The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Wiring questions

I am rewiring my 48 1/2 ton Chevy. I am lost with the schematic in the shop manual. The wires coming off of the back of the battery gauge, some are suppose to go to the starter switch and the solenoid. And one to the battery? The starter pedal pushes the solenoid switch right? Where do these wires connect to? Also the ignition switch, which terminals connect to which wires? Maybe someone has a better schematic of this?

weltertm,

The charging system supplies power through the BATT terminal on the voltage regulator to the - side of the ammeter.

Voltage is then routed through the ammeter + to a common lug on the starter switch where it connects with the large battery cable and allows the system to charge the battery, and pull power from the battery.

According to the wiring diagram, the horn is tapped off the ammeter + too.

The ignition switch and any load such as the light switch and connected to the - side of the ammeter.

The ignition switch, which is connected to the ammeter - has one of its other terminals connected to the ignition coil. When you turn the key ON, this power flows to the coil/points. A second wire goes to the fuel gauge to power it when the key is ON.

Does this make sense. There is a '48 online wiring diagram that you can blow up and see pretty clearly. It covers the stomp starter as well as the solenoid starter so you have to cull whatever wiring doesn't pertain to your truck.

Just remember that the ammeter sits smack dab between the battery and the generator. As power flows from generator to battery (- to + on meter back) the gauge will read a charge. When the truck isn't running and you turn on the headlights, power would flow from the battery to the lights. This is the reverse of a charge and the ammeter would read discharge (+ to - on meter back).

I'll stop now before I confuse myself.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/electrical/wiring/pdf/48truck.pdf

Stuart

If you have a starter pedal instead of a button, you disregard the solenoid.

Thanks for the info. What about the ignition, which wires go to each of the 3 screws on the back?

weltertm,

Of the three terminals on the back of the ignition, one goes to the - side of the ammeter. This is the wire that will power the switch.

Another terminal goes to the coil + and also to the fuel gauge.

I don't believe the third terminal is used.

Is the wiring diagram I linked any more clear than the one you have. Wire size is important in this equation, and these are shown on the schematic.

Stuart

The wiring diagram you sent is the same I am using. Im using the wire sizes it shows. On the left side of the diagram it shows an ignition with 2 terminals used. The ignition in the actual diagram show all 3 terminals used. Which ignition do I follow? For the wire going to the starter, does it go on the same bolt as the positive battery cable? Thanks for the help

weltertm,

You are right on the heavy wire from ammeter to starter switch. It connects to the same large lug as the battery positive cable attaches to.

I'm pretty sure that when the key switch is ON, both terminals are switched on. This merely splits the load on the physical contacts for longer switch life. I don't know if you have a heater blower motor but if you do, you could wire the coil and fuel gauge on one terminal, and the heater blower motor on the other.

This means that when you turn the key off everything that went through the switch would be off. Does this make sense.

I looked at a bunch of wiring diagrams around your year and saw only two terminals on the ignition switch utilized.

Stuart