Ammeter bypass (or whatever you call it)

[RJRENTON]

Catalog
Here is some reading material for you on the subject. In this rewire, the amp gauge is eliminated and replaced with a volt meter. Nacho has another variation which keeps the stock ammeter.

ROADRUNNER72GTX has an EXCELLENT explanation with drawings on the ammeter system....study what he presents...very informative. IGNORE AND DISREGARD any info presented by Nacho as it is copied from unknown sources including his suppositions and assumptions. Just my opinion of course....
BOB RENTON

 

[Kern Dog]

Based on that suggestion, Nacho seems to be the trusted source.

 

[RJRENTON]

Based on that suggestion, Nacho seems to be the trusted source.

View attachment 1655348

That is truely unfortunate.....let's compare credentials...I hold a BSEE, MS BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION-MACRO ECONOMICS AND a Professional Electrical Engineer credential but just about every one knows this. I've designed plants, equipment all over the world in the petroleum, aerospace industry, food industry, steel plants and process......just FYI.....
BOB RENTON

 

[Kern Dog]

Too bad more people aren't like YOU, Bob.
Imagine what a better world it would be. Maybe take this test and see how you do:

Short Dark Tetrad, SD4

Report your findings in this thread:

Are you a narcissist?

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Based on that suggestion, Nacho seems to be the trusted source.

View attachment 1655348

LOL… you said it, not me.

It seems the high credentials and degree don’t prepare to the ppl to notice the logic &/or information 72RoadrunnerGTX and me constantly share is basically THE SAME… with maybe some minor details/differences on how to express it or work on it

I just say I began to talk about this back in 2007 when still nobody was talking about this on boards, and even less posting diagrams explaining how it works and how to understand the ammeter reading.

“Just my opinion of course”

 

[Kern Dog]

Nacho, SOME people are SO educated, they become ignorant to common sense and decorum.
You are a good guy from what I can tell.

 

[Ron H]

What’s with the trash-chat about Nacho? I did some unusual modifications on my ride; Nacho was real patient as I came back with questions and every connection he was suggesting worked just fine. Once he had pointed out some things, I was able to get a better handle on what’s-what. I have some impression he knows his stuff.

Just my opinion...

 

[RemCharger]

That is truely unfortunate.....let's compare credentials...I hold a BSEE, MS BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION-MACRO ECONOMICS AND a Professional Electrical Engineer credential but just about every one knows this. I've designed plants, equipment all over the world in the petroleum, aerospace industry, food industry, steel plants and process......just FYI.....
BOB RENTON

Try working from the bottom up, instead of top down..
Hi, names Bob, here's some things to try and look out for.
Instead of
IM BOB RENTON AND IM SO SMART THAT I NEVER ACTUALLY GIVE ANY USEFUL ANSWERS
MY OPINION OF COURSE

 

[RJ Squirrel]

In all this commotion, none of us actually answered the original poster's question.
If your ammeter is in good working condition, there is no reason to change it. The biggest reason I have seen and read about for the bulkhead connector wiring melting/failing is the current draw for the headlights passing through it-and also the connectors themselves being corroded. If your bulkhead wiring is in good condition and you dont drive it at night much I believe you are most likely fine. If you do use the headlights a lot, then doing the headlight relay conversion might be a good plan.
But what the hell do I know I am just an old flying squirrel

 

[beanhead]

 

[69_A12_6BBL]

Been trying to read into this as I’m rewiring things and I’ve seen different posts on this but still don’t have a clear idea…

All that I have to do is create a wire that goes from the alt stud to the starter relay, and things are ‘safer’? It’s been running fine as is, I’m just rewiring things to clean it up. I figured I’d do it now if just making one wire is all I have to do. If it’s more involved than that I’ll just leave it alone for now. Not worried about the gauge being accurate.

Just replace the Dash & engine harnesses with M&H and leave everything 100% OEM. Problem solved.

 

[69_A12_6BBL]

Here is the reroute as suggested by MAD enterprises....

View attachment 1655286

View attachment 1655289

 

[Sinitro]

That sounds an awful lot like C-body recall 48549 from the early seventies.
View attachment 1655300

No idea about the C-body recall..
But after building/restoring multiple Mopar muscle cars in the 60/70s I was well aware of some of the electrical system components and their shortcomings..


Just my $0.02...

 

[ynst]

I've never seen an ammeter fail. If you look at the gauge itself there is no failure point....except the gasket can be crushed from overtightening.

The biggest failure point is the bulkhead connector. Connections get loose, cause high resistance and then melt or burn.

I've seen a couple of ammeters fail. They were left in the circuit when the owners replaced their stock alternators with high-output alternators and that 60 amp ammeter blew out just like a fuse.

 

[RJRENTON]

Try working from the bottom up, instead of top down..
Hi, names Bob, here's some things to try and look out for.
Instead of
IM BOB RENTON AND IM SO SMART THAT I NEVER ACTUALLY GIVE ANY USEFUL ANSWERS
MY OPINION OF COURSE

I guess it all depends on whether you understand the information being conveyed. The old adage of "sticks and stones" may be applicable.....
BOB RENTON

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

I've seen a couple of ammeters fail. They were left in the circuit when the owners replaced their stock alternators with high-output alternators and that 60 amp ammeter blew out just like a fuse.

Is that a fact? Care to explain how that is even possible?

 

[BigFlo]

I've seen a couple of ammeters fail. They were left in the circuit when the owners replaced their stock alternators with high-output alternators and that 60 amp ammeter blew out just like a fuse.

This is a misconception. Just replacing a low output alternator with a high output alternator will not cause anything to fail (wiring harness and ammeter included), if nothing else changed in the car. Alternators don’t push current thru your electrical system. Your devices and accessories pull current from the alternator as needed. A 160 amp alternator does not push 160
amps into your wiring system just because it’s rated for 160A.
The sum of all your electrical device amperage requirements will be the
total amount that will be pulled from your alternator. For ex, if your lighting needs 20A, the heater fan is 5A, the wipers are 5A, and radio is 5A that’s a total of 35A. If you put a 160A alternator in that car, the alternator will still only supply 35A if everything is on at the same time.
In order for the ammeter to fail, they must have hooked up a hell of a lot of accessories and run them thru the ammeter. That’s an application problem, not an ammeter problem. Plus, I would find it hard to believe the ammeter blew before something in the harness gave way.

 

[RJRENTON]

This is a misconception. Just replacing a low output alternator with a high output alternator will not cause anything to fail (wiring harness and ammeter included), if nothing else changed in the car. Alternators don’t push current thru your electrical system. Your devices and accessories pull current from the alternator as needed. A 160 amp alternator does not push 160
amps into your wiring system just because it’s rated for 160A.
The sum of all your electrical device amperage requirements will be the
total amount that will be pulled from your alternator. For ex, if your lighting needs 20A, the heater fan is 5A, the wipers are 5A, and radio is 5A that’s a total of 30A. If you put a 160A alternator in that car, the alternator will still only supply 30A if everything is on at the same time.
In order for the ammeter to fail, they must have hooked up a hell of a lot of accessories and run them thru the ammeter. That’s an application problem, not an ammeter problem. Plus, I would find it hard to believe the ammeter blew before something in the harness gave way.

Perhaps, to the uneducated or persons not understanding electrical systems and their connected loads, its just easier to blame the ammeter not the changes made by the owner. Ohm's law and Kirchoffs laws not withstanding........
BOB RENTON

 

[moparsaver]

let's compare credentials...I hold a BSEE, MS BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION-MACRO ECONOMICS AND a Professional Electrical Engineer credential but just about every one knows this.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

In all this commotion, none of us actually answered the original poster's question.
If your ammeter is in good working condition, there is no reason to change it. The biggest reason I have seen and read about for the bulkhead connector wiring melting/failing is the current draw for the headlights passing through it-and also the connectors themselves being corroded. If your bulkhead wiring is in good condition and you dont drive it at night much I believe you are most likely fine. If you do use the headlights a lot, then doing the headlight relay conversion might be a good plan.
But what the hell do I know I am just an old flying squirrel

Headlight relays? Indeed, as with all other factory loads, with the original wiring, the headlight draw and all other loads are pulled through the alternator feed bulkhead terminal (#18) from splice 1 while in operation. The bulkhead Packard’s are insufficient for that load, always have been, will heat up and melt plastic. Headlight relays installed correctly will help to alleviate this bulkhead current. However, most write-ups I’ve seen for adding headlight relays to these cars call for relay secondary power to be sourced directly at the battery. Not only does this not remove the headlamp current from the Bulkhead #18, but it also adds this current to the battery feed #16 and routes this current through the ammeter and it’s connections and registers as false charging current.