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Alternator / Ammeter - Voltmeter


Richard Cope

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For those that have switched to an alternator, are you stilling using the original +/- 30 Ammeter or have you switched to a voltmeter or possibly a combination of the two?   Interested to hear from those who have went down this path.

 

Regards, RC

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2 hours ago, Richard Cope said:

For those that have switched to an alternator, are you stilling using the original +/- 30 Ammeter or have you switched to a voltmeter or possibly a combination of the two?   Interested to hear from those who have went down this path.

 

Regards, RC

 

Still using the ammeter, it works as it should. While I was troubleshooting the old generator and regulator I installed a voltmeter....I left it in place after upgrading to the alternator since it was in an out-of-the-way location and is actually a better indicator of the charging system status.

 

voltmeter.jpg.84ba83af5e5f5b1c3db769b71da43a68.jpg

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I find the ammeter more useful than a volt meter. I have both volt and ammeter in my '28 and just the ammeter in the '37

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I use a voltmeter. Didn't like the high amperage of an ammeter flowing behind the dash. I did however strip down a voltmeter and mounted it using the original ammeter gauge. Reads backwards, but tells me that my alternator is charging properly.

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I don't like ammeters but that's a personal choice...  When I added a 70a alternator verses a 40a ammeter I decided it was time to change to a volt meter but I wanted to install it in place of the ammeter and not as a separate gauge, another personal choice.  Here's what I did...

 

Original ammeter

264926533_ammeter1.JPG.918e8f3d0ad54e52790f9a676b78c43b.JPG

 

New gauge attached to ammeter face

post-2787-0-01103500-1431053458_thumb.jpgpost-2787-0-19929600-1431053585_thumb.jpg

 

I left the numbers and glued the original white needle on.  Straight down is 12v any movement to the left is charging

1491102995_ammeter5.thumb.JPG.0e56cf73c0a000ec6616c18578f50b0a.JPG

 

Picture with engine running

1702260553_Dash2.png.d254a2e74eabe1d8803d715cf33e0525.png

Edited by Adam H P15 D30
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1 hour ago, Adam H P15 D30 said:

I don't like ammeters but that's a personal choice...  When I added a 70a alternator verses a 40a ammeter I decided it was time to change to a volt meter but I wanted to install it in place of the ammeter and not as a separate gauge, another personal choice.  Here's what I did...

 

Original ammeter

264926533_ammeter1.JPG.918e8f3d0ad54e52790f9a676b78c43b.JPG

 

New gauge attached to ammeter face

post-2787-0-01103500-1431053458_thumb.jpgpost-2787-0-19929600-1431053585_thumb.jpg

 

I left the numbers and glued the original white needle on.  Straight down is 12v any movement to the left is charging

1491102995_ammeter5.thumb.JPG.0e56cf73c0a000ec6616c18578f50b0a.JPG

 

Picture with engine running

1702260553_Dash2.png.d254a2e74eabe1d8803d715cf33e0525.png

That is exactly how I did mine. ? 

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Thank everyone for your comments.  I am use to  the information that the ammeter provides, however concerned  with all of the current going through a gauge of such low capacity (30-0-30) and its age.  It's located in an area  that is challenging to get to and if it overheated, wouldn't be aware until too late.  When I rewire the car, will disconnect the ammeter  and add a voltmeter under the dash.   Want to keep the stock look for the gauges, have a broken unit purchased at Hershey while back, will look into mounting the face plate onto a voltmeter, nice work Sniper & Adam.  Will start looking for a voltmeter of similar size.

RC

 

 

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My 1940 dodge uses the stock, original instruments as shown and the car has been 12volts since 1973 when I installed the 318 poly......the ammeter reads amps, albeit via a Lucas approx 60 amp alternator and seems to be working fine, admittedly I have a battery isolator switch which is that small thing on the side of the console....... andyd  

P1010405.JPG

P1010397.JPG

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I use the original Ammeter, a modern temp- display, plus rpm -, 6V-  and 12V meters.

 

I appreciate all of these, although the additions were originally planned as provisorial for learning,

But I still like to use them all.

 

OD:

When putting an overdrive 2013 without really understandig it´s subtleties, I made an extra panel

under the "All Weather Comfort" controls to check OD´s heartbeat.

The LEDs show the status of OD solenoid, Governor switch and Pawl engagement.

I control the OD via a toggle switch plus the usual handle and cable. I didn´t install the Kickback Switch.

The ugly temp display can be hidden by a small trap.

 

additional 12V Alternator:

Earlier, for a second 12V harness, a second 12V alternator had replaced the 6 to 12 V converter (eating too much power from the 6V generator and not powerful enough, especially for a extra higfh performance cooling fan). For peak needs compensation and while engine off I had added a 12 V Gel- Battery too.

 

Extra panel:

When building the extra panel,  I concentrated all the additions in one panel,

I took advantage to add a 12V meter too.

 As no holes were drilled, everything can easily be dismantled to original configuration if wanted.

 

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

 

OverdriveHandle2KL.jpg

 

paneel-4 KL.jpg

 

Paneel-22.jpg

Edited by Go Fleiter
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