How to Connect Dwell Tach Meter
 

My meter has 3 hookups. A red and black clips and a white clip.

Black to ground, red to negative coil and...........?

Red to battery positive, black to ground and white to negative side of the coil.

Just a simple question and not trying to be a smart a$$. Why the white wire at all??? My tach/dwell meter only has the black and red leads. Works just fine and has for over 30 years. What is the white wire for?

Every one that I have ever used has power leads and a signal. How else is it to read the RPM or the dwell.

Mine has just 2 wires and will read the dwell and tach

There are both two wire and three wire tach/dwell meters. I'm not sure but I think the two wire meters are later design circuitry and pick up their power off the ignition side of the coil.

Exactly! :smash:

:iagree: I have two of them just like yours. Both are over 30 years old and still work perfectly. Never seen a 3 wire one. That would have me confused as well. I'd probably have to break out the instructions.:ack:

Jim

It's good to have more than one dwell meter since sometimes they are inaccurate. I got my last one a Sun at a garage sale for $5....

OK, so I haven't bought one in over 40 years. Haven't paid any attention to the new ones.

I bought mine 45 years ago, and it has two wires - one to ground, the other to the coil (-); they don't make them like this any more - chrome die-cast housing, and glass lens on the meter. :thumbs:

Some analog meters back then were multi-function, tach, dwell, volts and ohms. So you needed the extra lead to read battery volts or resistance.
Joe

Yep, Thats the kind I have. You can check voltage and check point resistance.

Well, I've learned something here. I have two meters. Both have two leads coming out of the handle. One of them is a tach/dwell meter and it works fine. The other is a "Milton 1212" brand meter and you can check point resistance and voltage. That is, if the meter would work and it doesn't.

Looking a little closer, it looks like there is a hole in the handle for another lead to come out and it's missing!

Never thought about this until now.

:ack:

Thanks all:thumbs:

Wombvette- thank you