How does a 1 wire alternator work?

As the descriptive name implies, connecting a one-wire alternator to your ride is as easy as running a single charge wire from the battery terminal on the alternator to the positive terminal on the battery. With the Tuff Stuff units, no other connection is necessary.

It just means the 1 wire is internally sensed for regulating the voltage. The alternator dosen't drain the battery over a long period if the vehicle is not used regularily. Things like CD/Radio memory and alarms draw current, however minute, over a long period will drain the battery.