Ammeter to Voltmeter

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   Has anyone converted from an ammeter to a voltmeter on a late '70's Nautique?

There is a 10 ga red wire from the gauge to the starter relay, and a 10 ga orange from the battery side of the alternator to another terminal on the amp gauge.  The orange wire jumpers at the gauge to provide power to the fuses.  

It appears as though the alternator is charging the battery through the ammeter.  If this is true, it would seem that the red wire from the ammeter to the starter relay should be eliminated and a new lead from the alternator to the starter relay should be installed.  The voltmeter would then be connected to any available hot and ground.

OR, am I off track???

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yellowdog Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: December-21-2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 135	Post Options Post Reply Quote yellowdog Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Ammeter to Voltmeter Posted: April-25-2004 at 3:29am
	Has anyone converted from an ammeter to a voltmeter on a late '70's Nautique? There is a 10 ga red wire from the gauge to the starter relay, and a 10 ga orange from the battery side of the alternator to another terminal on the amp gauge. The orange wire jumpers at the gauge to provide power to the fuses. It appears as though the alternator is charging the battery through the ammeter. If this is true, it would seem that the red wire from the ammeter to the starter relay should be eliminated and a new lead from the alternator to the starter relay should be installed. The voltmeter would then be connected to any available hot and ground. OR, am I off track???
	Caretaker of the wife's '78 Ski Nautique

tryan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: November-12-2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 345	Post Options Post Reply Quote tryan Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April-25-2004 at 4:32pm
	that sound like the right track. you can just nut the old ampmeter wires at the dash if you don't want to hack into the harness and keep it pretty. if you want to try and replicate the terminals, get a couple runs on shrink wrap that will slip inside each other for the particular size you are working with ( 10 ga) . slip on both pieces of shrink wrap. tin the wire, crip on and solder a stainless connector/ring terminal.( it's hard to get it to stick to stainless terminals, but rosin core flux works) heat the inner shrink wrap over the connection, but when you do the outer section, cut it a little long and fold the wire end in. it's hard to visualize, but think of tucking a turtle neck in the wrong way.
	promo #2

weekender Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest	Post Options Post Reply Quote weekender Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May-23-2004 at 12:50pm
	I'm hoping you guys can help me. I own an '83 Nautique and I'm having battery charging problems. Although I'm mechanically inclined, I haven't worked with charging systems. As such, with the first occurrence of problems, I replaced the battery and alternator. I've been told that the system charges through the ammeter and that I could possibly have ammeter problems. I've noticed in the past that the ammeter gauge is erratic -- sometimes it indicates a charge, sometimes not. What's the best way to narrow down the problem? Thanks in advance.

crs Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest	Post Options Post Reply Quote crs Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May-23-2004 at 8:22pm
	Yellow Dog, Take a look at the PCM manual in the reference section of this site. It has an electrical diagram that is very similar, if not the same, as the wiring in my '77 Martinique with 351W Escort GT. The manual indicate that you can run a jumper from the orange alternator output directly to the battery cable post on the starter relay. The dash and gauge wiring diagrams from the early 80's in the reference section seem pretty typical as well. This diagram shows the volt meter connecting to the purple ignitions system wire. Just be glad our boats are as old and simple as they are. Can you imagine trying to work on a new boat with a digital dash, perfect pass, and electronic fuel injection? Where does the wire from the stator post on your alternator run to? I can't seem to figure mine out.

yellowdog Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: December-21-2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 135	Post Options Post Reply Quote yellowdog Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May-24-2004 at 11:55am
	Weekender, Yes, these boats charged the battery through the ammeter. From what you describe, the ammeter is your problem. Have you tried to get voltage readings across the ammeter when it is acting up?
	Caretaker of the wife's '78 Ski Nautique

yellowdog Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: December-21-2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 135	Post Options Post Reply Quote yellowdog Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May-24-2004 at 12:09pm
	crs, The voltmeter is (was) easy, just grab leads from the ignition (purple), lights (blue) and ground (black) and you are done. By-passing to old ammeter was a different story. Tried to do the necessary re-wiring under the dash, must have done something wrong as I kept popping the main breaker. Next step is to do it as I should have and run a wire from the alternator to the starter relay. Haven't been able to get to it as work keeps getting in the way. Thank goodness the weather has not been real nice or I'd be in serious trouble with the woman that lets me live with her. As for the alternator, it has two posts, a ground side and a 'hot' side. The #10 oragnge wire runs through the harnes to the ammeter.
	Caretaker of the wife's '78 Ski Nautique

Ammeter to Voltmeter

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