Amp gauge bypass

[coro500net]

I’m running a wire from alt to starter relay, just wondering if I should keep the original charging wire on the alt also?

 

[Craig Burriss]

This is a useful article
Catalog

It would help to know what you’re working on too…

 

[coro500net]

1969 Valiant 470 big block with denso 3 wire alternator.

 

[Dana67Dart]

The bypass wire will take most of the charging load off the origional wires.

But you still need at least one wire from batt/starter relay/alternator to run the car.

By leaving all the origional wires in place you have 2 wires and as such are cutting the car load on each wire in half.

I do believe you need a fusable link on your bypass wire in the event the alternator shorts.

 

[coro500net]

Thanks for the info, I did put a maxi fuse in-line with new wire to starter relay.

 

[crackedback]

i always suggest leaving the factory wire attached at alternator

 

[Lord Sparky]

I did as crackedback suggested using his high quality amp to starter relay wire (and his excellent headlight relay wires).

 

[67Dart273]

Whatever you do you want a fuse link/ big fuse/ breaker in the new wire. How large is your "new wire?"

Also don't "just do that." Pull the bulkhead connectors apart and inspect the terminals, ALL of the terminals, for heat damage, corrosion, etc. and inspect the ammeter or better yet, pull the wires off the ammeter and bolt them together.

 

[coro500net]

I’m using 8 awg from alt to solenoid with a maxi fuse in line. The engine, forward light and rear light harnesses are new, the dash harness is original and I cleaned all pins. The cluster is still out so should I still connect the amp meter wires together even though I ran the separate alt wire?

 

[hotrod swinger]

I’m using 8 awg from alt to solenoid with a maxi fuse in line. The engine, forward light and rear light harnesses are new, the dash harness is original and I cleaned all pins. The cluster is still out so should I still connect the amp meter wires together even though I ran the separate alt wire?

Might as well bolt those ammeter wires together because the reading will no longer be meaningful.

 

[67Dart273]

^^Right and here's why^^ The old ammeter wires now form a parallel path for power into the interior for anything tapped off that line. Bolting them together removes any possibility of a poor connection at or inside the ammeter WHICH DOES happen

 

[67Dart273]

The remaining "potential problem" is voltage drop in the ignition "run" line, which also feeds the VR "sense/ power" terminal, and therefore can cause OVER battery voltage due to voltage DROP

One way around that is to cut the ign1 "run" wire coming into the engine bay. Use the firewall side to trigger a relay, and feed the relay from the starter relay "big stud" through a fuse / breaker

Then connect the load contact to the other end of the cut wire.

 

[hotrod swinger]

The remaining "potential problem" is voltage drop in the ignition "run" line, which also feeds the VR "sense/ power" terminal, and therefore can cause OVER battery voltage due to voltage DROP

One way around that is to cut the ign1 "run" wire coming into the engine bay. Use the firewall side to trigger a relay, and feed the relay from the starter relay "big stud" through a fuse / breaker

Then connect the load contact to the other end of the cut wire.

I did this mod and it made my electrical system more stable.