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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: mod381]
#1081591
09/24/11 06:17 PM
09/24/11 06:17 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
Strawdawg
member
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member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
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I used an 8 ga, but, it is the only logical way to do it, imo.
Steve
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: mod381]
#1081592
09/24/11 06:19 PM
09/24/11 06:19 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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Haven't done it as I like my (functioning) ammeter and I feel that Nacho's 2 wire bulkhead parallel bypass takes care of that prob area along with cleaning EVERY terminal/connection and striving to keep the ammeter needle close to 12 o'clock. I might relay the headlights and the heater from the ALT side which lets them be fed from the nearby source which keeps the ammeter honest & keeps (excess) currect out of the passenger side of the dash. If I did it I'd use an 8 gauge with a 12 gauge FL, alt to starter relay.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1081593
09/24/11 08:22 PM
09/24/11 08:22 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822
Colorado
denfireguy
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822
Colorado
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Quote:
Haven't done it as I like my (functioning) ammeter and I feel that Nacho's 2 wire bulkhead parallel bypass takes care of that prob area along with cleaning EVERY terminal/connection and striving to keep the ammeter needle close to 12 o'clock. I might relay the headlights and the heater from the ALT side which lets them be fed from the nearby source which keeps the ammeter honest & keeps (excess) currect out of the passenger side of the dash. If I did it I'd use an 8 gauge with a 12 gauge FL, alt to starter relay.
 Me too. A voltmeter will only tell you your battery is dead, not why or before.
Craig
2014 Ram 1500 Laramie, 73 Cuda
Previous mopars: 62 Valiant, 65 Fury III, 68 Fury III, 72 Satellite, 74 Satellite, 89 Acclaim, 98 Caravan, 2003 Durango
Only previous Non-Mopar: Schwinn Tornado
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: denfireguy]
#1081594
09/24/11 08:50 PM
09/24/11 08:50 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
Strawdawg
member
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member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
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sure it will...tells you how many volts the alternator is putting out, and how much the battery has when the engine is off. It will also tell you how much voltage drop you have if you compare it to the voltage measured at the back of the alternator and/or battery.
If you look at it, you will know of impending problems before you are stuck on the side of the road.
Steve
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: mod381]
#1081595
09/24/11 09:31 PM
09/24/11 09:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,444
Indiana
YO7_A66
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,444
Indiana
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""2 wire bulkhead parallel bypass""
I made this upgrade and I also run a voltmeter for my battery and a voltmeter for my coil voltage.
Note: I bypased the ammeter for about two years. I ran a #8 wire from the alt to the relay and had no problems except not having the ammeter.
1970 YO7 A66 [Canadian Export] F8 Challenger
340 (Currently in shop for stroker assy.)
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: YO7_A66]
#1081596
09/24/11 09:39 PM
09/24/11 09:39 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
Strawdawg
member
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member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
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I did it a bit differently, as I ran a wire directly to the starter solenoid and another from the solenoid back thru a grommet into the car... I then used a relay to supply voltage to the coil triggered by the original two wires...I am using an HEI module so I don't need the ballast resistor. This works very well and insures I am getting full voltage to the coil without any undue drop. The weakness, however, is that the voltage sensing side of the regulator is getting voltage thru the original wire and there is a pretty good drop thru the bulkhead. I will clean the connector and if that does not improve the situation, I will be adding a second grommet. Guess I should have thought ahead. 
Steve
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1081600
09/24/11 10:37 PM
09/24/11 10:37 PM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 327
wisconsin
mod381
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 327
wisconsin
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Quote:
Quote:
and my ammeter has been acting strange so i am thinking of doing it.
More info; lets figure out what's going on (& fix) that then you may or may not want to bypass it but the bypass will not fix the acting strange issue & it could get worse or cause a meltdown 
I should clarify a bit before i get beat up on. What i mean by acting strange is it always stays pretty center and does not fluctuate much if at all. Maybe thats normal because i do not have much for acc to run so there is minimal draw? From what it said on allpar was this was a good preventative thing to do. Maybe i am just over thinking it because of the melt downs i have heard of lately.
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: mod381]
#1081601
09/24/11 10:56 PM
09/24/11 10:56 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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Certainly no beating up from me just that I am a k.i.s.s. guy. With it at 12 o'clock most of the time you're actually in good shape but I'm not sure on this but I think some of the later shunt ammeters dont move much so you actually may have a fair amount of flow. On my 65 dart I get a ~15-20 deg swing each way on occaision & have not did Nacho's 2 wire bypass yet & zero probs. I would check charging voltage at the alt at a fast idle with lights/heater on & that's your baseline then check drops everywhere else especially the batt posts and the VR sense (blue) wire at the triangle connector. Cleaning the bulkhead terminals solves alot of probs  . I agree the bypass is simple & does keep alot of current away from the bulkhead if you're OK with losing the ammeter
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: Strawdawg]
#1081604
09/25/11 05:32 AM
09/25/11 05:32 AM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,757
Phila
PhillyRag
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,757
Phila
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Quote:
sure it will...tells you how many volts the alternator is putting out, and how much the battery has when the engine is off. It will also tell you how much voltage drop you have if you compare it to the voltage measured at the back of the alternator and/or battery.
If you look at it, you will know of impending problems before you are stuck on the side of the road.
What it won't indicate is the amperage output of the alt. Let's not forget it has to produce xx amps @ xx volts to CHARGE a battery.
Wherever possible use both type gauges.
Who's wants to guess what happens if only a single diode is burned open in alt.? Which type gauge will indicate that?
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: PhillyRag]
#1081605
09/25/11 10:27 AM
09/25/11 10:27 AM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
Strawdawg
member
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member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 183
Eden, Texas
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If it shows the normal voltage, then it is feeding enuf amps to charge the battery as that is the first sign of an alternator that cannot maintain the load--drop in voltage. Ohms law keeps them tied together.
If the battery is getting ready to fail with a bad cell, then, the voltage will drop sharply when the starter is engaged where it will not if the battery is healthy. When the engine is running, the voltage will appear normal so one has to watch while cranking.
Neither will show a bad diode necessarily, but, putting your VOM on AC volts and connecting it to ground and the battery stud on the back of the alternator will tell the story there-engine running of course. (should be less than 0.5vac)
As you say, however, there is a place and time for both, but, the factory ammeter is crude and pretty much meaningless when trying to determine degree other than in a binary sense and is pretty much impossible. Unfortunately most factory gauges are usually pretty crude.
An accurate meter that can measure current draw from various circuits is very useful in determining the adequacy of the alternator size and if a starter, etc. is pulling too much current.
Last edited by Strawdawg; 09/25/11 11:21 AM.
Steve
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Re: adding wire to alt?
[Re: Strawdawg]
#1081606
09/25/11 05:15 PM
09/25/11 05:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,344
Central TX
roe
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,344
Central TX
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I did mine with an 8 guage wire IIRC. But I connected mine to th +Battery post instead of the starter relay. Can I hurt anything from having it hooked up this way? I haven't had any problems so far, its been great. Seems to have helped out a lot with my headlights, they dont dim at idle anymore. Also, I have an aftermarket stereo system (dash unit, with amp and subwoofers) that I didn't want pulling power thru the ammeter, or pulling from a battery that wasn't being recharged fast enough. All seems well to me.
1971 Plymouth Satellite
408/904 8 3/4 3.23 SG
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