Ammeter

a volt meter is more useful i find, you at least now when the battery is flat!

Hello Grendle,

I have been giving your question some thought. Not being a professional sparky, my knowledge is less than rudementry. Despite what I say, I strongly advise seeking a professionals help in this.

Any how, to tell you where I am coming from. After, studying the electrical diagram for your car, initially, I thought I saw several ways to connect your ammeter. But then, I thought of what actually, the ammeter does.

My answer shot me in the foot. Considering the ammeter is to sense the current flowing through your electrical system, the gauge of wiring employed in your circuit, I had to dismiss my original thinking.

Your car, being a Diesel, could be producing between 80 Ah to 110 Ah.
Your ammeter will be subjected to at least that much current at its peak out put. The only two places I can see to connect in the ammeter is inbetween the Alternator and Solonoid, or in between the Solonoid and Ignition Switch.

The gauge of wire employed here, are the only places to support the currents you will be sensing. Wheather, to take your connection behind the alternator or solonoid in this case, is indifferent since both units are at the same levels in terms of Fording.

Your concern is a little unfounded, if proper and good connections are made using heat shrinking sleeves at he connector terminals, or properly insulate the connection terminals. Use crimped inline connectors at the engine side of things, which ever unit you choose by my suggestion. At the other end, the ammeter side of things which will routed into the cab you probably will be using eye connectors properly crimped on.

Remember that that the ammeter needs to be connected IN SERIES of the electrical circuit and not IN PARRALLEL! What I do not know, connecting at the alternator, will the ammeter be sensing current, slowly draining battery power? This shifts my argument for the ignition switch circuit. You should have some instructions with your ammeter. Well there you go. I did say you do need to speak t a professional, I strongly advice it. In the mean time if I learn different I will advise.

Regards,

Hi I saw one fitted to a G' recently..it was mounted in the hole that the rev counter sits in.on early models there is a plastic blank fitted instead...it appeared to been fed by an additional feed from the alternator to a shunt mounted on the bulkhead next to the clutch oil reservoir and a thinish wire ran in a loop to the dash through the hole where the main loom goes through the bulkhead... it seemed to read okay when you revved the engine and did not deflect to minus on start up...the indicator was centre zero and had CAV on the face....don't know if this helps or confuses !!! rgds

Hi Two Dogs ....Exactly... only the one I saw had a white face and a radius of 40 amps either way rgds

Roly's spot on. Also, early Land Rovers with ammeters excluded the horn from the ammeter series circuit. I don't know how much current a horn draws, but they must have had a reason for excluding it. And there was no such thing as a heated rear window in those days!

Check out gauges on ebay. There are stacks of different types. Also try US ebay lots of bits there too.