Battery gauge question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 465
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Battery gauge question
1980 Vette.
New circuit board(green plastic)
All gauges/lights working properly.
Ammeter/battery gauge not moving at all
Dismantalled the gauge and with my electrical expert friend, we can't seem to get her to work.
He applies direct power and the gauges goes right to the top (18)
He checks the resistor and it reads in the 124's....
When we reinstall into bezel and plug it in, nothing
Is there any documentation available for the specific gauges ?
My friend can read the diagrams pretty good.
Any tips from any of you electrical gurus ????
My friend is questioning the resistor. Is 124 too high ?
He's thinking of building his own resistor for my gauge to work properly.
Input anyone ????
Phil
New circuit board(green plastic)
All gauges/lights working properly.
Ammeter/battery gauge not moving at all
Dismantalled the gauge and with my electrical expert friend, we can't seem to get her to work.
He applies direct power and the gauges goes right to the top (18)
He checks the resistor and it reads in the 124's....
When we reinstall into bezel and plug it in, nothing
Is there any documentation available for the specific gauges ?
My friend can read the diagrams pretty good.
Any tips from any of you electrical gurus ????
My friend is questioning the resistor. Is 124 too high ?
He's thinking of building his own resistor for my gauge to work properly.
Input anyone ????
Phil
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
All Corvettes made after 1962 used a ammeter and not a volt meter. The ammeter is actually a milliammeter that measures the flow of current in amperes. You really don’t want to hook up 12 volts to this gauge, generally it will cook it!
About the best way to test the gauge is to check for polarity between the poles. If you want to do a low volt quick check you can use two double A batteries and solder them in a series. Then solder a power wire from one side and a ground to the other side.
When done, you can touch this over the poles and the gauge should move one way, reverse this and the gauge should move the other. Aside from this there really is nothing else you can do to the gauge. If the gauge pass’s this test it is working and I would look for a wiring issue with the car.
Willcox
18243
About the best way to test the gauge is to check for polarity between the poles. If you want to do a low volt quick check you can use two double A batteries and solder them in a series. Then solder a power wire from one side and a ground to the other side.
When done, you can touch this over the poles and the gauge should move one way, reverse this and the gauge should move the other. Aside from this there really is nothing else you can do to the gauge. If the gauge pass’s this test it is working and I would look for a wiring issue with the car.
Willcox
18243
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Oct 4, 2009 at 03:00 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
[QUOTE=Aside from this there really is nothing else you can do to the gauge. If the gauge pass’s this test it is working and I would look for a wiring issue with the car.
Willcox[/QUOTE]
Thank you Sir !
My friend will read these answers once he's back from his cottage.
The circuit board is new. All lights and gauges are working properly except the ammeter.
HE did several test(s) with the gauge and another spare one. He is satisfied that both are working properly.
When the gauges are screwed back to the bezel and the harness is plugged in, all works except the ammeter.
Is it possible that the resister is defectuous ?
When testing the resister on the voltmeter, what reading should we get ?
What is a proper way to test the resister ?
What other wiring should we be looking for ? Alternator ?
My friend will be checking on your answers. Go ahead and don't be afraid to reply technical. I'm sure HE will understand !
I'm sure I won't
Thanks again Sir !
Phil
Willcox[/QUOTE]
Thank you Sir !
My friend will read these answers once he's back from his cottage.
The circuit board is new. All lights and gauges are working properly except the ammeter.
HE did several test(s) with the gauge and another spare one. He is satisfied that both are working properly.
When the gauges are screwed back to the bezel and the harness is plugged in, all works except the ammeter.
Is it possible that the resister is defectuous ?
When testing the resister on the voltmeter, what reading should we get ?
What is a proper way to test the resister ?
What other wiring should we be looking for ? Alternator ?
My friend will be checking on your answers. Go ahead and don't be afraid to reply technical. I'm sure HE will understand !
I'm sure I won't
Thanks again Sir !
Phil
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
If all the gauges and lights are working you should have 12 volts and a ground to the battery gauge-power and grounds for the battery gauge are shared with other gauges and lights.Do you have the resistor across the 12 oclock and 6 oclock studs ? On the 12 oclock stud there must be NO insulator between the nut and the resistor.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 465
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