A brush holder assembly for an alternator having a rotational axis includes a pair of brushes each having a contacting surface defining a width and a height, and each having a shunt wire extending laterally from the brush in the widthwise direction. The brush holder assembly includes a housing having first and second brush chambers, corresponding first and second wire cavities each defining a cavity height, and first and second slots respectively interposed between the corresponding chamber and cavity. The respective shunt wires extend through the first and second slots then through the first and second wire cavities. The cavity heights are each at least approximately 0.9 times the height of one of the brushes. The height of the first wire cavity is less than approximately 0.97 times ((A/2) plus B), wherein A is the brush height and B is the distance between the brushes.