Hi all.just a quick one for someone who knows.ive recently put a new alternator on my 87 mini.plugged in and all ok.just wondered what the thread,that sticks out further down from the plug itself,is for.its about 5or6mm diameter with two nuts on it.its also a constant live.cheers guys.
Alrernator Live.
Started by
nollyd
, Mar 15 2017 10:33 AM
3 replies to this topic
#2
maccers
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Camshaft & Stage Two Head
- Location: Epsom
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Posted 15 March 2017 - 11:09 AM
Its there to give you a little shock and warm up spanners in the winter when working in the immediate area of this thread...
#3
nollyd
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Super Mini Mad
Posted 15 March 2017 - 11:31 AM
Tel me about it.shocked me when spanner earthed onto it.no plastic cap or cover on it.
#4
tiger99
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Crazy About Mini's
- Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posted 15 March 2017 - 04:12 PM
That terminal is an alternate to the two large blade connectors for the feed to the battery. The small blade is of course for the warning light and means of initially creating the magnetic field to start the alternator working.
You can with some advantage use the large terminal by getting a thick wire made up with the proper sizes of heavy duty ring terminals on each end to connect it between alternator and main battery terminal of the starter solenoid. The existing two lesser brown wires can then come out. But if you do that upgrade, please take great care to ensure that the new wire is well protected. We don't want you to be telling us that your Mini caught fire. That would be sad. Oh, and no crimping with DIY tools either. The current is whatever your alternator is rated at, often 44 amps or higher, and a cheap, nasty crimp will overheat and fail. An auto electrician will probably be prepared to do the crimps with the proper tool for a modest fee if you measure off the length that you need.
If you don't use it, again to avoid fire, please put a good cap of some sort over it. Heatshrink sleeving nay be helpful.
Modern non-Lucas alternators mostly seem to have the bolt but often not the alternative blades.
You can with some advantage use the large terminal by getting a thick wire made up with the proper sizes of heavy duty ring terminals on each end to connect it between alternator and main battery terminal of the starter solenoid. The existing two lesser brown wires can then come out. But if you do that upgrade, please take great care to ensure that the new wire is well protected. We don't want you to be telling us that your Mini caught fire. That would be sad. Oh, and no crimping with DIY tools either. The current is whatever your alternator is rated at, often 44 amps or higher, and a cheap, nasty crimp will overheat and fail. An auto electrician will probably be prepared to do the crimps with the proper tool for a modest fee if you measure off the length that you need.
If you don't use it, again to avoid fire, please put a good cap of some sort over it. Heatshrink sleeving nay be helpful.
Modern non-Lucas alternators mostly seem to have the bolt but often not the alternative blades.
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