I would use a voltmeter and check the terminal on the choke where the 12 volt source comes in.  There should be no voltage with keo OFF and 12 volts with key in RUN position.

12V should come from a keyed source.  Its easy to check with either voltmeter or a test light.  If it has power then verify operation by removing the aircleaner and having someone turn the key on witht the engine cold.  The choke plate should close in preparation for starting.  As the engine warms up you should be able to see the choke palte moving to the vertical position.  If that's not happening and you've got power then either the spring is bad, not connected, or its been messed with an adjusted improperly.   

Thanks for all the feedback. It sent me in the right direction. I bypassed the American Autowire tan wire designated for the electric choke which had no power to it from the ignition switch and ran a temp. wire from the alternator to the + side of the choke. BOOYA! The electric choke worked like it was supposed to do. I don't know why the AAW tan wire won't work yet but for now, I proved out that the choke does work and idled down nicely. I am leaning toward capping off the tan wire and wiring it directly to the alternator.

hmartin025 wrote:

Chel, I use "stator" terminal off alternator to power choke. That way power is only supplied when engine is running.
Has several pluses using stator, but one downside. If charging system fails choke will not open.... Of course you can block choke open with socket. Howard

This works with some Ford electric chokes, but not with Holley, Edelbrock and Quick fuel.  I have tried it with those chokes and they just work better with a full 12 volts.  And the manufacturer's instructions spcifically state to Not use alternator or other voltage source less than 12 volts.

Rudi wrote:

Chelby-Ann wrote:

Thanks for all the feedback. It sent me in the right direction. I bypassed the American Autowire tan wire designated for the electric choke which had no power to it from the ignition switch and ran a temp. wire from the alternator to the + side of the choke. BOOYA! The electric choke worked like it was supposed to do. I don't know why the AAW tan wire won't work yet but for now, I proved out that the choke does work and idled down nicely. I am leaning toward capping off the tan wire and wiring it directly to the alternator.

When I redid the wires on my car with AAW kit , I had their tech department on speed dial. In all cases they bent over backwards to ensure everything worked as advertised.

 
     I'll start this by saying I have an AAW kit partly installed in my car. I went through the diagrams they supplied to find out where the tan choke wire gets its power from. No information on that. I checked their web and again, no additional information. This is just basic information, and I should not need tech support that is closed on nights, weekends, holidays and when their dog is sick, to get this information. If they would supply a basic schematic maybe their tech department could be down sized.
     I bought this kit thinking it would save time. In the long run probably not. This is not a total knock on this company, when I first opened the kit it was missing one of packages. They sent it to me no questions asked. Also from what Rudi says, they answer all questions. I'll call them to ask for a schematic or have them tell me where the other end of each and every wire goes. This is basic information I'll need 10 years from now when they are bought out or no longer support this product.
      If I had to do it again, I would use the diagram BB sent me and do it myself.

I was going to ask you which type of alternator you have, but after my too much coffee rant of AAW I forgot to. I would guess different type alternators would have different stator voltage. If you are getting 12 volts off the stator wire, the only Thing I would caution is current draw. I'm not sure how much current the electric choke draws, or how much current  the stator can output safely. Maybe the reason why the carb manufacture says not to connect the choke to the stator is because, it may damage to alternator. I don't know, I'm just speculating. If the current draw is not too high I see no reason why it shouldn't work.
     If anyone knows for sure I would like to know. May do the same thing.

Last edited by wsinsle (12/21/2014 9:29 AM)

Chelby-Ann wrote:

True the Holly carb tech sheet says do not hook up to the alternator. i do have a one wire 100 amp alternator. I did as suggested and checked and got 12V at the choke and shes working fine. I'm confused now. Is this Ok?

Yes.  The reason the stator terminal is better (if it's usable) is because it will only put out the turn off voltage when the car is actually running.  Ordinarily, this isn't a big problem either way, but if somone turns on the key before starting the engine, the choke will pull off even with the engine cold.  But since the Holley can't use the stator terminal,  a switched 12v is used.  Just make sure not to turn the igition on without the engine running.

If you have a stator terminal and want to use it with a Holley, have the stator terminal feed the coil side of a relay, and feed a hard 12 volts to the contacts to the choke.

John

hmartin025 wrote:

Have used the Stator wire on three different 65 Mustangs for several years now and has worked well for me...
However have not been on long trip!
Howard

I have to agree with hmartin25 - I have been powering the choke on my Edelbrock 1406 for many years off the stator terminal and it has always worked just fine, even up here in the cold rainy northwest.
 

The reason you don't want 12V all the time to the electric choke is if you happen to be working on the vehicle with the key on etc. the choke will burn up.  I wired mine through a relay with the signal wire for the relay being a wire from the oil pressure switch.  When you have oil pressure, the pressure switch provides a ground for the relay which in turn provides power to the elec. choke.  No oil pressure, no 12v to the choke.  You could put a toggle switch in the 12v line also.  If you remember to switch it when having the ignition on.  Jerry

Called AAW, and as Rudi stated they were very helpful. I got some of the information I wanted, but did not want to tie them up to long on Christmas Eve. Any way the tan choke wire comes from the 15amp fuel fuse. It is located at right of the fuse block.
     The relay on the oil sending unit is a good idea but would only work with a oil light not an oil gauge. I'm leaning toward the stator out put to power the choke. Not sure if I'll use a relay or not. I think this makes the most sense and you can't argue with success.
     I did try to find some information as to why holly states do not connect the choke to the alternator, but didn't find anything.

Last edited by wsinsle (12/24/2014 11:13 AM)

I have a Holley 600 DP w/Holley electric choke.  Connected it to the ignition switch and it shares a fuse (3 amp) w/my Sun tach.  I haven't had any problems w/this setup  ... except when I pulled the carb, I forgot to reconnect the choke wire, it grounded, blowing the fuse.

Chelby-Ann wrote:

wsinsle wrote:

Called AAW, and as Rudi stated they were very helpful. I got some of the information I wanted, but did not want to tie them up to long on Christmas Eve. Any way the tan choke wire comes from the 15amp fuel fuse. It is located at right of the fuse block.
     The relay on the oil sending unit is a good idea but would only work with a oil light not an oil gauge. I'm leaning toward the stator out put to power the choke. Not sure if I'll use a relay or not. I think this makes the most sense and you can't argue with success.
     I did try to find some information as to why holly states do not connect the choke to the alternator, but didn't find anything.

 
I replaced the 15 amp fuse at the fuel location with a new one and reconnected the tan wire. Still no luck. Fuel gage works. Running with the wire to the alt. Awesome thread.  Thanks again.

I am reviving this old thread because I apparently have the same problem and am wondering if you ever sorted out getting power to the tan choke wore in the AAW kit?

I started my car and couldn’t get it to come down off the high idle, but then realized that the choke wasn’t opening. I found this thread, saw the comment above about the choke wire pulling its power from the fuel pump fuse and figured that was the issue since I hadn’t installed that fuse because I don’t have an electric fuel pump. Well, I put that fuse in and am still not getting power to the tan choke wire. Everything else in the AAW kit works flawlessly.