So I just bought this Class C RV, which has a 1991 Ford E350 Chassis, running a 460 (7.5L) gasoline motor. The alternator was on its last leg, so rather than installing another 75 AMP alternator I decided to get a 110 AMP alternator. The shop that built the alternator told me I had to cut the old rectifier out of the wiring harness and splice in the one that was connected to the new alternator. I had no idea what a rectifier was but he pointed to the plug and I understood what he meant.

So I cut the old rectifier out of the harness. This is a photo of the old rectifier:



It had two BK/O(BlacK with Orange) wires and one R(red) wire.

I installed the new alternator. The new rectifier on it had two (BK) Black wires and one W (White) wire. While installing the new alternator I forgot to remove the battery. The bare wires touched the casing on my alternator and there were brief sparks. I then disconnected the battery.

Once I had the new alternator in place, I connected my new white wire to the old red wire with a flat blade connector:





Before I could connect the existing BK/O wires from the harness to my new BK wires on the rectifier, I decided I needed to cut the sleeve on the old existing wiring harness more to expose the wires. There wasn't enough sticking out for me to work with them. So I cut about two inches of sleeving away. That's when the red wire popped out, apparently connected to nothing:




I then cut back another six inches, hoping the red wire had been connected to something and it had slipped further into the sleeve. Nothing there. I cut a hole in the sleeving 18 inches back. Still nothing.


So my fear is that I when I shorted the wires from the battery, I vaporized a fusible link that the red wire had originally been connected to. I have no idea what that link would have been connected to on the other side, or how to replace it if that's true. The only other possibility I can think of is that the red wire was never connected to anything and the last person to install an alternator simply left it tucked into the sleeve. I only consider this because there are no burn marks in the sleeve, or ash or residue. But I am afraid to just hook up what I have and start it up. I've found a few wiring diagrams on the net but I don't know how to read them. None have a part labeled "rectifier". I'm really stuck and could use from help from someone who has either worked on this wiring before, or really knows how to read those diagrams, or intimately understands how the rectifier is supposed to work.

HELP! (my kids would love to see me again. I've had my head buried in the nose of the van for eight hours)

 

The only way to know what you are doing for sure is to get your hands on the wiring diagram for those circuits or components. I'd be glad to share the pages from my shop manuals but I only have the year 96. If you can't find them online I would suggest going to your local dealership and ask to speak to a "Red Team" Mechanic. Ask the mechanic if he would let you copy the pages you need out of their shop manuals. The guys here have always been very helpful when I get stuck and you might have the same where you are. Also, your local library might have them or even the after market book might show the basic wiring involving the alternator.
Also, I have never heard of anyone referring to the alternator wiring harness connector as a rectifier. The rectifier is a set of large diodes mounted on the side of the alternator itself.