I decided to make this post with a subject that made more sense. I am getting ready to install and carefully document the installation of a 1953 wiring harness. To do that, I need to take pictures as I go and a few questions are coming up.
The harness that is in it was home made so is of no help whatsoever as far as what goes where. I will be asking questions and hoping someone knows....
1) The Ammeter.. There was no way to tell how it was wired. The best I can figure is Ammeter MINUS on the back of the gauge corresponds to the CHARGE side (right hand side looking at the face of it). That seems counterintuitive to me. I do not want to wire this backwards, worse tell everyone else to do the same. Does anyone know for sure when it comes to wiring diagrams, which Poll is Ammeter Positive and which is Ammeter Negative?
I found THIS today....
"Typically, in an automotive application, the ammeter minus terminal connects directly to the battery positive terminal. (The only thing that DOESN'T go through the ammeter is the heavy cable to the starter solenoid - ammeters can't handle starter current!) Everything else connects to the ammeter positive terminal - all electrical loads, the alternator, etc. In this arrangement the ammeter reads positive (+) if the battery is being charged or negative (-) if there is a current drain from the battery."
Amazing how little information there is on this. I will write things up this way and hope for the best. Once its sorted out, we will not have to tell people...
"If it shows a discharge, swap the wires to the other terminal."
Meaning.. Ammeter minus (equals the Charge side Poll) to Starter/Battery and plus to the loads per the wiring diagram. Confusing.
