ammeter wiring

[Lloyd]

I thought the directions of my Centech manual said to loop the heavy red wire through the loop on the back of the ammeter gauge. I have done this, but the ammeter doesn't work. I'm certain I have misread the directions as I can't understand how the ammeter can read anything through a coated wire. Maybe I'm showing my extreme ignorance. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Explorer]

You did it right. Either gauge is bad or termination on the other ends. It works on induction.

 

[DirtDonk]

Did you also upgrade to a higher output alternator and hook a wire up straight from the alternator to the battery? If so, then your ammeter is no longer going to function normally, as very little, if any, back-and-forth current is flowing through that wire anymore.
If not, then we've got other issues, like Explorer said.
The output of the alternator on the Centech is Yellow, correct? It changes to Red somewhere else, but that's the same wire if I'm not mistaken. Then it stays Red on out to the battery?
Just refreshing my memory here.

Paul

 

[Lloyd]

I installed a fuel injected 88 mustang motor so it has the mustang altenator. I pruned the factory mustang harness and mated it to the centech harness. I wired the motor last year so I can't remember exactly how it was wired. I may switch to a voltmeter. If I go that route, how do I wire it?

 

[Viperwolf1]

Just a 12V switched wire and a ground, maybe a light wire too. You can hook up the 12V wire to the stud on the back of the ignition switch.

 

[DirtDonk]

I installed a fuel injected 88 mustang motor so it has the mustang altenator.

Two issues to look at here:

1. Is it a high-output alternator?
If so, then you should definitely NOT be using the Centech Yellow and Red wires to provide a path for the charge. At least not without another larger wire supplementing them. Way undersized for a 130 amp alt. Even if it's only a 90 amp or so alt, you're still undersized for optimum performance and safety.
You should run (if you haven't already) a charge wire of at least 6 gauge (most here use 2ga or larger it seems) directly from the back of the alt to the battery's positive side.
You leave the Red wire to power the cabin systems, but the Yellow wire no longer carries they bulk of the alternator's output.

2. Is it a 2G alternator?If so, you should make certain that you have an updated plug/connector at the alt's output. The 2G uses dual, smaller gauge output wires and a weaker pushi-on connector. This connection tends to work loose and corrode over time. Creating resistance and excess heat. If left unfixed, you can lose the use of one output completely and then the second one (that might be weaker too already) can have a melt-down and fire. Seen plenty of them burned out at the very least. Buddy's Bronco was melted and another friend's Mustang went through 2 burned out alternators. No fire though, which is a good thing.

Just FYI

Paul