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| | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | I've rounded up a couple each of amp and fuel guages for my panel. Can someone tell me a SIMPLY way to bench check each one of them....in simply terms!!! I hate to spend good money to have someone else do it.  | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Achipmunk,
Everyone tells me I'm simple, lets see if they're right. On the ammeter...if the needle wiggles then we will assume the meter is good. Connect a wire to each terminal of the ammeter and touch those wires to the posts of a battery...any polarity. The needle should jump for a second. This means it is probably OK.
On the fuel gauge. Hook a wire from the positive battery post to the terminal behind the 'E'. Touch another wire from the negative post to the case of the meter...it should show FULL! Leave everything the same but attach another wire from the unused gauge terminal to battery negative. The gauge should peg at EMPTY...that's it!
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 | I don't think it is a good idea to even momentarily shove a couple of hundred amps across a thirty amp ammeter. I would wire the + side of the ammeter to the positive battery post and a grounded horn, headlight or heater motor, etc. to the - ammeter terminal. Or you could put a battery charger set at low current across it. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,464 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,464 | I like the fuel guage test but I fear the ammeter test might be the last thing that poor little ol' meter might read. I would put a load of some kind in series with the arrangement atomarc describes, like a headlamp, or even just a light bulb. That way there's no danger of frying the guage. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Sheesh! Good point gentlemen...a dead short for sure!  Stuart | | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | Thanks guys. I may not get into the shop again until Monday. (Daughters wedding Saturday) I should have kidded Stuart and told him thanks for helping me fry my guage but I'm not sure how good of health he is in....LOL. Thats why I ALWAYS wait until I get a "few" replies. If someone says it black, someone else will say its white, but another will say its Pink  Thanks guys. IF anyone else has any "simple" ideas you have until Monday morning. :p Stuart, my wife says I'm "simple"....a simple-a$$ heehee | | | | | Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 20 Member | | Member Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 20 | as the guy's said i think you can assume the ammeter "was" o.k but is now most proberly DEAD but stuart had the idea just forgot a series load.enjoy
Where there is a will, there is a relative!
The 4 stroke cycle(suck,squeeze,bang,blow)
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | If you have the gas sender handy, hook it up and see if it works too. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | got the other set of guages in the mail today. Since I'm on Jury duty this week its gonna be next week before I can mess with all of them. I'll be checking temp, amp,and fuel. I think the speedometer is ok to but the needle is broken off so I'll need to order it.(the entire needle and hub is gone on the other one. These also just "look" much better and hopefully ok. Thanks for all the help guys. I'll let you know how things check out. | | |
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