The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Factory Amp/Battery Gauge

I am currently restoring 2 different 1965 gauge clusters and both amp/battery gauges have a vertical coil that seems to have overheated and turned the coil black at least half of its length. Is this considered normal/common? What causes this? Is the gauge then considered defective and need to be replaced? Thanks!

Wow, I am surprised that no one else has seen this. In another forum many are against using the ammeter since they say they could be dangerous. They vote to use voltmeters instead. With 2 different clusters and both showing signs of burning I tend to agree with the voltmeter idea. Still not sure though why they burn unless they are shorted and are not fused.

yes, they can overheat because all the generator/alternator output is going thru them, but it's more a question of age then design and of folks upping the gen/alt size so the gauge is passing higher than design current, if yours is showing signs of overheating probably time to replace/rebuild it - some folks like to use a shunt on them, and some here have discussed using the volts gauge instead, but that's an appearance problem on the older trucks, and if the original 30/40 amp generator is used it shouldn't be a real danger when the wiring is tip-top .... MAD electric recommends switching, pointing out the problem associated with age and upgraded alternators to handle a bunch on modern accessories

Bill

64-66 ammeters are a shunt type already, Bill, and not fused at all. I am using mine still, I did add 1 amp fuses on each lead like the 67-72's used. Seems like the burnt ones didn't work IIRC(been a long time since I restored mine). Mine has been doing fine, even using a later higher amp alternator. Shows discharge when lights on/engine off and shows charge when running, but the needle moves a little more than before the alternator upgrade.

So as long as I purchase a new gauge for a '64 - '66 it should be of the shunt type and therefore much safer?