A battery cable even in the BC outback plus your tax would only be about $25. No ice I guess? You may only need to replace the B+ cable and my wiring diagram says its #4 gauge wire (the same as some battery cables)

 

The wiring on my alternator is the same as in your picture. The heavy wire to the terminal B+ is the one to replace. I now understand what you are saying about the stuff hanging off the wire. That is the plastic end to make it easy to connect the harness. The field and ground wires to the alternator are included in the harness.

The cheap way out of this mess is to remove the heavy wire from the B+ terminal and tape it up out of the way. Then you can make a replacement wire with crimp-on terminals to replace it. I would try and find some #8 AWG wire and terminals. You would also have to remove the other end of the bad wire from the fuse and add in the new wire under the screw terminal using a crimp-on terminal. Tie-wrap this new wire to the harness to keep it out of moving parts. Total cost should be less than $10. This is what Busboy is saying also. #4 AWG is the correct size wire, thanks Busboy.

 

Thanks to you guys this story has a happy ending I fitted a new cable and the new fuse and the system charges just the way it should. I am absolutly delighted that an annoying and ongoing problem has finally been fixed.
Thanks again to all of you that contributed to my success especially Dave. Cheers

 

I'm following this thread since it sounds like what I'm dealing with, and then it ends without final resolution! You guys out there? Wha'happen?

 

Sounds pretty final to me. The new cable fixed it along with changing the fuse.

 

Sounds final to me too; he fixed the problem.