The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Bought a new wiring harness- no provision for Ammeter!

I bought an American Autowire "Classic Update" wiring harness. Aside from having to rent their special crimping tools, the kit is very well organized and well made. The New foot dimmer switch does not fit a 47-53, as it is the type that bolts to a bracket on the inside of the toe pan instead of the outside, so I'll have to modify it to fit if I want to keep it. (BTW, the kit is about $50 cheaper to get it through Summit, which also includes free delivery)

American Auto wire tech support is closed today, so I thought I'd ask you guys these 2 questions to see if anyone knows-

1) I have a "CS" alternator, and the harness kit is designed for an "SI" alternator. I am hoping that the only difference in wiring these two types is that the connector is different on the CS type since both types are internally regulated. I know that the CS requires a resistor in line to run it. Does the SI also require a resistor? Wondering if the needed resistor is already in the line.

2) The wiring diagram provided only shows wiring for a Voltmeter, not an Ammeter. I understand that I cannot simply attache the wires for a voltmeter to my stock ammeter and expect it to work. But I do want to have a working ammeter- is there a way to wire my ammeter so that it will work? Still learning about electricity and how an ammeter works. What I want to know is, can I wire a parallel circuit for the ammeter, or must everything in the car go through the ammeter for it to work properly? I am assuming the latter is true.

Any help appreciated. Thank you.

A wiring harness with an ammeter only or a volt meter only are 2 different animals.
If you had one that wired for an ammeter and you wanted a voltmeter, that's very easy, you just have to attach any hot wire to the meter and it will display the voltage in the system..
However if the harness is wired for a voltmeter only, it may be virtually impossible to adapt to an ammeter. That's because the feed wire from the alternator may be routed directly to the Main terminal at the starter and never pass through the cab.
For an ammeter to read correctly, all of the power for the vehicle has to pass through it. One very heavy wire from the battery (usually connected to the battery terminal of the starter) runs up the harness to the ammeter. Then wires that feed the rest of the electrical system run off the other ammeter terminal (ignition switch, fuse box, etc). The ammeter than reads the flow of current to all parts of the system.
The voltmeter only harness most likely runs the power feeds in a way that cutting open the harness to splice in an ammeter feed would not be practical.
You could remove the ammeter from the gauge cluster and replace it with a volt meter and have it look original. I've done it and there is a good tech note on the procedure.

Okay, thanks Jim. That's what I was afraid of.

I'm going to check out the tech note- that sounds like a better solution for me.

Dave, for what it's worth, we've been talking about similar on this post.. (Not the alternator part, but the ammeter part) .I recommend abandon your ammeter, leave it there for looks or replace with voltmeter if it will look right in ammeter hole. If not, elsewhere.

I would not modify the dimmer until you call them. If the kit is for a 47-55. It does not say in the literature that you have to modify the switch. Find out what the deal is. I don't know if "does not fit" means mounting holes off or an electrical issue. Both the 47-55 and 55.2-59 and up, have mounting ears with threaded holes. Doesn't it just come in from motor side and screws go in from cab side?

Idiot light= no resistor needed. Without idiot light supposedly you can hook it up with a resistor and diode or just a resistor wire. Your schematic diagram supplied with the AAW kit should give you clues as to what they designed it for regarding resistor, etc. Read it carefully and all the notes. I realize you said it's designed for SI. 47-53 did not have idiot lights, so I would think AAW has that covered or will advise.
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The conversion harness from SI to CS is one wire with a CS connector on one end and SI connector on the other. So I would say that as far as resistor/idiot light/etc. requirement.......... it's the same.

I'm guessing that: if the kit is for SI, and CS is electrically the same on most issues, and the kit is for Voltmeter, and you abandon ammeter, you are good to go.

The SI (System Integrated) and the CS (Charging System) have armature/winding/regulating/bearing differences. CS being the more modern. I believe the external wiring is the same.

I second the comments by JimSears.

Okay, thanks Bartamos. I might just put an idiot light in one of the dash holes that I'm not using (I've got electric choke carbs, so I've got two extra holes to use)

The dimmer switch is designed with a flat mounting pad on the bottom of the switch so that it can be mounted inside the vehicle. I didn't want it standing that proud in the cab, so I bought a couple of spacer bushings and mounted it from the engine compartment side (pics)....now it sits right where I want it and my floor mat fits flat against the floor. I will replace the two thick washers with a single piece of drilled strap steel at some point..

American Autowire Foor Dimmer Switch- Modified Mounting

Which one did they send? this?(A) or this?(B)

The later model one- 61-86. I guess "Classic Update" can even mean updating things you don't want to update...!

American Auto Wire should be ashamed of themselves. I will no longer recommend them to anyone. Wrote them and read them the riot act for shipping a 61-up dimmer in a 47-55 and 55-59 kit. The answer was they are a restomod kit and THEY decided that a switch that mounts the switch body in the engine bay is too susceptible to the environment. Even though the original switches have lasted that way a long time.
I explained that restomod does not mean a switch that will bulge the carpet or mat and will be too high for our foot. It does not mean shipping a switch and leaving it up to a customer to figure out how to add spacers. There is absolutely no reason to knowingly ship a switch that can not be used. Their excuse was crap and the real reason is so they can buy one switch part number in huge bulk. They know this switch is wrong and don't care. I can not do business with a company like that when it is so simple to ship the correct available switch. To pay $600 for harness to get quality and completeness, and then get a part that they know won't work is ridiculous. I am sorry I recommended AAW.
I urge everyone to stay away from them until I get a message back from a vice president. I only was able to email a sales hack so far. If I never hear from management, that will further their shame.
It may seem a small issue but for me it involves advertising a super quality kit, the highest cost on the market, and then have a stupid, lying reason for a wrong dimmer switch. Not just wrong, but unusable. The switch they are shipping is made to fit into a sunken "pocket" that is built into the toe board in 60/61 and up.

Some where on this sight there are instructions for turning your amp meter into a Voltmeter. Here it is https://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/electrical/voltmeter/

Bartamos- yeah, I am a little disappointed with them. Not your fault though- the rest of the kit looks to be top notch. When it said it fit 47-55, I was a little suspicious, and should have called them first. At first glance it also looks like the headlight switch provided might require enlarging the mounting hole in the dash (which I will not do)- I'll check it when I get home today to be sure. I sure hope not.

[Edit- Yes, the headlight switch barrel is too large for the stock hole in the dash and will require filing the hole out... my take on all this is that the cheap switches are just freebies that I won't end up using. The better route, I think, would be to get a universal kit with a fuse panel and expand from there. That's what I get for being lazy! In the end It'll be a nice harness and I'll post pics once I get it all in]

Thanks for everyone's help!

Julian- That's a cool solution...