1986 Carrera 3.2 - Paris-Rhone Alternator Ground Wire
02-29-2008, 06:46 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
1986 Carrera 3.2 - Paris-Rhone Alternator Ground Wire
Folks,
I'm replacing my Paris-Rhone alternator with a new unit. The ground cable that runs from the unit to an upper case bolt under the fan shroud is pretty worse for wear after 22 years of cooking and I want to make a new one.
The existing 15 inch long wire appears to be about 10 AWG and consists of 19 strands of solid copper wire and is VERY stiff with regards to flexiblity. It still has 0 Ohms resistance but the brown insulation is dried & cracked off in many places.
After checking the auto parts stores, Lowes, Home Depot, Boat stores etc., the best thing I can find is 10 AWG. It's marine quality and consists of about 50(?) individually tinned strands of fine copper wire so it's very flexible. The insulation says it's rated for 600V and temps of 105 degrees C (dry) and is oil resistant.
Will this work as a replacement ground wire for my 90 AMP alternator?
Thanks!
Barry
I'm replacing my Paris-Rhone alternator with a new unit. The ground cable that runs from the unit to an upper case bolt under the fan shroud is pretty worse for wear after 22 years of cooking and I want to make a new one.
The existing 15 inch long wire appears to be about 10 AWG and consists of 19 strands of solid copper wire and is VERY stiff with regards to flexiblity. It still has 0 Ohms resistance but the brown insulation is dried & cracked off in many places.
After checking the auto parts stores, Lowes, Home Depot, Boat stores etc., the best thing I can find is 10 AWG. It's marine quality and consists of about 50(?) individually tinned strands of fine copper wire so it's very flexible. The insulation says it's rated for 600V and temps of 105 degrees C (dry) and is oil resistant.
Will this work as a replacement ground wire for my 90 AMP alternator?
Thanks!
Barry
02-29-2008, 07:31 PM
#3
Team Owner
yeah it will work fine , the more wires the more current carrying capabiluty. The downside is usually the finer wires tend to be more prone to corosion ( ask anyone who service Bosch starters in salt climates ) . it will work though
02-29-2008, 07:58 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
ice: Couldn't Barry also take two equal lengths of, say, 14 gauge automotive wire, lay them next to each other, slide a piece of shrink tube over them and solder their ends into the same connectors?
02-29-2008, 08:05 PM
#5
Instructor
Thread Starter
Folks,
Oh, I could find the larger AWG wire OK. It was the crimp-on ring terminals in the two different ring sizes required that were the problem. All the stores went to pretty slim pickings below 10 AWG.
I did get some 19 strand copper wire at Home Depot in 8 AWG that looks good but (apparently) would have to special order the two ring connectors required.
From a corrosion standpoint (the finer wire aspect of the 10 AWG I also got) I'm hoping that the marine grade individually tinned element factor would eliminate that worry.
I'm just worried about the 10 AWG being able to handle the ground properly as I don't know just what the alternator asks of it. Is it subject to carrying the full 90 AMPS the alternator is rated at? If so then (according to the various charts on AWG I've found) even the stock cable at 10/9 AWG would be too small.
Does anyone know what's actually expected of this ground connection in this regard?
Barry
Oh, I could find the larger AWG wire OK. It was the crimp-on ring terminals in the two different ring sizes required that were the problem. All the stores went to pretty slim pickings below 10 AWG.
I did get some 19 strand copper wire at Home Depot in 8 AWG that looks good but (apparently) would have to special order the two ring connectors required.
From a corrosion standpoint (the finer wire aspect of the 10 AWG I also got) I'm hoping that the marine grade individually tinned element factor would eliminate that worry.
I'm just worried about the 10 AWG being able to handle the ground properly as I don't know just what the alternator asks of it. Is it subject to carrying the full 90 AMPS the alternator is rated at? If so then (according to the various charts on AWG I've found) even the stock cable at 10/9 AWG would be too small.
Does anyone know what's actually expected of this ground connection in this regard?
Barry
02-29-2008, 08:32 PM
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
Folks,
Pete is VERY correct here (as always!) but you gotta understand that I'm living in the shadow of THE Gary Kempton (a premier Porsche restoration EXPERT) down here! If he finds out that I'm considering using Black colored insulation as opposed to the original Brown color I'm dead meat!! If it becomes common knowledge that I used TWO wires I'd be 'ridden out of town on a rail'!!! ;-)
Actually it seems to be the local 'ring connector availability' issue that's crowding me here as the 8 AWG wire I found looks even a bit better than the original. I hate to spend $15.00 for two $0.65 cent parts but may have to...
Barry
Who was just gonna run to the auto parts store and buy two feet of wire and a couple of connectors.... AAAAARRRRGGGG!!!!
Pete is VERY correct here (as always!) but you gotta understand that I'm living in the shadow of THE Gary Kempton (a premier Porsche restoration EXPERT) down here! If he finds out that I'm considering using Black colored insulation as opposed to the original Brown color I'm dead meat!! If it becomes common knowledge that I used TWO wires I'd be 'ridden out of town on a rail'!!! ;-)
Actually it seems to be the local 'ring connector availability' issue that's crowding me here as the 8 AWG wire I found looks even a bit better than the original. I hate to spend $15.00 for two $0.65 cent parts but may have to...
Barry
Who was just gonna run to the auto parts store and buy two feet of wire and a couple of connectors.... AAAAARRRRGGGG!!!!
02-29-2008, 08:48 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
will be the wiser. (Believe it or not, I think that I remember seeing a few later model cars that were done that way from the factory!)Ain't it always like that? Aaaah, the little things...
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02-29-2008, 09:03 PM
#8
Instructor
Thread Starter
Pete,
OH NO!!! Now I need to look for BROWN shrink tubing to hide my transgressions? You, Sir, are a 'Svengali' of the FIRST ORDER!!! ;-)
Barry
OH NO!!! Now I need to look for BROWN shrink tubing to hide my transgressions? You, Sir, are a 'Svengali' of the FIRST ORDER!!! ;-)
Barry
03-09-2008, 06:26 PM
#10
Instructor
Thread Starter
Folks,
Well! As someone much smarter than me (apparently) once said "Stupid is as stupid does."
After $30+ spent on various wire and connector bits & pieces in an attempt to prepare myself for creating a suitable replacement for the ground wire, a STRANGE thought ocurred to me... could it be???...???... nah, no way..., NO WAY!!!
Porsche Part# 91161223300 - $7.99 plus tax from my local PCNA Dealer... It's not only soldered and double crimped on each connector (one crimp on the exposed wire with a second crimp on the wire's insulation for strain/stress relief) but, IT'S (wait for it...) BROWN!!!
Barry
Who on some days works and screws-up and on other days just screws-up... ;-)
Barry
Well! As someone much smarter than me (apparently) once said "Stupid is as stupid does."
After $30+ spent on various wire and connector bits & pieces in an attempt to prepare myself for creating a suitable replacement for the ground wire, a STRANGE thought ocurred to me... could it be???...???... nah, no way..., NO WAY!!!
Porsche Part# 91161223300 - $7.99 plus tax from my local PCNA Dealer... It's not only soldered and double crimped on each connector (one crimp on the exposed wire with a second crimp on the wire's insulation for strain/stress relief) but, IT'S (wait for it...) BROWN!!!
Barry
Who on some days works and screws-up and on other days just screws-up... ;-)
Barry
