How to Disconnect Alternator Electrical Connectors
One of the most important parts of a car’s engine is the alternator. Without a functioning alternator, the car would not start nor would anything else electronic work on the vehicle. The alternator charges the car’s battery when the car is running. Alternators will wear out over time, meaning a costly repair that will need extreme caution when carrying out.
- Take the car keys out of the ignition and allow the car to cool before performing any work on the alternator. The alternator can cause electrical shock by way of the ratchet if not careful.
- Locate the main wire that carries the electricity from the alternator to the car battery. This wire will have a rubber boot on it to keep it grounded. This wire has enough voltage to cause a fire or electrical shock if not careful.
- Remove the rubber boot, revealing the mounting bolt underneath. Use a ratchet and loosen the mounting bolt. Once the bolt is loose you should be able to remove this wire from the alternator.
- Find the charge indicator wire once the feed wire has been removed. The indicator wire will not be visible until the feed wire is out of the way. This wire sets off a light in the dashboard if something is wrong with the alternator system. Simply unplug it from the back of the alternator.
- Locate the last remaining wire that is plugged into the alternator. This wire is the computer wire and runs any computerized system in your car. That could include the heating system, radio and much more. This wire will only be visible once the charge wire has been removed. Unplug it from the alternator. All electrical wires have now been removed from the alternator.