Am I asking for trouble?

[miller]

So, I need to ask. I'm not one who is very savvy on this electrical stuff, so my questions can probably sound a little lame.
64 Plymouth. Pretty much all the wire harnesses are stock, either new, or like the under the dash harness, I rebuilt. All the wiring is in good shape.
But, though the researching I've done, regarding the ammeter and alternators...question is this.
The alternator I have, a round back, had rebuilt...they told me it's an 80 amp. Was told nothing to worry about, since it will only 'put out' the amps needed by the system.
I have only a bare bones electric system on the car...not even a radio. Still piecing the car together...total rebuild...and at the dash. Was thinking to hook up the wiring to the stock, and in good shape ammeter, while I get things going.
80 amp alternator to the 64's ammeter. Am I asking for trouble??

Also looking at the 'taxi' wiring, since everything is still in a working state. Or, at a later date.
Thoughts? And, thanks!!

 

[PurpleBeeper]

I don't think that 80amps isn't all that big of a deal....BUT, I would still run a bypass wire with a huge fuse/fusible link since Mopars are known to melt the main alternator hot wire going to the amp meter through the bulkhead disconnect.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Per the "Book"
It is better to have an Alternator that can support the Electrical Load as opposed to the Alternator that can not support the Electrical Load.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

read, learn and enjoy

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=33574.0;all

 

[mopar 3 B]

40 amp wiring is differtent than 60 amp wiring. I would switch it to the 60 configuration with wire to support 80 amps where required.

 

[miller]

read, learn and enjoy

Yep, have read through that a couple times. Also agree with it...relating to the ammeter.
Noted on the wire gauge. Thanks, mopar 3 B!
Sense tells me, if I wire in parallel, on the ammeter, that would pull some of the load off the stock wiring...right? That's as Nacho suggests.
Anyone else tried it? Any issues?

 

[RobP]

Yep, have read through that a couple times. Also agree with it...relating to the ammeter.
Noted on the wire gauge. Thanks, mopar 3 B!
Sense tells me, if I wire in parallel, on the ammeter, that would pull some of the load off the stock wiring...right? That's as Nacho suggests.
Anyone else tried it? Any issues?

I did it recently as a precaution and have had no issues. My bulkhead connector was slightly melted in the 2 usual places so I replaced it along with the engine wire harness, and did the parallel wiring to ensure it wouldn't happen again.

 

[miller]

Appreciate that, RobP! Yeah, I'm thinking mainly as a precaution, too.
Never had any problems with the ammeters, as long as connections are good.

 

[747mopar]

Parallel wiring, pull some of the load off, please explain? For the ammeter to work properly 100% of the load needs to pass threw it so if by parallel you mean another wire going around it you've made it inaccurate in doing so. Also 2 wires is never the answer to a problem, run 1 wire that's big enough and ditch the ammeter for a voltmeter which can be wired into just about any ignition source voltage. Unlike the ammeter a voltmeter only needs to read voltage, no need for high amperage at all making it safer and let's you see your voltage which is better anyways.

 

[miller]

747mopar...understand what your saying.
Hope Nacho doesn't mind, but this is one of his diagrams I'm going by...



As you can see, it does not bypass the ammeter.
And, I'm well aware of the debate on ammeters vs voltmeters. Exactly why I'm still deciding.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

With an alt able to feed the car demands, the ammeter won't get load going throught because batt will never ( or barelly ) source the main splice located on alt side of ammeter.

The ammeter is related to the load coming and going to/from batt. As far you keep the batt out of the sourcing play, you'll be doing the same with the ammeter.

An alt able to provide around 45-50 amps IDDLING ( 40 amps can be enough too in some cases ) if the car demands for that, will keep you safe everywhere, just needing to save the black side of the wiring at bulkhead ( bypassing bulkhead or going parallel if the existant wire is still nice ). Parallel/bypass on red side of the wiring is an extra in case batt looses load and will need to get recharged by the alt OR an alt failure where the batt will be sourcing everything.

I call it PARALLEL WIRING just because if the stock existant wiring ( 12 gauge ) into harness and bulkhead terminals are still nice you can keep them and won't need a really heavy wire on parallel ( another 12 will be enough )

But if need to remove the stock one because got damaged, the single one going out of the bulkhead with 8 gauge is way enough. Even a 10 single one is enough in some cases. Remember the main splice is STILL on 12 gauge rate because is the stock one. The extra gauging will allow you to recharg battery safer on car when get discharged and even add relays on the line ( never on batt side, must be on alt side ) to some added junction or even using the ammeter stud as junction... I DID! I have 6 relays attached on ammeter stud and everything is nice. As far of course is correctly attached.

Doesn't matter if you get 80 amps alt or thousand amps alt... that's the max output rate. The important thing here is the alt is able to source the max demand the car will require at the minimun RPMs as posible. If the car requirement is around 40 amps, then try to source that when car is iddling. Remmeber amperes are not pushing it by the alt, but sucked out by the car so you need a source able to give that.

Blower ( AC OR HEATER ), wipers, hazzards are the more demanding devices on car, then of course lights, turning, brakes. Cigar lighter sucks a lot, but thats not a constant source, just for a seconds. Power windows too. Ignition barelly sucks power believe it or not. Some other added aftermarket accesories sucks lots of power like cooling fa. Gas pump could suck some load too.

My test for a nice alt power is car iddling, with AC turned on ( mid speed at least ), geared, brakes pressed, lights on ( low beams ) and wipers on ( low or mid speed ). If the alt is able to source that and ammeter keeps centered, you are on a good rate coming out from. If you increase wiper speed and AC blower and still get a centered reading under that test, you are BETTER, but, your barelly are geared and brakes pressed. I'm trying to give some extreme test.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Yep, have read through that a couple times. Also agree with it...relating to the ammeter.
Noted on the wire gauge. Thanks, mopar 3 B!
Sense tells me, if I wire in parallel, on the ammeter, that would pull some of the load off the stock wiring...right? That's as Nacho suggests.
Anyone else tried it? Any issues?

I'm running a parallel extra alternator wire. I'm using two huge fuses in parallel instead of a fusible link in it (easier to check/change). The only issue I have is that my ammeter doesn't read correctly, but I can still tell "charge" and "not charging"

 

[747mopar]

747mopar...understand what your saying.
Hope Nacho doesn't mind, but this is one of his diagrams I'm going by...

View attachment 419704

As you can see, it does not bypass the ammeter.
And, I'm well aware of the debate on ammeters vs voltmeters. Exactly why I'm still deciding.

I see, a 2nd that doesn't go threw the bulkhead but does go threw the ammeter.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Yes! No need to bypass ammeter if you get an alt able to source all what the car needs at iddle

 

[747mopar]

I don't see it as a debate, 2 different ways of gauging your battery that mostly come down to whether or not you want to keep it original. Everybody has their own ways, for me if the bulkhead is the big problem why doesn't everyone take them out of the equation? I did just that but again it comes back to wanting to be original for others.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

That's right. I'm just posting making it on that way, is still safe and will keep the accurate and correct reading on ammeter... AS FAR the alt is able to source the car needs. The moment you begin to get the car sourced from batt side for long time or high peaks, then the ammeter becomes on the weak spot of the charging system, because when giving gas, the reading will be high also on the opposite side to recharge the batt. Those readings are the ones we have to save to keep safe the system

 

[miller]

The only issue I have is that my ammeter doesn't read correctly, but I can still tell "charge" and "not charging"

Are you only running one parallel to the ammeter? Might explain why the reading is off. Take a better one than me, to say yes, or no. I don't get along with electrical stuff, just get by.
Yes, per Nacho's diagram, two wires through the bulkhead. Don't see a problem there, if it helps. Yeah, on the fuses, too. Just want to decide where I'd mount 'em. If it works, sure not going to look the other way.

Hey! Really appreciate you guys!

 

[Nacho-RT74]

He is runing a wire straight between alt post and starter relay and reach the batt... that virtually bypass the ammeter, linking all the system on a BIG splice, sourcing all the system from both sides the same without a real direction coming or going the load to be sensed by the ammeter

 

[Nacho-RT74]

, for me if the bulkhead is the big problem why doesn't everyone take them out of the equation?

Actually If you check the tipical solution used with a wire between alt post and starter relay ( what you did ) and check the location of the main splice inside the cab, the bulkhead is not out of the game yet, because is still being feeded from outside through the bulkhead. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE is the load being shared between two terminals ( equalized ) and not just one getting more load than the other. Or actually just saving the bulkhead terminals from the load when battery is being recharged.

 

[kiwigtx]

In most of our cars the biggest constant load is the headlights. I ran a extra feed direct from the alternator to my starter relay, then another direct to a set of relays just in front of the battery. by diverting the load of the headlights directly from the battery, I get full brightness off my 37.5W 'candles', and also reduce the risk of burnout or wiring failure at my light switch, ammeter and dip switch.
Somewhat abbreviated version of what I did, but it works well. I gained back the 3-4 volts that were lost through the original wiring.