Ammeter wiring

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Dusterfool

Dusterfool

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i am installing a new Autometer gauge cluster, the ammeter that was in it had a red and black wire attached. The Autometer gauges do not use these wires, do I need to solder these wires together? The ignition switch doesn't work now.
 
Ammeter or voltage gauge? You will surely gets lots of responses and recommendations!
 
The ammeters are not like the other gages. The other gages work off a 5V ref. The ammeter is a monitor on the charging circuit.
see: Understanding Charging Systems with Ammeter
The connection between the two parts needs to be very good however you do it.
 
If you are not modding the original harness and removing the ammeter then the original connections must be tied. Not sure what your total plan is so my reply is guarded.
 
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Yes you need to tie the red and black wires together. The welded splice that powers the ignition and fuse box is on the black line that is now separated from the battery.
 
You have done good to help in responses. Was your 70 a rally package or standard?
 
You have to connect the black and red together so the power will flow to the rest of your car like it did before the amp meter was taken out.
Power just flows through it so removing the gauge severed that electrical connection to the rest of your car, and is probably why the key doesn't "work"

I know connecting a red and a black together doesn't seem right, but in the case of those 2 wires it has to be when the amp meter is removed.
Then you can continue the install of your new gauges.

Oops. plenty of replies already.
 
Guys help the OP some more! What about the regulator,? We all know the ammeter connnections have to be tied if it is removed but we all know there is more to replace those factory gauges.
 
When I bought this thing, it was supposedly "restored", only to discover that the dash wiring harness had been cut into, and taped back together. It has a three wire alternator and no voltage regulator, will I need to wire one back in? Sorry for so many questions, if I had any hair, I'd pull it out
 
How many wires are coming out of the new voltage gauge and where does the red and black ammeter wires tie into it?
 
kc0r8y said:
How many wires are coming out of the new voltage gauge and where does the red and black ammeter wires tie into it?
Click to expand...
On the new gauge, there is a small wire that attaches to any positive wire and a ground. The red and black according to the wiring diagram, the red comes from the top post of the alternator, the black goes back to one of the side posts of the alternator.
 
Positive side of volt gauge goes to hot at switch on. That's blue with white tracer in the round panel harness connector. A simple T-tap would work, some length of wire, and ring terminal. Ground side of volt gauge goes to chassis ground. You'll need to add this wire since there isn't a chassis ground wire in the OEM panel connectors to tap.
 
RedFish said:
Positive side of volt gauge goes to hot at switch on. That's blue with white tracer in the round panel harness connector. A simple T-tap would work, some length of wire, and ring terminal. Ground side of volt gauge goes to chassis ground. You'll need to add this wire since there isn't a chassis ground wire in the OEM panel connectors to tap.
Click to expand...

Exactly, and the new gauges will very likely not connect to the red and black at all since they are constant hot. (always have 12v flowing through them)
DO NOT use them for a voltage source for your new gauges, but like Redfish said you need a switched voltage supply that is hot only with the ignition switch on.
 
TrailBeast said:
Exactly, and the new gauges will very likely not connect to the red and black at all since they are constant hot. (always have 12v flowing through them)
DO NOT use them for a voltage source for your new gauges, but like Redfish said you need a switched voltage supply that is hot only with the ignition switch on.
Click to expand...
Thanks guys, this cleared the many questions I had.
 
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