The ammeter would be wired in the same way as it is on our old trucks.
It is to measure whether current is flowing towards the battery
or away from it, not the total amp load of the car. It goes like
this:
Battery Plus+---->Ammeter---+-->Power to truck
| |
| +------>Bat Post on Alternator
+--->Starter
Be aware that modern alternators can put out over 100 amps. The
amp guage in your car or truck probably only can handle 30 or 60
amps. That's why they went to voltmeters on the newer cars which
handle only a very small amount of current and keep that big amperage
out of the dash area.
Bruce K
57 3200
Mt. Iron, MN
At Thursday, 12 June 2003, you wrote:
>If there is an amp guage, which wire would go to it? I would assume
>that it would be the single wire. This is timely since (after two
weeks
>of trying) I finally got the hood open on my '70 Corvette and I
need to
>figure out why it isn't charging (died on a road rally due to lack of
>juice and at the same time the hood catch screwed up - amazing how
they
>both happened at the same time - figuring out a way to trip that rear
>mounted latch was a b*ch!). The amp meter was showing the car
>discharging, the battery holds a charge, so I am assuming a bad
>alternator. This car does which does have an amp guage as does my '51
>3100 which I am installing a 305 V8 and the same kind of alternator.
> Thanks!
>
>Kevin '51 3100 '49 3600 wrecker
>
>J Forbes wrote:
>
>>>Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 18:38:19 -0400
>>>From: "Tom C." <c_tom@bellsouth.net>
>>>Subject: [oletrucks] el camino alternator wiring...off subject??
>>>
>>>I hope this isn't off subject, but if anyone knows how to wire
this i know
>>>some guys on the list do. If it is to far off subject please accept
my
>>>applogies, and anyone would like to answer please ping me off
list....thanks
>>>I have access to a 1984 305 Chevy motor. It runs good and is in an El
>>>Camino, which i think is the same as a Chevelle. It runs great,
but some
>>>alterantor wiring may be wrong.
>>>I hope this don;t confuse anyone....
>>>
>>>
>>
>>I have the same alternator on both of my oletrucks, so it's on topic
>>(just pretend you've already installed the engine in an oletruck)
>>
>>
>>
>>>On the back of the alternator there is a clip with two wires and
another
>>>slightly larger wire that is by itself on a post.. The wire that
is by
>>>itself goes from the alterator to the pos side of the batt.
>>>The little connector on the alternator, has two wires coming from
it. One of
>>>the wires looks like it goes to the Amp gauge and the other wire
loops over
>>>to the other wire on the alternator post, which don't seem right.
>>>Problem is the wire coming from the + side going through the connector
which
>>>in turns goes to the alternator gets very hot, almost to the point of
>>>melting. The amp gauge also drops to about 10 or less amps when
the lights
>>>are on.
>>>
>>>With all that being said, does anyone know the correct way this
alternator
>>>is suppose to be wired??
>>>
>>>
>>
>>When you say "amp gage", I'm not sure exactly what you mean. GM quit
>>using ammeters a long time ago, so you might be talking about the
>>voltmeter in the 84 El Camino. If so, then it sounds like it's not
>>charging properly, if the battery voltage is about 10 volts with the
>>lights on.
>>
>>Just a quick electrical refresher: Amps are how we measure current,
>>which is how much electricity is flowing through the circuit.
Voltage
>>is how "stong" the electricity is, and in most automotive circuits
it is
>>usually about 12 to 14 volts. So, and ammeter will show you how much
>>current is flowing into or out of the battery (for example). A volt
>>meter will tell you how much voltage is available to do work.
>>
>>On the 10-SI alternator, which was used on GMs from 1973 till sometime
>>in the late 1980s, there is a two wire plug in connector, and one
screw
>>terimnal. The screw terminal connects to the battery, this is the
>>alternator output connection.
>>
>>One of the two wires on the connector is a voltage reference (the
>>alternator is marked "2" and "F" at this connection), so the internal
>>voltage regulator will know whether to charge or not. This red wire
>>connects to the battery also, and it can be connected to the screw
>>terminal for convenience (this is how my trucks are wired).
>>
>>The other wire on the connector ("1" and "R" marking) is either
brown or
>>white, and energizes the regulator. This wire connects to the
ignition
>>circuit (energized only when the ignition key is "on) through a
>>resistor, or a resistor wire, and/or the "ALT" idiot light. It
should
>>NOT be connected to an ammeter!
>>
>>If the wiring is ok, it is possible that the alternator is bad.
>>
>>If this doesn't get you straightened out, keep asking questions...
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
>
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