how to wire an ameter up
28-09-2008, 03:09 PM
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28-09-2008, 03:18 PM
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i take it you meen an ammeter, and you want to measure the entire current drain not just a certain curcuit?
if so i would disconnect the earth lead from the battery, reconnect it to the back of the gauge and then a new piece of wire from the gauge to the earth terminal.
if so i would disconnect the earth lead from the battery, reconnect it to the back of the gauge and then a new piece of wire from the gauge to the earth terminal.
28-09-2008, 03:28 PM
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i take it you meen an ammeter, and you want to measure the entire current drain not just a certain curcuit?
if so i would disconnect the earth lead from the battery, reconnect it to the back of the gauge and then a new piece of wire from the gauge to the earth terminal.
if so i would disconnect the earth lead from the battery, reconnect it to the back of the gauge and then a new piece of wire from the gauge to the earth terminal.
NO NO NO !!!!
That will put the starter motor current through the ammeter and start a fire due to the high current !!!!
The normal way is to remove all wires from the positive EXCEPT the feed to the starter motor, these then are connected into the ammeter and the other ammeter wire back to the battery. This way you will see current charge and discharge to the battery and the high current of the starter motor wont cause problems.
You must use the thickest wire you can get away with.
Personally, I would never use an ammeter as it will drop voltage and also presents a very dangerous power route that can start fires in a fault condition and you cannot reasonably fuse it to prevent this !!!
Hope that helps
Last edited by ECU Monitor Enthusiast; 28-09-2008 at 03:31 PM.
28-09-2008, 05:04 PM
#7
NO NO NO !!!!
That will put the starter motor current through the ammeter and start a fire due to the high current !!!!
The normal way is to remove all wires from the positive EXCEPT the feed to the starter motor, these then are connected into the ammeter and the other ammeter wire back to the battery. This way you will see current charge and discharge to the battery and the high current of the starter motor wont cause problems.
You must use the thickest wire you can get away with.
Personally, I would never use an ammeter as it will drop voltage and also presents a very dangerous power route that can start fires in a fault condition and you cannot reasonably fuse it to prevent this !!!
Hope that helps
That will put the starter motor current through the ammeter and start a fire due to the high current !!!!
The normal way is to remove all wires from the positive EXCEPT the feed to the starter motor, these then are connected into the ammeter and the other ammeter wire back to the battery. This way you will see current charge and discharge to the battery and the high current of the starter motor wont cause problems.
You must use the thickest wire you can get away with.
Personally, I would never use an ammeter as it will drop voltage and also presents a very dangerous power route that can start fires in a fault condition and you cannot reasonably fuse it to prevent this !!!
Hope that helps
i said thats the way I would do it, not the right way maybe i didn't think that one through well enough...
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28-09-2008, 05:33 PM
#8
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you can get non invasive types now that use a CT (current transformer) theat clip round the main battery cable and the current gives a proportional voltage to use at the meter, no volt drop issues, no currant carying capity to worry about on the cables either 
28-09-2008, 05:36 PM
#9
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Seen the prices of them though?
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