No lights and no charging

[JDaniel]

Hi all,
my 1980 c10 has a weird problem,
de Voltmeter inside gives +- 11-12V while running.
ligts doesn't work ,everything that gets power from the orange wire doesn't work.
is there another fusebox than the one inside left under the dash?
what could this be ?
I got the alternator to a shop and they checked it and putted a new regulator in but problem stays the same.
I don't have power on my orange wire( hot al times normally)

[Irish_Alley]

what orange wire

[78 Chevyrado]

the orange wire, is it the one you attatch to the alternator with a nut on a stud?

If so, check with a voltmeter or test light to see if there's any voltage at the stud on the back of the alternator.  if there's not, its likely a fusible link has burned out.

you said the regulator was bad and was replaced, the chances are good when the regulator went bad, it took the fusible link with it.

[JDaniel]

Where can i find the fusible links?

[VileZambonie]

The fusible links come off of the power feed from the B+ terminal at the starter solenoid and the junction block on the firewall.

[rsandusky]

Follow the larger of the three wires from the alternator to the firewall. It should have a fusible link right before it attaches to the junction block. Firmly tug on the fusible link, it will separate or stretch if it is bad.

[VileZambonie]

I wouldn't say if it's bad. If it falls apart then theoretically it's good. It did it's job protecting your truck from burning to the ground. If you do find that a fusible link is open then you need to find out why it opened. Typically it's a short to ground on the feed circuit. The power feed fires attached to the fusible links tend to chaffe and rub the insulation through near the exhaust, back of the cylinder head cover, around the intake manifold etc. Check them thoroughly before you just replace an open link.

[JDaniel]

near the starter a red cable is broken just before he splits into 2 wires'(brown bussing= i asume a fusible link)
the cable was broken because of the heat from the headers i putted on.
could this be the problem or will another fussible link also be gone?

[JDaniel]

the brown bussching has a nr 16 on it. the one near the junctionblock is good ,i checked the resistance with the ohmmeter and it is not broken .
Can i just put the wires near the starter (2 red ones that come from above and turn into 2 to the starter) back togheter by soldering them or...?

[VileZambonie]

Just make sure you don't have any wires touching ground. You should reroute the wire to make sure it's away from excessive heat.

Here's a link on hot to make a new fusible link if it helps any.

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,11972.msg45217.html#msg45217

[JDaniel]

problem solved, thx for the tips.
it was the fusible link near the starter, cable broke down ,nothing more,(melted a little against the headers.