my drawing

[wt4speed#2]

I'm probably still a few day away from actually starting my truck . I've attempted to lay out a drawing of the way I have the 3 G wired in .
Is there any chance my factory ammeter gauge will work wired this way . I do have a maxi fuse in the power cable from the alt to soleinoid and a 560 ohm resitor to the ignition switch. the yellow from sol. to ammmeter and the red from sol. to ammeter both have 4 amp fuses. or should I just wire around factory gauge to aftermarket that I already have in my 3 gauge cluster

Tony B
link to drawing
http://www.fordification.com/galleries/ ... ?pos=-5084

[71PA_Highboy]

Nope... Factory ammeter will not work that way...

Is your aftermarket gauge capable of 130 A reading...if not don't use it.

IMHO, you are better off with a vlot meter than an ammeter...

hth,

eric

[wt4speed#2]

Thanks Eric I beleive it is a amp meter (aftermarket one ) rated at 60 +,- amps guess I need to p/u a volt meter. Any idea what needs to be done to get my factory gauge to work.

Tony B

[ICEMAN6166]

voltmeters are an easy wire in, can be hooked up to any wire that has 12v power when the key is on.

[71PA_Highboy]

Nothing... the factory one can't handle the current rating of the alt either...

Again, a volt meter is a better choice....

hth,

Eric

[wt4speed#2]

voltmeters are an easy wire in, can be hooked up to any wire that has 12v power when the key is on.

Can I take either the red or yellow wire with the inline fuse and run it to an aftermarket gauge . And if so do I increase the fuse size . I guess before I start it I should at least remove the fuses to the factory gauge huh.
I hope I haven screwed up this upgrade and end up burning my truck to the ground

Tony B

[bluef250]

This is how I would wire the stock amp gauge. I would use 10 or 12 gauge wire. Both wires should be the same length and size.

http://www.fordification.com/galleries/ ... &pos=-5092

You need the 560 ohm resistor to be sure the alternator will start charging.

The stock charge (amp) gauge measures the current caused by the difference in voltage between the battery and the alternator. The wires through the starter solenoid will carry most of the current. The small wires will carry a small amount of current. If the current is over 4 amps in the gauge wires the fuses will burn and protect the gauge.

[wt4speed#2]

Well the wires that are there(in the stock harness ) the red and yellow .are virtually the same length , already have 4amp fuses I just need to take the 2 yellows (1 from the 3G) and (1 from main harness back to gauge ) off the positive post of the solenoid and tie them together. and the red is already attached as in your revision of my drawing. I'm pretty sure that neither one is any larger than 10 to 12 ga any way .All I'm gonna lose is a couple of 4am fuses right.

Thanks bluef250 if the fuses don't hold up I'll go with an aftermarket voltage gauge(the F-600 instrument panel is in my future any how just not now) and I was going to run the mechanical oil pressure and temp gauge anyway( as there is no electronic shut downs on the ole beauts ) just as insurance, Although I am gonna try to get the factory gauges to work any ways.

I had a guy in Abilene tried to give me one of the F-600 panels the last 2 times I was out there , hell the last trip(and my final company paid voyage I might add) he offered to pull it for me probably on his desks now. I feel the need to burn long distance phone minutes tomorrow.

Thanks again

Tony B

[Jake11]

The factory amp guage is a "shunt" type. It should work fine. Just when
do you think that sucker is gonna be cranking a 100amps? Ain't gonna
happen! Unless your running a welder off it.

[wt4speed#2]

This is how I would wire the stock amp gauge. I would use 10 or 12 gauge wire. Both wires should be the same length and size.

http://www.fordification.com/galleries/ ... &pos=-5092

You need the 560 ohm resistor to be sure the alternator will start charging.
The stock charge (amp) gauge measures the current caused by the difference in voltage between the battery and the alternator. The wires through the starter solenoid will carry most of the current. The small wires will carry a small amount of current. If the current is over 4 amps in the gauge wires the fuses will burn and protect the gauge.

I've been working on this ,to get the 560 ohm reading the resistor has to be placed in a break in the green/red stripe wire , the resistor I purchased are only 1/2 a watt. Will this be enough to activate the alternator ,i realize the resitor has to be in it to excite the alternator ,but will the 1/2 watt be enough to let the green/red wire to perform it's original function?

Tony B

[adrianspeeder]

Just when
do you think that sucker is gonna be cranking a 100amps? Ain't gonna
happen! Unless your running a welder off it.

Say the load is 45-50 amps. A 3G alt is gonna have a much better time with cooler running, smoother output, and longer life than a 65amp unit runnin' near capacity. On a cold night with the blower runnin, headlights on, aftermarket radio crankin', and battery a little tired cuz the choke was fubar, it's purdy easy to max out a stock chargin' system.

Ditch the ammeter and swap in a voltmeter.

Adrianspeeder

[71PA_Highboy]

The factory amp guage is a "shunt" type. It should work fine. Just when
do you think that sucker is gonna be cranking a 100amps? Ain't gonna
happen! Unless your running a welder off it.

Sorry to disagree... I do it more than I would like.

I have a 120A Circuit breaker that I have blown when I am winching.... so I know it can happen.

Yes, It was winching, it was night, I did have aux lights on, so there was a significant load, so saying it won't happen just ensures it will....

again, my worth.

regards,

Eric

[wt4speed#2]

I'm good where I'm at on the gauge setup.
My question is the 560 ohm resistor . Just from playin with a piece of wire and my meter I know the resistor has to be in line (like a fuse) It goes in the green with red stripe in my application from the ignition. All the diagram I've seen show it wired around a lite which I don't have . My question is,with the resistors I they bought are rated at 1/2 watt, if installed inline just like a fuse holder(that was the only way I could get it to read any ohms) will it allow the green w/red stripe perform it's original function,which I assume is telling the alternator the rest of the truck is on.I know it has to have resistance to excite the alternator.

Tony B

[bluef250]

The resistor and light are in parallel when you have a light. The current splits between the 2. If the light were to go out then the alternator would not be excited - no power generation. The resistor makes sure that the alternator begins generating power.

http://www.fordification.com/galleries/ ... &pos=-3587

Look at the 5 gauge cluster note. The resistor is in line to power on with the switch.

By the way, you can run both a stock charge gauge and aftermarket volt meter. When I start making changes to my electric system, I plan to run both.