I hooked up a set of console gauges last night and got everything to work except the Ammeter gauge. It says to hook up the black wire to the "positive battery junctionblock located behind the battery" and the other "Black/white to the horn relay" I hooked it to the horn relay, but couldn't find the junction block behind the batt?? Does it connect TO the battery?

With the car off it reads "0" if I turn on the head lights it reads "-20" then I turn on other lights and reads "-30". If I turn the connector around on the gauge the same thing happens,but just on the positive side. When I start it ,it jumps all over the place! I grounded both panels on the pod and all the pod lights work.

All day....Nobody?

Mnm99 where are you from on LI? I am in Massapequa, and I have a couple of spare ammeters for the gauge cluster, maybe we could get together and make sure that it isn't the ammeter.. Also I have a few of the orig GM junction blocks, I think you need one. Let me know.. Bill

I live in Miller Place, kinda far. Do you ever take a ride out to bald hill on tuesdays?

hey, it's saturday.... besides, I had company, and we been in the pool all day, not to mention barbequeing some fine baby backs....

If you'd poke around a bit here, you woulda found what you need anyways.

At the top of the electrical forum, there is a sticky called "what it is, Where it is" Someday, when I find the time to get it done, it will contain pics and info on every electrical componant in a firstgen.

Right now, it does contain the rad support and everything on it. Look here: http://www.camaros.net/techref/electrical/What_it_is/radiator_support.htm

I am in a good mood, jus pullin your chain a lil! :thumbsup:

Thanks, but why wouldn't it work if I hooked it up directly to the batt+, the junction block(that I don't have) should only be 12" or so away. I forgot to clarify. With the engine running it goes to the + side and jumps around. When I rev it it goes higher. Why would that happen? Any ideas?

I guess the last owner removed the block. I see a splice right at that area. The wire from the batt terminal and the one that goes to the horn relay.

Does anyone make a Voltmeter for the console gauges?

The regulator probably needs to be adjusted or replaced. Measure battery charging voltage. Does it dance the same as the ammeter?

I'll check that ,I had a problem with high charging a couple of months ago. I thought it was the regulator so I replaced it. It turned out to be the alt, replaced that too. then it was fine. I could try the old reg.??????

I could try the old reg.??????Certainly would not hurt.

do you run the original alternator ?

a very high charging voltage could indicate a regulator not grounded properly.

And yes, with what you have, connecting the second ammeter lead to the battery should be ok.

do you run the original alternator ?

Yes.

Jim.
This is a Ammeter right? That reading on the meter isn't voltage right? When I removed my sunpro gauges the volt reading were right at 14-14.5 or so and steady. I don't think theres anything wrong with the alt or charging system.

Tried a new regulator and it's the same. still works like a tach up to 40+

Does anyone make a voltmeter to look like the ammeter?

It's not an ammeter - it's a very sensitive voltmeter (galvanometer) that senses the voltage difference between the battery junction block (or the battery cable stud on the starter solenoid on cars that don't have the junction block) and the screw terminal buss on the horn relay. The needle simply indicates whether current is flowing TO the battery (+ reading) or FROM the battery (- reading). No operating current is flowing through the gauge, and both wires to the gauge terminals should show 12 volts at all times, key on or off.

:beers:

what John said.

Technically, it is an "external shunt" ammeter, with the wire from the junction block to the horn relay being the shunt (resistance across which a voltage drop is measured).

what John said.

Technically, it is an "external shunt" ammeter, with the wire from the junction block to the horn relay being the shunt (resistance across which a voltage drop is measured).

thanks...Now any idea why it jumps from +10 to+40 like a tach when I rev the car??

See Post #7.

See Post #7.

Called Ricks. I'll test my voltage at the batt running and amperage at the gauge. We'll see what happens. Weird my charging system seemed fine before.

The regulator probably needs to be adjusted or replaced. Measure battery charging voltage. Does it dance the same as the ammeter?

I checked the battery running and nothings jumping. I checked at the batt and the gauge, 12.7 volts.????

thanks...Now any idea why it jumps from +10 to+40 like a tach when I rev the car??
I checked the battery running and nothings jumping. I checked at the batt and the gauge, 12.7 volts.????
First make sure the battery is fully charged. 2nd, if the voltage 12.7 at idle and at higher rpms its at 14.5, that will also cause more ampmeter movement.

First make sure the battery is fully charged. 2nd, if the voltage 12.7 at idle and at higher rpms its at 14.5, that will also cause more ampmeter movement.

I double checked the voltage. It is steady at 12.7. My old gauge showed voltage movement. I used a VOM this time and it was steady. I ran the car for a little while at idle and the gauge slowly went from +30 to +2 and stayed there. driving it was steady +or-1. As I go prom Drive to reverse it jumps alot. I guess the quick rpm change then takes a good min or so to steady out again???? The more I read about Ammeter gauges , how they work and the hazzards they can cause I just may leave it disconnected. I can't have a bad battery also! My charging system worked fine before.

Note that the "hazards they can cause" do not apply to the factory type of ohmmeter, which does not take full system current into the car.

I'm not happy with your 12.7 volt readings at all, too low even at idle.

You might start with checking and cleaning all connections, especially the regulator and alternator, pull the terminals out of the platis housing and clean the ternimals with a small wire of brass brush.

Check your regulator ground. If all the paint under the hood is new, star washers under bolt heads can work wonders.

When I first put my car together, it charged at 18 volts because there was so much new paint that the entire rad support was not grounding. This seriously screwed up the front lighting and regulator!

Alright I'll look at it again. Ok I checked it again. I did get 12.7 and then 14.7 when it was running??? Charging seems ok. I don't know what happened before, but I still have the problem.

As I go prom Drive to reverse it jumps alot. I guess the quick rpm change then takes a good min or so to steady out again????I would check the ground plane from the regulator base to the alternator case and to the negative battery post. All should read less than 0.4 volts. This means there should be a ground wire from the reg case to radiator support. There should be a good contact from the rad support to body at any point. There should be a ground strap, maybe two, from the engine valve cover bolts to the firewall. There should be a ground wire from the fender to the battery negative clamp/cable. Also, the back-up lights are now lit, along with stop lights.
The more I read about Ammeter gauges , how they work and the hazzards they can cause I just may leave it disconnected. I can't have a bad battery also! My charging system worked fine before.As said by JimM, GM's ammeter is a voltmeter, not a real ammeter.

I would have the regulator adjusted for a min of 13.2-13.4 at idle with a max of 14.8 volts at high rpm. Go for max voltage setting over idle setting. Take your alt and battery to store and have set as a system. Is alt belt in good shape? Should not be glazed or cracked.