Upgrading Prestolite with "W" terminal to Balmar 6 Series and WS500


  • Hello Everyone, 

    I have removed a Prestolite 55 alternator and replaced it with a Balmar 6 Series and a WS500. 

    I am working my way through the documentation of both products.

    I need some help understanding how to connect the dash tach wire that was connected to the "W" terminal of the Prestolite to the Balmar so that the WS500 can provide the drive signal to the tach. The Balmar pulley is smaller than the Prestolite pulley so I need to use the WS500 to convert the AC freq to output the correct RPM. 

    Any help is appreciated!

    Cheers!

     



  • The white wire on the Balmar, number 8, connects to the yellow wire on the WS500, number 8. The WS500 is set with the number of poles (12 per the Balmar info) and can then read the alternator rpm. The WS500 is also set with the pulley ratio so the WS500 can calculate engine rpm. The WS500 can not send the engine rpm to your digital tacho. It can transmit the engine rpm via CAN Bus to say a Victron Cerbo GX or other CAN Bus device. I am unsure about sending it out on NMEA as I do not have that and have never read that part of the Communications and Configuration Guide.

    For your digital tacho to work you will have to connect this to the white wire on the Balmar, number 8 aswell. Digital tachos often have some way of calibrating the tacho to give the correct engine rpm but you will need to consult the documentary for your specific model.


  • @Peter, thanks for the help and insigts. Very useful!


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