ChattanoogaJSB

Hi all,

My car has factory power windows that work any time, key not required...and they work lightning fast! Today I added a new solid state voltage regulator and rewired the black/blue wires to my alternator as it had been hacked on before and there was not continuity in the old nasty frayed blue wire at the Alternator. As I was looking at the wiring diagram provided me by Don, I noticed I have a total of 5 red hot wires coming off the horn relay instead of 4 he indicates on his non-power window diagram.

Without tearing further into the car, can anyone satisfy my curiosity and tell me if my last red wire is to the power windows? I know I have in no particular order: Alt red wire to horn relay (HR), red wire to VR from HR, red wire to starter, and red wire that feeds the junction block and then the under dash widely. That makes four.

My harness looks mostly uncut.

Any advice appreciatiated!

On another topic, I have probably been running "on the battery" for some time. I just installed a working Ammeter exactly as all this low voltage mess started (draws down when headlight rollover applied and returns to zero after). My new VR and wiring shows 12.3 volts idling at 600 rpm and quickly runs up to 13.8 and stays there no matter how much more rpm is applied over about 900. I know 13.8 is a "good" number, but my ammeter (which remember I've never had before to compare) barely moves over to the right of the "0" and I assume this is simply a reflection of the fact that I haven't had to crank the car but a second and the VR is told the battery needs almost no amperage. Right? I do realize my idle battery should read 12.6 volts sitting after a drive, but I haven't had time to do this. My trickle charger put it at roughly 12.3 and stopped. Newer Interstate battery. Any advice on whether my gauge should routinely run far right of the "0" is also appreciated (a long post to ask this simple question, forgive me).

-B

65GGvert

It is actually a voltmeter measuring the drop across a shunt wire and reflects a difference in voltage between the starter solenoid and the horn relay. You will seldom see a large positive deflection on the ammeter. If the battery is very weak when you start it, you may see a deflection for a short time after it starts. It stays very close to zero most of the time.

65GGvert

I'm not sure about your 5 red wire question. Ordinarily there will be 4 red wires and one b/w wire to that connection that goes to the ammeter gauge in the dash. If you have a/c there would be another red wire attached there.
The 65 wiring diagram without a/c (you didn't say the year in your question) shows a red wire going to:
alternator
regulator
starter solenoid
through firewall connector to fuse panel

b/w wire going through connector to gauge

all from the same connection on horn relay

ChattanoogaJSB

I'm sorry, I should have said it's a (gasp from the gallery) '64. It's got a brown and a black/pink the brown feeding the horn and the black/pink feeding the Ammeter, (both about 16 gauge) but it was the extra red that caught my attention. I appreciate your comments about the ammeter rarely moving far over from center to the right!

I may strip the rest of the harness to the starter, for fun. On the whole everything at least works properly!