| RAK402 | -- 05-04-2021 @ 6:06 PM |
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From the time I got my 1940 Ford in the Spring of 1975, my father (and electrical/aerospace engineer) always lamented the fact that it had a volt meter instead of an ammeter (he had a 37 and a 41 Ford when they were new, and both had ammeters). He thought you could tell more about the battery and charging system from an ammeter (and I think he was correct). He always wanted to install one, but I wouldn't hear of it as it was not stock. After a few decades of questionably rebuilt generators and voltage regulators, I relented. He was still very much dedicated to installing the ammeter, but was starting to get sick by this time and was not able to do it. I did not have the expertise to figure out how to do it myself. Fast forward to 2021-I am getting the car in good shape mechanically and fixing things I never could when I was younger. I studied the 1940 Ford Deluxe and 1938 Ford wiring diagrams in the Ford Service Bulletins and (with a bit of help and another wiring diagram from Mart of Mart's Garage) got it done. I did not want to replace the stock voltmeter (although I did replace the original-faulty-voltmeter with an NOS one), so I hid a very inexpensive 1938 Ford ammeter in the glove box. I can now monitor the battery voltage and the state of charge. The ignition switch is not on in the video, but you can see the ammeter move when the headlights are turned on. The ammeter does read properly when the car is running (the E.J. Whitney Alternator will charge at lower RPM than the generator ever did). https://youtu.be/0aV4c-E0ymw This message was edited by RAK402 on 5-4-21 @ 6:11 PM
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| TomO | -- 05-05-2021 @ 9:31 AM |
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The ammeter will only tell you the amount of current that is being used at a particular time. That is the generator out put in current minus the light, radio and heater current id they are being used. The battery gauge will tell you the voltage level of the battery and charging system. If you have a weak battery, the ammeter will still show the current being used, but the battery gauge will show a lower voltage than normal. I prefer the battery gauge and have a voltmeter installed in the power port in my 12 Volt cars. I haven't founsd a good 6 volt one or I woul have one in my Lincoln. Tom
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| 40 Coupe | -- 05-06-2021 @ 5:06 AM |
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I prefer the original Ford voltmeter over an ammeter! It's your car enjoy it the way you wish. I do not believe adding an ammeter makes anything better It could make things much worse if not installed properly.
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