Negative Amps

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Apr 3, 2011 | 05:08 PM

Tinat

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 343

Likes: 0

From: Hartford Kentucky

Negative Amps

Happy spring everyone. Yep, it's time for us folks to come out of hybernation and look at the car again. It's been a long winter.
Okay, just a quick reminder, we are working on a 1960 fuelie and have completely restored everything on the car.
The problem now is the amp meter is reading negative. We have checked the wiring (it is all new) and we have it hooked up "thanks to the beautiful colored pictures JohnZ sent" completely correct. What are we doing wrong.
Another problem......the horn relay doesn't work. Are these two related.
Under the dash, on the amp guage, we have 2 red wires and a condenser on the left and a black ground on the right.
Any help appreciated

Apr 3, 2011 | 05:37 PM

1snake

Le Mans Master

Joined: Dec 2007

Posts: 8,000

Likes: 659

From: Puget Sound

With the engine off, which way does the needle move when you turn the lights on? That will tell you if it's wired correctly.

Jim

Apr 3, 2011 | 05:54 PM

66jack

Team Owner

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 37,671

Likes: 1,114

From: CA

Somebody, "who i cannot remember", mentioned on a different post, that the wires/plugged into the ammeter are on the wrong tangs.

per their wiring diagram....

jack

Apr 3, 2011 | 06:43 PM

MikeM

Team Owner

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 26,118

Likes: 1,874

From: Greenville, Indiana

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinat

Another problem......the horn relay doesn't work. Are these two related.

Very likely! Check your connections.

Apr 4, 2011 | 08:49 AM

mashinter

Drifting

Joined: Oct 2008

Posts: 1,936

Likes: 92

From: Rochester Hills Michigan

Be careful...the black wire is the primary 12 ga. 12V feed from the battery. It should be on the ammeter terminal away from the oil gauge.

Apr 4, 2011 | 02:08 PM

mashinter

Drifting

Joined: Oct 2008

Posts: 1,936

Likes: 92

From: Rochester Hills Michigan

There are 4 red wires (2 wires in each of 2 lugs) coming off the back of my '59 ammeter:
A 12 ga. runs to the voltage regulator.
A 14 ga. runs to the ignition switch.
A 16 ga. runs to the lighter.
A 12 ga. feeds the horn relay, light switch and clock. If your clock and lights work, there may be a problem where the wires are spliced together.

Apr 4, 2011 | 02:17 PM

JohnZ

Team Owner

Joined: Oct 2000

Posts: 38,897

Likes: 1,926

From: Washington Michigan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinat

Under the dash, on the amp guage, we have 2 red wires and a condenser on the left and a black ground on the right.
Any help appreciated

The black wire (main feed from the starter solenoid battery cable stud) should be on the ammeter terminal closest to the driver's door, and the red wires should be on the terminal closest to the passenger door (the factory '58-'62 wiring diagrams are reversed).

Apr 4, 2011 | 03:45 PM

jafranke

Racer

Joined: Dec 1999

Posts: 380

Likes: 1

From: Harveys Lake Pa

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66jack

Somebody, "who i cannot remember", mentioned on a different post, that the wires/plugged into the ammeter are on the wrong tangs.

per their wiring diagram....

jack

Yep....the drawing is wrong....they were wrong on the original in the AIM and everyone who does a re-print replicates the mistake. It seems to come up every now and then on the forum. I consider it a sign of someone that actually restored their own car when they ask the question...

Jon

Last edited by jafranke; Apr 4, 2011 at 08:33 PM.