Jonathan Harding
6 posts
Joined: 18/09/2004 17:13:50
Location: North Ascot United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Cold starting - more results from the voltmeter
I went through the basic tests my selfy over the weekend and got the following figures at the battery terminals: Engine off (nothing on) - 12.6 V Engine at idle (nothing on) - 14.1 V Engine idle (all on) - 13.5 volts - but gradually falling to 11.5 volts (and further if I had not turned everything off Engine 2000 rpm (all on) as above I think this points to the alternator not having the capacity to charge the battery and keep everything going? Is this correct? Means new alternator? If so which one should I fit? the one from the latest cars? or one for my year of car (1988) Thanks Jon
Posted: Jan 10, 2005 11:25 AM
Steve
13 posts
Joined: 17/10/2004 21:22:09
Location: United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Help with ammeter/voltmeter required
Morning all. Can any one advise of the best place to wire in an ammeter and a voltmeter (including the bulb)? I understand that they cannot be wired in the same way.
Thanks.
Posted: Jul 12, 2006 09:12 AM
RoadRunner
11 posts
Joined: 10/07/2006 11:57:00
Location: WOKING United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Good call, I need to know how to wire up my Ammeter!
Posted: Jul 12, 2006 01:04 PM
C. Barron
332 posts
Joined: 04/05/2006 21:28:31
Location: Mid Calder United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
I would think a good way to wire the ammeter in is inline with the output from the alternator.
The voltmeter could be connected between the same wire and to ground, but it might be more useful to wire it to the main battery feed wire at the starter solenoid
Ammeters must be connected in series between the load and the battery, voltmeters must be connected across the load, ie between 12V and ground
Posted: Jul 12, 2006 11:47 PM
So is it best to wire the ammeter between battery and starter motor or alternator and battery like said above?
Posted: Jul 13, 2006 10:35 AM
I've drawn a quick drawing of how I would do it.
Leave the battery-solenoid-starter circuit untouched, it carries upto 250Amps, or more, and is no place for any self respecting ammeter to live !
Instead, take the connections where the alternator and car electrics all meet at the solenoid and add in the new ammeter circuit. The ammeter wires must carry all of the maximum charge/discharge current and should be rated as such. You should use minimum 50Amp cable, because your interior fan, heated rear screen, cigarette lighter (if fitted) will all be supplied through the ammeter now. Also, if the battery should ever become flat, the alternator will pass full current through the ammeter as it tries to charge the battery, so if you have an uprated alternator that should be taken into consideration
The voltmeter should be fitted to connect directly between the battery live supply and ground, and should also have a fuse in line, 1 amp should be enough.
Posted: Jul 13, 2006 12:53 PM
Chuffy
7 posts
Joined: 05/09/2007 10:55:32
Location: Catford United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Voltmeter Gauge - Bulb Gone
Does anyone know the correct bulb type for the voltmeter gauge on a 2000 reg Cooper S? The bulb has blown and needs replacing but before I dismantle fascia I would like to buy the right bulb beforehand!
Posted: Oct 21, 2009 12:49 PM
Peter
12 posts
Joined: 27/01/2005 13:07:22
Location: Colchester United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Speedo drive pinions
Can anyone suggest the part number for the speedo drive pinion for an accurate speedo reading with a Smiths large speedo (200kmh type) with a 3.444:1 final drive and 165/60x12 tyres on Minilife 12x5 rims? Ive seen a new speedo of said type for £70, boxed, and wonder if it is a good price. Has anyone replaced the fuel gauge in this type of speedo with the internals from another gauge, such as a voltmeter? I say this because the car I am building will have two fuel gauges (and two filler caps) so the obvious thing would be a matching pair of 2 Smiths classic gauges, and to use the redundant hole in the bottom of the speedo for something I only have one of, like voltmeter, oil temperature, or pressure. That said, I have capillary oil temp and oil pressure gauges, with 270 travel, so it will have to be the voltmeter, or nothing. Maybe I will try wiring it up as an average of the two tanks gauge...
Posted: Jan 27, 2005 02:32 PM
How do I fit an ammeter?
I made the mistake yesterday of assuming it would be the same as a voltmeter and melted the wires!
Posted: Mar 27, 2005 10:38 AM
Tim
1850 posts
Joined: 18/10/2004 09:40:59
Location: Bournemouth United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Mini driving lights not working
It's just possible that the dipped beams are both blown - easy enough to check if you have a voltmeter. If not it must be a bad connection somewhere.
Posted: Oct 26, 2011 07:05 PM
MINI 2005 We are really stuck, HELP
I know nothing about New MINIs, but it seems unlikely to me that this would be anything more than either (a) a faulty relay in the starter circuit or (b) a faulty starter motor. I don't know how easy it is to remove the starter on a MINI, or if you can get a voltmeter onto its terminals to determine if anything is happening there?
Posted: Mar 27, 2012 01:44 PM
Ammeter Wiring
Because of the hefty size of the cables needed, I would suggest you consider a voltmeter instead. Much easier just to hook into one of the live wires behind the dash.
Posted: Jan 17, 2023 10:54 AM
ray
4 posts
Joined: 24/03/2005 19:23:22
Location: runcorn United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
ammeter
dont worry your not on your own, youd be suprised how many people make this mistake! anyway here we go an ammeter has to be in series with a live to your battery. voltmeters go in parrallel. i.e you need to find a permanent live wire preferably behind the dash, and cut it. then wire each end of this wire to the terminals on your ammeter, job done :-)
Posted: Mar 27, 2005 12:52 PM
lone stranger
56 posts
Joined: 01/10/2004 13:17:18
Location: Horsham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
dials
Im with pickme on this one: Ive got Voltmeter, Clock and Oil Pressure (left to right). Smiths, of course... :-)
Posted: Jun 26, 2005 11:02 PM
not running right
The first thing I would check is that the coil is wired up the right way round. It must be the condenser breaking down, rather than the points, causing this. If that's not the problem, put a voltmeter on the coil +ve terminal and see what valtage you've got there when the engine is running.
Posted: Jul 23, 2007 03:06 PM
Electrical Problems
If your voltmeter reading doesn't go up when the engine is running (compared with when it's switched off with the ignition on) and it goes down further when you switch on lights, wipers, etc., then it's a fairly safe bet your alternator isn't working.
Posted: Aug 04, 2008 01:03 PM
taffy1967
1783 posts
Joined: 27/09/2006 18:58:07
Location: Rhondda-Cynon-Taff United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Re:
Have you got a radio fitted and is it shoring out? Could the discarnect be to blame here? What state is the fuse box in as the rear contacts get very rusty with age? Check the circuits with a voltmeter to determine if there is a short circuit somewhere?
Posted: May 19, 2009 09:00 PM
ian cooper
2 posts
Joined: 18/10/2010 13:43:22
Location: blairgowrie United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Central round to oval binnacle/speedo conversion - 1981 City
Looking for advice on adding gauges to central speedo in my 1981 Mini City. Recently completed bodywork overhaul making this a 1981 Mini and losing any external signs of "City" finishings. Now moving onto interior mods starting with dash and hoping to create central oval binnacle with oil pressure and engine temp gauges.
Is this feasible/possible for completion at home by myself with basic mechanical knowledge? Im full of enthusiasm for the task and will be resourceful if i have a problem but don't want to start a job that could go beyond me.
Also considering further gauges ( tacho, ammeter voltmeter or even a clock! ) but if I keep open shelf dash that I presently have where and how do these additional gauges fix to?
Many thanks if anybody can advise.
Posted: Nov 04, 2010 10:48 PM
pickme
672 posts
Joined: 08/09/2004 23:10:14
Location: Chippenham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Fusing
Hmm. I glad youve got it running again, but concerned that its a 30amp fuse that blew. Fuse 8 is supposed to be 10amps, which suggests that there is a potential problem with a chaffed / pinched wire or water ingress somewhere. Now that you have been able to narrow it down to a single fuse, check the circuits that are attached to it using a voltmeter to check for shorts to ground and voltage spikes on crank. Check the connectors on those circuits are clean and dry. Any green in them is a sign of a previous water leak.
Posted: Jun 25, 2005 06:50 PM