot light on the stock RX-7 alternator (at least
the pre 2000 type) require 12 volts there to provide the initial boot-strap
voltage to the alternators field coils. Now once the alternator is
producing voltage then it is no longer needed. However, several folks
have found that if they even put a light bulb in that circuit (rather than use
a relay) that when the bulb blows, the alternator will not start producing
voltage on start up.
FWIW
Ed
Anderson