Extra Black 8 Gauge Wire?

[Abloch]

1968 D200 318 A/T Custom Camper Special

Anyone know why I have an extra 8 gauge wire running through my fire wall? I went and tore into the dash today and found that the cut 8 guage wire goes direct to the ammeter. According to the FSM wiring diagram though there is only 1 black 10 gauge wire that goes from the ALT to the head light switch. Mine however goes from the ALT to the IGN. The additional one has been cut by a PO and I assume went to the ALT. I've seen the other thread about this conversion but I don't have the fusible link in line before the starter relay.

Here is my question. Can I just leave the factory 10 gauge wire from the ALT to the IGN and just reconnect the cut 8 gauge wire from the Ammeter to the ALT and put in the fusible link for added security?

I just bought the truck and I've been going through it to make sure everything is working and not going to leave me stranded. The ammeter was reading a high charge. Upon investigation I found the ALT was cranking out 15-16v direct to the battery which cooked it. I'm thinking the PO had know idea about the high charging because he had just bought it and was just looking to make an extra buck. In the photo you can see the extra cut wire and the ALT wire is just below that going through the bulkhead connector.

Thanks in advance, Andrew

[wally426ci]

Those are not factory wire routes. Google madd electrical mod

[dodgeboykim]

I took apart a 70 D200 Camper Special and it had an extra harness for the auxiliary battery. It was routed to back of dash/gauge cluster.

[Abloch]

That's what I was thinking and why I stated it is a Camper Special. Unfortunately the FSM doesn't have a diagram for what they did differently. The wiring is all original and is routed how it came from the factory. Nothing has been spliced in or converted and being a '68 it predates the bulkhead connector that the Mad Electrical modification.

[dodgeboykim]

The extra wiring is usually covered in a separate section for optional wiring. Not in basic diagrams.

[Abloch]

Thanks. I'll go through the FSM again tomorrow.

[digdoug]

The camper special uses a heavy black wire direct from alt to ammeter. The factory wire that goes through the bulkhead conector gets taped up and not used. I assume its so you don't get fires from the extra resistance of the connection at the bulkhead when charging a low battery that has been running lights in the camper all weekend.

[Abloch]

Thanks digdoug. All wired up and back on the road.