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M1010 12 volt conversion finished

chevymike

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So in my other thread regarding checking the 24 volt system and the DUVAC, I found the upper alternator was bad and only putting out 10-11 volts and that assumes the DUVAC is actually working, which there is really no test for those. For my use, I have zero need for any 24 volt system and the glow plugs relay had already been converted to a 12 volt style prior to me. My quest to convert to 12 volts began.

With the help of my best friend, who is an auto electrical tech working on emergency/command post type vehicles, we set out to figure what wires needed to be kept, what we could remove and what we needed to add. We studied in detail, the TM wiring diagrams and figured out all the wiring to the lower alternator is unneeded. We also found a majority of the DUVAC wires could be removed. Since much of this is loomed into the engine harness on the back of the engine, we decided to cut back and "stub" the unneeded wires and sealed those ends and taped them up. We did find we could keep a positive (RED-2B) and negative (BLK-151F) wire (that went to the DUVAC) long so I would have a nice feed on the driver side should I ever need this. We also found we needed to tie the brown wire (BRN-39G) to the white wire (WHT-103C) which would in turn be the switched ignition to the new alternator. Since we were joining these, we ran a stub pink wire and bundled it with the black and red so I would have a switched source should I ever need it.

This basically took care of the main modifications needed and focused on the main power leads from the batteries and single alternator. Prior to all the wiring, I swapped the 24 volts starter to a newer gear reduction 12 volt style. This also meant I needed the starter bracket for this style starter. Luckily a Chevy dealer in town had it in stock! Overall that took time but was fairly easy to do. Then it was time to remove both of the old 24 volt alternator and put the new 12 volt in in the upper mounting spot, as it's easier to get to. Then it was simply wiring a new 12 volt + lead to the power block and the two batteries in parallel.

Now one thing I did would prevents one battery (which could have a bad cell or short out) from killing the other battery is I added a heavy duty solenoid between the +12 front battery cable and the power block on the firewall. It is wired so when you turn the key on, it will connect the front battery to the system as if the two batteries are parallel but when the key is off, it disconnects the front battery from the system. This just adds an extra level of safety should one battery have a problem and not drain the whole system down.

I also picked up a new 12 volt gauge to put into the stock location of the 24 volt one. Just had to modify the dash mount to remove an unneeded bracket. I used the pigtail off the old gauge and changed the connectors for the new one. This way I can still remove the dash and unplug the gauge just like the 24 system was.

Okay, enough talk and onto the pictures! Hope this helps someone else should they want to do the same.

Start with removal of upper and lower alternator (after disconnecting the batteries)
PICT6036.jpg

Remove the old 24 volt starter
PICT6037.jpg

New 12 volt gear reduction starter... shiny
PICT6038.jpg

Old large starter bracket and new gear reduction starter bracket
PICT6039.jpg

New starter all mounted up
PICT6040.jpg

DUVAC removed
PICT6041.jpg

Peeling back the DUVAC harness, which had been modified before when the "orange wire" conversion was done
PICT6042.jpg

Here are the brown and white wires cut back and to be joined. This is where we also placed a pink switched ignition lead for future use
PICT6043.jpg

New 12 volt, 200 amp, J-180 style mount alternator
PICT6044.jpg

Much cleaner without all the DUVAC wires
PICT6045.jpg

Blue Sea ultra heavy duty, sealed battery solenoid (300 amps continuous, 2000 amps surge)


Bracket on backside of dash where the stock 24 volt gauge goes. Needed to trim this off so an aftermarket screw flange mount 12 volt gauge can be mounted


Gauge I got a Kragen


Using the original pigtail off the old gauge and swapping it over to spade connectors. I did this as my friend had to leave and took all of the good connector and shrink tubing.


Gauge mounts and showing 12 volts with the engine off. I was able to use the original gauge light that pushed into the new gauge. Made that really easy


Well that is basically it. Starts right up, charging at 14.4 volts, all the lights work, even the black out lights. I documented the printed TM diagrams and will go through and make the changes and print out an updated diagram.
 
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Warthog

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Looks like a clean install. :beer:

Good job on making a new wiring diagram. Any future owner will appreciate that.
 
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has anyone considered using, or actually used, 2 12v alternators during a 12v conversion on these? im considering trying this route, and using the 2nd alt to charge 2-3 deepcells in the back box, and maybe also to power a premier welder. any pros, or cons, ideas, or comments on this?
 

chevymike

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has anyone considered using, or actually used, 2 12v alternators during a 12v conversion on these? im considering trying this route, and using the 2nd alt to charge 2-3 deepcells in the back box, and maybe also to power a premier welder. any pros, or cons, ideas, or comments on this?
Actually that is part of my future plans. I was looking at the idea of one alt/battery bank to run the engine/cab portion and another alt/battery bank to run the house systems. I would have a method of connecting the two systems, whether I need addition amps from the alts or starting power from the batteries. Lots of pros and really the only cons are the additional weight and cost.
 

chevymike

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I got it from Quality Power Leece Neville 4800 Series Alternators and it's the Leece Neville 4800-4900 series type alts. They offer a number of option. I went with a 200 amp, dual rectifier, ignition triggered setup, which is the same as Leece Neville 4860JB if I recall. I checked on brand new LN alts and was given a $2000 price, if I could actually get one. :cookoo: The one from QP was a much better price and they can go up to 320 amps.

Hope that helps.
 

K9Vic

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Looks good and similar to how my M1010 was converted to 12v with the same alternator. Conversion was done before I got it, but the only problem was they did not bypass the resistor block. So my glow plugs were only getting 6v and not 12v, so I had to fix that. I have no idea who did the conversion, but they also cut the wires back as you did.

I did see one thing with your conversion you should have did differently, should have used new starter bolts and not the original ones. It is always best and recommended to use new bolts when replacing a starter on any vehicle.
 

chevymike

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I did see one thing with your conversion you should have did differently, should have used new starter bolts and not the original ones. It is always best and recommended to use new bolts when replacing a starter on any vehicle.
Hummm... good point. They are heavily stressed bolts, I think I will get a new set and swap them. Luckily that is easy to do, one at a time. Thanks for the thought. Kind of new to the diesel world and in the gas engine world, I have never had an issue with starter bolts but I'm also not trying to crank over 20:1 compression engine. [thumbzup]
 

K9Vic

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Think of it this way, you stress the bolt one way when you loosen it that was already stressed when it was first tightened down the other way. You then stress it for a third time when you tighten it again, so the original strength of the bolt is compromised.
 

rnd-motorsports

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Nice job! [thumbzup] sure you will get flack from some on here that thinks they should be kept as is. But I convert the ones I deal with just to make it simple for the owner to get it worked on most places see the 24 volt and say cant help you just becouse they dont understand it also easyer to get 12 volt parts cant go into a parts store in a small town and exspect them to have a 24 volt starter or a isolated ground alt. on there shelf! NICE WORK!!!!
 

chevymike

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San Diego, CA
Thanks for the props guys. For my needs/use, 12 volts just made sense.

Now here's quick question, I am going to buy new starter bolts and found the AC Delco made ones but a quick search also found that ARP makes starter bolts. The ARP ones are way stronger (and I would trust being very high quality) then OEM bolts so I am thinking of going that route. They don't specificall list the diesels but my understanding is GM only had two different length bolts for starters. The diesel blocks/starters use what I assume are the long ones. Is this correct or did GM use some funky diesel only starter bolts?

Here's the ARP ones on Summit Racing site, http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARP-430-3507/

Edit, I guess there are three different ones available. Does anyone know what the length is from under the bolt head to the end? Seems the two longer one are available as 3.7" or 4.45" long. My guess is the longer of the two.
 
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rnd-motorsports

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No the bolts for the 6.2 and 6.5 are dif from say 350 or 454 the knurll on the bolts for the 6.2 or 6.5 are bigger so the arp bolt may not work the gm delco part number for the bolts you need is 15544950 maybe you can cross to see if arp would have them I'm sure they will
 

chevymike

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Okay, thanks for the info. I was afraid GM did something like that. I had found the AC Delco number and was just hoping I found another (and possibly better) solution. AC's it is.
 
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I got it from Quality Power Leece Neville 4800 Series Alternators and it's the Leece Neville 4800-4900 series type alts. They offer a number of option. I went with a 200 amp, dual rectifier, ignition triggered setup, which is the same as Leece Neville 4860JB if I recall. I checked on brand new LN alts and was given a $2000 price, if I could actually get one. :cookoo: The one from QP was a much better price and they can go up to 320 amps.

Hope that helps.
this does help thanks...whats the differance between dual and single rectifier alts? (aside from the obvious)

is one superior to the other?
 

chevymike

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San Diego, CA
this does help thanks...whats the differance between dual and single rectifier alts? (aside from the obvious)

is one superior to the other?
Funny you should ask, as I had the same question when I called and talk to the guy (Rich). A single rectifier has 6 diodes and a dual has 12 diodes. On larger output alts, dual is better as it puts less current thru each individual diode as it splits the load over 12 versus 6. Made sense to me.

K9Vic, I picked up a new pair of starter bolts from the dealer today (actually had 2 in stock) so I'll swap them over this weekend. Thanks for the heads up.
 

wiccantoy

New member
ok only cause i really want to do this to my 85 k5 and the fire co i am an engineer with has this done to our field truck. there was a tech school that did the swap and my previous cheif of the company said he took it to the teacher and by the time he was 1/2 way done the teacher was already done with the electric swap. so from the way it sounds there is a much faster way to do this with 2 12 v alts. as soon as i find out exactly how this is done ill make sure to post as much as i can with pics. hopefully before summer. hope this all helps
 

chevymike

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578
449
63
Location
San Diego, CA
ok only cause i really want to do this to my 85 k5 and the fire co i am an engineer with has this done to our field truck. there was a tech school that did the swap and my previous cheif of the company said he took it to the teacher and by the time he was 1/2 way done the teacher was already done with the electric swap. so from the way it sounds there is a much faster way to do this with 2 12 v alts. as soon as i find out exactly how this is done ill make sure to post as much as i can with pics. hopefully before summer. hope this all helps
:lost: :?::?::?::?:
 

Warthog

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ok only cause i really want to do this to my 85 k5 and the fire co i am an engineer with has this done to our field truck. there was a tech school that did the swap and my previous cheif of the company said he took it to the teacher and by the time he was 1/2 way done the teacher was already done with the electric swap. so from the way it sounds there is a much faster way to do this with 2 12 v alts. as soon as i find out exactly how this is done ill make sure to post as much as i can with pics. hopefully before summer. hope this all helps
The M1010 Ambulance and the M1009 Blazer are two totally different animals. The electrical system is the major difference.

More than likely the teacher you are talking about did the Roscommon Equipment Company 12v conversion.

Roscommon Equipment Center

The 12v conversion is listed under
Project list
Military Vehicle Projects
Conversion of theM1008 and M1009 Electric System to 12v

http://www.roscommonequipmentcenter.com/news_notes/nn10.pdf
 

wiccantoy

New member
warthog thanks for the link. that helped me alot and it is a more strait forward answer from anyone ive recieved info from on here.


QUOTE=Warthog;764802]The M1010 Ambulance and the M1009 Blazer are two totally different animals. The electrical system is the major difference.

More than likely the teacher you are talking about did the Roscommon Equipment Company 12v conversion.

Roscommon Equipment Center

The 12v conversion is listed under
Project list
Military Vehicle Projects
Conversion of theM1008 and M1009 Electric System to 12v

http://www.roscommonequipmentcenter.com/news_notes/nn10.pdf[/QUOTE]
 
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