When I started this project I ordered gauges to keep track of things. But the old adage spit happens but me. I have an amp gauge where I lost the bracket and light. My question is the bracket have to be insulated? Or can I just bolt on a regular bracket onto this gauge? One of the old brackets have a plastic insulation. But it doesn’t fit my gauge. I guess worst case scenario is just don’t mount amp gauge. Any ideas? Thanks Jerry
exactly. ^^^^^ all an amp gauge does is tell you how much juice you are using, not how much you are making. OH to answer your question yes like someone already said it needs to be insulated.
There definately were volt gauges in 65. Stewart Warner offered them much earlier than that, you just diden't see them as often as you did Amp Gauges.
Didn't have many charging systems that put out more amps than what the ammeters would handle or many vehicles outside of emergency vehicles that had larger amp draws than what an ammeter would handle either. You were big time in 1960 if you had a 9 inch rear seat speaker, a fader switch and a reverb box in the trunk.
Contrary to popular wive's tails, ammeters are safe and reliable if they are matched to the system current demands. Detroit got away from them because of the cost of building an ammeter consistent with the later u trans high amperage draws. It would be very expensive and require very heavy gauge wire to and from the unit. An ammeter shows the condition of the charging system better than a voltmeter. On àn average 12 volt system it will take about 13.8 volts to override the battery and have it accept a charge. Volt meters only show system voltage and never indicate charge rate. If you see an ammeter showing a charge, the system must be at least above the 13.8 volt threshold or no charging takes place.an ammeter shows current draw in the system but a voltmeter shows only voltage. If the voltage drops below the 13.8 level, no charge takes place. But, it still won't show you if the system is being charged properly. Given the choice, I prefer an ammeter over a voltmeter. But since modern systems draw a tremendous amount of current and I am certainly not a rich man. I would default to the voltmeter. Just an example, a modern fuel injected V8 can draw as much as 40 amps to pulse the injectors at highway speeds. Add the lighting system it is nighttime and air conditioning if it's hot plus windshield wipers if it's raining you can easily have in excess of 100 amp output, that's why the voltmeter, it's cheap and easy to install .
Not quite during the 60's mopars had a severe ammeter problem with ALL power going through the meter and ANY short in any electrical circuit would result in fires. Made a small fortune (for the time) in OT replacing them under warranty at our dealership.
I did a lot of those amp meters also on Police cars, back in the early seventies. The thing about is was not all failed. Some worked just fine. I always figured the ones that failed , failed due to the nuts on the back of the gauge came loose, causing it to arc. There was a piece of copper way larger than the wire to connect the in and out wire! But the damage was always very close to the gauge, usually centered at the connection! You are right though, 100% of the currant the car used, went though the gauge! Connections are very important! Bones
Panteras used ammeters, think for a main fuse. Replaced LOTS of them for wealthy yuppies in Silicon Valley mid-'70s. Only 3 fires, I recall. Most went dead in the water. Then dry-docked. (grin)
I do have a 1961 SW volt gauge in my car. I will agree though that there were far more Ammeters in cars back then , people seem afraid of them these days. I am not sure that most know that a 30 amp ammeter and a car with power everything and a 150 amp alternator do not mix.....
The HAMB is so sweet LOL. Never ceases to amaze me. The man asks whether he needs to insulate his gauge. He's offered the missing pieces and we all learn the ins and outs of ammeter vs voltmeter. I could ask why wheels are round. I'd come away with the formula for pi and the recipe for synthetic rubber.
hi I’m Jerry. I posted the question about amp gauge. Here is pictures of my gauge. It’s a summit racing 21/16 gauge.
If memory serves me, there is a ammeter style that doesn’t require all the current flow through it, it reads by induction, the pickup is wound around the wire but not connecting to it. I have also heard of using a connection that only passes some of the current through the meter by using a bypass, maybe called a shunt, so the meter can’t be overloaded. Been a while since I had an ammeter. I’ve got the same voltmeter Moriarty has in my car. Not sure when it was made, but looks just like his.
The Jalopy Journal
