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Ammeter problem?

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MartyB View Drop Down
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    Posted: Jul/15/2018 at 5:28pm
74 Javelin AMX so it has the rally pack.  No start and no power to the fuse panel.  Wiring diagram appears to show that the alt receives 12v thru the amm.  Have 12v at the black wire to the amm (frm batt side of starter sol).  When the red and black wire are both hooked up to amm have no voltage btw the 2 studs and no voltage at the alt or fuse panel.  Is there a test to see if the amm is working?  Looking at the wiring diagram for the non-rallly pack, a red wire is run from the batt side of the starter sol to the alt.  If I run this setup should it work?  Thanks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/15/2018 at 6:03pm
With an ammeter there are TWO wires from the alternator - one to the ammeter and the OTHER to a splice that supplies the power for operating accessories, ignition and so on.
So you have one red wire from the alternator to the ammeter,
Another red wire from the alternator to the accessories.
Power would need to travel the black wire to and through the ammeter, then out the red wire back to the alternator, where it joins that second red wire to feed the accessories.
If the wire is bad or the ammeter bad, then you won't have power back at the alternator to feed that second red wire and accessories.

With no ammeter, there's a fusible link between the alternator and the starter solenoid. That connection simply connects the alternator to the battery using the starter solenoid as a terminal for connecting the alternator to the battery and the accessories to the battery.
You can connect the alternator directly to the starter solenoid - but DO use a fusible link - it's hard wire part way up and fusible link the rest of the way to the solenoid terminal.

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MartyB View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MartyB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/15/2018 at 10:01pm
Thanks for the info...that is how I thought it should operate based on the wiring diagram...appears the ammeter is faulty as I have power to the black wire running to the ammeter but nothing on the red wire or at the alt.  Is there a way to test the ammeter?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/15/2018 at 10:17pm
Pretty much what you did should test it............ about the only other way - to be more direct at the ammeter would be to pull the cluster and check at the ammeter terminals - power one one side but not the other means ammeter is fried. It happens....... 

On the other hand, the wires are connected to the ammeter at the cluster by nuts on the ammeter studs so if something came loose, but then you should have at least enough to power a test light unless something came totally loose, and if it did, that would be scary because that would mean a loose hot wire if it was the black one. 

I suspect the meter itself, and this sort will either pass the power through, or not, there's really not a lot to check other than connections at the cluster, broken or chewed wires,, that sort of thing.
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