tfuith

just purchased a 1962 corvette fuelie and noticed when it arrived it was not charging . the gauge was in the discharge (-) range with the motor running. it has 1 wire alt. designed to look like a gererator. i replaced the alt with a new unit but still no change. what am i missing. i am lost when it comes to electrical problems.

Pilot Dan

First place to start is to hook up a volt meter to the battery with the engine running and see what you get. You should be reading over 14V that will confirm what's going on before doing anything else. You may have a bad gage or something was not wired correctly when the look a like was originally installed. Pilot Dan

jim lockwood

I agree with Dan's advice and his hunch that the wiring of the 1-wire thingy may be such that the Ammeter does not work. If you measure ~14 Volts across the battery with the engine running, the alternator is working.

Jim

tfuith

thanks gentleman it registers over 14 volts. the gauge is still there showing discharge. the car came equipped with a puller aux fan with an on and off switch, when the mtr is running and i switch the fan on, the gauge goes to max discharge, turn it off, and it comes back to 1/2 discharge. i just dont want to worry about not getting home. why would you need an aux fan in the fisrt place

jim lockwood

The person who did the conversion to an alternator inadvertently wired the Ammeter to register all current flow, regardless of source (battery or alternator) instead of registering current flow into or out of the battery.

The 14 Volts you are seeing at the battery indicates the alternator is working.

tfuith

how can i make the ammeter work is it hard to do ?

Frankie the Fink

OR they wired the ammeter up backwards if it shows a constant discharge - easy to do as the early GM schematics had the wires reversed on the wiring diagram. Here is a simple test -- with the engine off turn on the headlights to high beam. If the gauge deflects negatively it is wired correctly; if it shows a charge it is wired up backwards!

The ammeter is relatively easy to get to. Disconnect the battery and laying on your back (removing the driver's seat helps) there are two hex headed nuts holding the wires onto the guage in a C1. Not hard at all. Whatever changes you make ensure the wires are SECURELY in place before reconnecting the battery.

It is also a wise move to install a 30 amp ATC-style blade fuse in the wire from the battery to the ammeter to protect the wiring. These cars were lightly fuse (and that's being kind) and many have been lost to electrical fires

Read more here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...se-points.html

If you aren't comfortable adding these fuses find a buddy who is and "get 'er done" - its important !!

tfuith

thanks i did as instructed and lights on it showed a discharge, turn sig on shows a discharge UOTE=Frankie the Fink;1592928699]OR they wired the ammeter up backwards if it shows a constant discharge - easy to do as the early GM schematics had the wires reversed on the wiring diagram. Here is a simple test -- with the engine off turn on the headlights to high beam. If the gauge deflects negatively it is wired correctly; if it shows a charge it is wired up backwards!

The ammeter is relatively easy to get to. Disconnect the battery and laying on your back (removing the driver's seat helps) there are two hex headed nuts holding the wires onto the guage in a C1. Not hard at all. Whatever changes you make ensure the wires are SECURELY in place before reconnecting the battery.

It is also a wise move to install a 30 amp ATC-style blade fuse in the wire from the battery to the ammeter to protect the wiring. These cars were lightly fuse (and that's being kind) and many have been lost to electrical fires

Read more here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...se-points.html

If you aren't comfortable adding these fuses find a buddy who is and "get 'er done" - its important !![/QUOTE]

Frankie the Fink

Your ammeter wires are not reversed, in which case reread Jim Lockwood's advice from above... The auxiliary fan is a piece of paranoia installed by somebody who does not understand how to service and maintain a C1 cooling system. Prob a band aid for something that should have been addressed with stock components.

Frankie the Fink

One side of the ammeter should have two double-wire bundles connected to it that provide current to all of the dash and its components. The OTHER wire is what you want to trace down.... Play blood hound and find out where it goes to as it exits the firewall...

tfuith

i will check out the wires and there destination. i agree that the electric fan is a bandage to mask the real problem. i hope i find the real problem
where should the wire go thanks FTF

Frankie the Fink

The black wire on the driver's side stud of the ammeter should go to the "B" (battery) terminal on the starter solenoid.