Factory ammeter

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Another area of high current draw, and where I've seen lots of melted wire and switches, is the dash blower motor. When those fan motors get some years on them, they don't turn quite as easy and the current demand goes up and strains an already borderline capacity. That's another component that's a good candidate for a relay system.
 
Thanks guys, on my phone and missed the prev post. Thanks!:thumbsup:

I added it to the comment? Can you not see it or is it not working?

I see them.
Post 118 Steve
 
When crimping wires into terminals, It's very important to make sure you use the correct crimpers. HF one size fits all will cause problems. You need to make sure you're using the correct lugs and dies. Some are insulation grip, some are conductor grip. The knowledgeable guys here know this, I'm trying to help the first timers. I wired 747s and KC46a's for years, for those questioning my knowledge. Use the right wire, terminals, and crimpers. Use a good quality dielectric grease. too.
 
Actually in some cases it is BOTH the ammeter and bulkhead connector. The whole circuit is simply not heavy enough for heavy current applications. I melted the ammeter mounting bosses somewhat in my 70RR cluster way back in the mid 70's before Al Gore invented the internet. AND the same car suffered damage to the bulkhead connector terminals.

Even in 70?-72, some of the large sea barges used external shut ammeters which eliminated the problem. "Ma" knew the problem was there, as the cars with optional 65A alternators used modified harnesses to combat the problem. This is known loosely as "fleet police taxi" wiring. Look up in the 70--72-ish shop manuals, look up the optional 65A alternator wiring for the B bodies.

After I got out of the Navy (74) I saw a few Dodge ammeters melted from snow plow hoists, winches, or big driving lights. Looked EXACTLY like the photo in the MAD article, read it here:

Catalog

View attachment 1715603598

Bingo! It's the higher amp alternators that fry the terminals. The original alternators were 35A, and the remans put out 55A minimum. So unless you are running your original alternator your terminals are probably overworked. I know someone who replaced his alternator with a reman, and a short time later the starter began to intermittently engage while driving down the street. The bulkhead housing had melted around the charging terminal, allowing the charging terminal to intermittently contact the "start" wire terminal. I have rewired 4 67-68 barracudas and found that every one had the bulkhead connectors slightly melted at the charging terminals.
 
Bingo! It's the higher amp alternators that fry the terminals. The original alternators were 35A, and the remans put out 55A minimum. So unless you are running your original alternator your terminals are probably overworked. I know someone who replaced his alternator with a reman, and a short time later the starter began to intermittently engage while driving down the street. The bulkhead housing had melted around the charging terminal, allowing the charging terminal to intermittently contact the "start" wire terminal. I have rewired 4 67-68 barracudas and found that every one had the bulkhead connectors slightly melted at the charging terminals.
Reason for the "MAD Bypass", though that disables the dash ammeter. Some owners instead install a dash voltmeter. I added a shunt diode to my 3 1960's Mopars so that increasing currents begin flowing direct from alternator to BAT+. The ammeter is still active, but doesn't peg. My cars have the 1965 bulkhead connector with buss-bar feed-thrus for the higher ALT and BAT currents (retrofit to my 1964). Posted the details years ago.
 
Reason for the "MAD Bypass", though that disables the dash ammeter. Some owners instead install a dash voltmeter. I added a shunt diode to my 3 1960's Mopars so that increasing currents begin flowing direct from alternator to BAT+. The ammeter is still active, but doesn't peg. My cars have the 1965 bulkhead connector with buss-bar feed-thrus for the higher ALT and BAT currents (retrofit to my 1964). Posted the details years ago.
Thanks for this info! That sounds like a very clever solution, but I want to make sure that I understand it correctly. Did you put a high current diode in a wire path directly from your alternator to your battery, so the current would bypass the dash when the alternator voltage got to a certain level higher than the battery voltage? And, did you remove the 2 bulkhead connector terminals and replace them with solid metal feed--thrus?
 
Thanks for this info! That sounds like a very clever solution, but I want to make sure that I understand it correctly. Did you put a high current diode in a wire path directly from your alternator to your battery, so the current would bypass the dash when the alternator voltage got to a certain level higher than the battery voltage? And, did you remove the 2 bulkhead connector terminals and replace them with solid metal feed--thrus?
You can google my past posts with photos. Parallel-reversed diodes with a forward drop ~0.5 V (at ~100 A). I measured ~0.75 V drop in the ammeter circuit at ~50 A output. The diodes I used are rated ~200 A and need a heat sink (can be the copper wires). Don't try it unless you understand basic electricity and DC power. In my post, one reader who doesn't kept arguing with an engineer (me) about resistance, which he didn't understand. A diode has a curved voltage drop vs current curve, which can't be summarized as a linear resistance value.

The 1965 bulkhead has integral buss-bars for the high currents, instead of spade connectors (google images). I retrofit one from a 1965 Fury (ebay harness) to my 1964 Valiant (cut opening 1/8" taller to fit). 1963 also had buss-bars. Seems after going to connectors in 1964, which suffered melted-plastic issues, they walked-back to buss-bars in 1965. In 1966, they moved the wiper motor to the engine bay, requiring a 3rd row of bulkhead terminals, so dropped the buss-bars (perhaps pencil pushers too), so back to melted-plastic. But as long as it lasted thru warranty they had no incentive since new car buyers then changed cars every 3 years. I've seen later Mopars with bulkhead connectors for ALT and BAT but with much larger terminals for those. Adding solid wire feed-thrus is the "Fleet Bypass" which the factory did in taxis and Police cars. Some here did that by drilling thru those positions (or new holes thru bulkhead).

Seems around 1980's, most cars went to wiring bundles direct thru the bulkhead, at least in GM's I've seen at the junkyard. The bulkhead connectors were likely mostly for quicker assembly than maintenance. My 2002 Chrysler minivan kind of regressed to using many connectors at the bottom of the underhood fuse/relay box (still solid wires thru bulkhead). I am guessing that also was for easier assembly. But, causes corrosion problems from rainwater getting in those connectors (not me in CA, but in eastern U.S.).
 
You can google my past posts with photos. Parallel-reversed diodes with a forward drop ~0.5 V (at ~100 A). I measured ~0.75 V drop in the ammeter circuit at ~50 A output. The diodes I used are rated ~200 A and need a heat sink (can be the copper wires). Don't try it unless you understand basic electricity and DC power. In my post, one reader who doesn't kept arguing with an engineer (me) about resistance, which he didn't understand. A diode has a curved voltage drop vs current curve, which can't be summarized as a linear resistance value.

The 1965 bulkhead has integral buss-bars for the high currents, instead of spade connectors (google images). I retrofit one from a 1965 Fury (ebay harness) to my 1964 Valiant (cut opening 1/8" taller to fit). 1963 also had buss-bars. Seems after going to connectors in 1964, which suffered melted-plastic issues, they walked-back to buss-bars in 1965. In 1966, they moved the wiper motor to the engine bay, requiring a 3rd row of bulkhead terminals, so dropped the buss-bars (perhaps pencil pushers too), so back to melted-plastic. But as long as it lasted thru warranty they had no incentive since new car buyers then changed cars every 3 years. I've seen later Mopars with bulkhead connectors for ALT and BAT but with much larger terminals for those. Adding solid wire feed-thrus is the "Fleet Bypass" which the factory did in taxis and Police cars. Some here did that by drilling thru those positions (or new holes thru bulkhead).

Seems around 1980's, most cars went to wiring bundles direct thru the bulkhead, at least in GM's I've seen at the junkyard. The bulkhead connectors were likely mostly for quicker assembly than maintenance. My 2002 Chrysler minivan kind of regressed to using many connectors at the bottom of the underhood fuse/relay box (still solid wires thru bulkhead). I am guessing that also was for easier assembly. But, causes corrosion problems from rainwater getting in those connectors (not me in CA, but in eastern U.S.).
Thanks for the great info! I'm going to read your past electrical posts, and use them as resources.
 
So a lot of folks have a gauge cluster under the dash, so I have been installing a high quality, modern ammeter (along with a volt meter) under the dash for some time. You can use he original ring connectors and then just leave the factory ammeter in the dash for looks. Between the ammeter and the voltmeter I can keep a close eye on my electrical system, just like I do with a mechanical oil pressure gauge and the factory idiot light.
 
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