Installing duel volt meters... update 9/7

[rjewkes]

kaptn' sounds like ya'all almost got it, as for having more alt, if you are using the vr 400 Voltage regulator you can swap in an 88 ford van/truck 100 amp alternator and only have to get a matching pig tail for it or through a female connector with a plastic cover on it on the field wire and if your truck has it the Stator wire too where they go on the alternator.

This will give you the extra amps for the headlights at night.

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Robert...

I'm not exactly sure what the "stater wire" is.
There are two smaller wires goin' to the Alt, and one 4gauge wire going from the alt to the bat isolater, then a 4gauge wire goes to the solinoid, then to the main bat. Another 4 gauge wire goes to the aux bat... both have 4gauge ground wires to the engine block.
It is supposed ot be decent weather this weekend ... it has rained here for the last couple of days.
I broke a brake line while trying to replace the master cylinder, so I have to fix that before I can get back to the alternator situation.

KaptnKA S

[rjewkes]

Cool i think the stator is left oout on these trucks or only required when dummy lights are used. Or s i have been told, never have had one on any of my three trucks i have had and all charged great. The 88 100 amp alt puts out the standard 14.2 +/- when running/charging and gives you 100 amps to run with. using stock wiring save for the end change on the orange wire on my 72's harness.

when you get to it i'm currios to see what your two little wires are i know one is field but what is the other? Ground or Stator?

on the back of these alts there is labels on all the wire posts there should be four posts on the alt, Bat Sta Feild and Grnd or GRD for ground.

mine only has the bat and the feild.

[kaptnkaos]

I started working on the F600 panel today...

Just wanna make sure I got it right...
I picked up a monetary switch...
Now if I understand this all correctly.
For the aux bat : I need to run a hot wire from the battery to one side of the momentary switch. The run a wire from the other side of the switch to the meter... then the other lead on the meter goes to ground.
The primary bat meter: I need to run a hot wire from the switched feed (only hot with the key on)
The other wire goes to ground.
For the lights I need to run a wire from the reostat feed.
Question here? Can the wire from the reostat be daisy chained of does each require a separate feed from the fuse box.

Ya'all have to remember that I have an upgraded fuse box. I have hot all the time feeds, hot only with the key on and feeds that work only with light switch reostat...

Actually all of our trucks have the style circuity, mine just has a 3x as many circuits available

Click on pic to enlarge

KaptnKA S

[kaptnkaos]

Got the F600 panel installed today just as the deluge hit, so I still need to finish it up.

The main meter works fine... it might be a little lower reading but I think it is pretty darn close.
With the head lights off, at idle it's just above 12v, when I rev the engine, it goes to 14+/-.
When I turn the headlights on, it drops below 12v at idle, when I rev it goes to about 13v

I'm a little puzzled with the aux meter though...
I did install a momentary switch however I get no reading at all on it when I push it in.
Which brings a question to mind.
If the battery isolater is charging the main battery, and there is no drain on the aux bat shouldn't it at least read what level the battery is charged at, or is it just going to measure the current flow pos or neg.
I'm guesing that either the alt isn't putting out enough to keep the both batteries charged fully.
I checked both batteries they were both charged right at 12v.

I guess that this is the reason the PO had the aux batteries in the camper

KaptnKA S

[70_F100]

Make SURE you have circuit protection on the wires going to the meters.

It needs to be VERY close to the power source (i.e., battery, solenoid, etc).

A circuit breaker or master fuse would be preferable.

Otherwise, you may have a REALLY hot truck on your hands!!!

[kaptnkaos]

Hey 70_F100

A volt meter is totally different than an amp gauge
A volt meter draws almost no power whereas an amp gauge has all the power going to one side, and coming out the other side.
A volt meter uses a small 14 gauge wire on one side, the other side goes to ground.
The instructions say to use a 1 amp fuse, so far, I haven't found anything smaller than 5 amps.
The deal I have going is a duel battery set up to run a camper.

KaptnKA S

[70_F100]

I understand exactly what you're doing.

Leave out circuit protection, and you'll burn down your truck if you develop a short.

5 amps should be fine. There's very little chance you'd ever overload even a 1-amp fuse unless you develop a short, and a 5-amp will blow just as quickly in that situation.

A 1-amp fuse isn't hard to find, though. They've used them for YEARS in radios and other low-current devices. The only way you'll find it, though, is an old-school glass fuse in an inline fuse holder. I've never seen one of the newer blade-type fuses in a rating that low. Doesn't mean they don't exist, I just haven't seen one.

[kaptnkaos]

I live in a small rural town... the closest Radio Shack is about 50 miles from here.
That's about the only place I can think of that might have low volt radio fuses.
The auto parts place here in town doesn't have them.
I'm just a little frustrated with this project at the moment...
I missed another 3 day camp out this weekend... and worked on the truck for a day and a half so maybe I might make it for part of the camp out..
If I take it out at night and use the headlights and the fridge, both batteries only get partially charged... not even enough to start the truck to come home.
The entire charging is system is brand new... batteries, cables, alternater, regulater, cylinoid, battery isolater. All the wiring going to the camper is also new (and ciruit protected).
I only got to use the camper twice this summer... both times, I drove to the site during the day but drove home at night 2 days later. The next day, both batteries where to dead to start the truck.
Thus, duel volt meters are being installed so I can moniter what's happening with the charging system.
I still don't have a clue why the meter for the aux battery isn't reading anything at all.

KaptnKA S

[rjewkes]

kaptn, you may just find you need more than the stock 51-61 amp alt to charge both with lights and fridge going.

[70_F100]

kaptn, you probably need an AGC1, which is about the same length as an SFE20.

ANY auto parts store should have that one, even AutoChina.

I checked the Advance website, and they have a 5-pack that includes an AGC5, which would work just fine.

How far to the closest NAPA?

[kaptnkaos]

Yeah.. Robert

That is exactly the conclusion I came to before I ever installed the meters..
The first time I took it out and came home and it wouldn't start the next day...
When I tested the batteries they both had exactly the same amount of charge in both batteries.
I didn't have the problem with the charging the main battery until I went from having to manually charge the camper batteries...
I got the new alternator & regulator just under a year ago... it's a 65amp one.. It was the highest rated alt they carried at Shuck's (also known as Kragen and Checker in other areas).
Even though I got it nearly a year ago, it's got less than 400 miles on it.
I'll keep my eyes out for a 100amp one at a reasonable price.
Thanks again...

KaptnKA S

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Robert...

Check out this alternater... will it work ???
If so, what else would I need for it to work in my truck???
It's used, but comes with a decent warranty... it's about 1/3 the price of other 100 amp alts I've looked at...
and has free shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1989-FOR ... 06.c0.m245

KaptnKA S

[kaptnkaos]

Got a wee break in the rain today so I worked on the duel volt meter installation...

Sorry, I haven't taken any pics of this part of the '68 CS project... with having to work outside in between torrents of rain, I didn't wanna take a chance with my camera. I have already had to replace one digital camera because of the rain.
I got the meters both working today (complete with circuit protection) I went to another auto parts place after work, and was able to find 3amp blade style fuses and a got a couple of in line fuse holders.
I'm still comfused with the momentary switch... I think it must be retarded or something.
Instead of coming on when I push in the button for the switch it turns the meter off.
I figured that I musta had it wired backwards, but no, it did the same thing either way. with only 2 wiring possibilties, I exhausted my options pretty quickly.
Then I got the bright idea of trying a plain toggle switch... seeing as though it was already mounted with nothing attched to it and it was right in my hands.
Now, when switch is off... the meter doesn't read anything. When I flip the switch on, it reads 12v.
Do they make different types of momentary switches???

KaptnKA S

[stephen44]

sorry - yes

they make momentary on (what you want) and momentary off (what you have)