1980 Alternator

[Mike Andrew]

I need assistance reinstalling my Marchal alternator. I did a schematic of the wire positions upon removal, however, I have discovered that there are 2 terminals marked B+ & the Red wire attaches to 1 of them. They are adjacent to one another. Which terminal takes the Red wire? Or, are they linked internally & it makes no difference?
Like to get this resolved before I get everything back together & have to tear it down again to rewire or replace a smoked alternator.

Yikes, should have done a digital photo.

[304065]

Mike,

First, you need to be absolutely certain that what you are looking at says, in fact, B+ on two of the terminals. Alternators get beat up going in and out, sandblasted by rebuilders, who knows what, and sometimes the markings get obscured. Anyway, if you happen to have two B+ terminals, they are both connected internally, and it doesn't matter. If one of them has a larger terminal (the bolt is bigger) then connect the red primary wire to that.

This layout is written up a couple dozen times in the archives but here it is again just for fun:

B+ (battery positive- fat red wire to starter and fat red wire to engine wire harness)

D+/61 (blue wire - pre-excitation current from engine harness #11)

D- Ground (brown, and also a braided strap from the alternator case D- to the engine case parting line bolts)

DF (black, Dynamo Field, goes to male faston terminal on brush holder)

Good luck! Don't burn the car down!