Amp gauge shunt
To add or confirm what others have said:
Regardless of what bulkhead type terminals are claimed to be rated at, I've replaced many in electric furnaces that failed at nominal 20A. They simply do not hold up
The ammeter can and WILL melt. The photo from the MAD article says it all. Seen a few of those look exactly that way. It's cause partly by the mounting scheme, meaning the nuts clamp the whole sandwich together IN PLASTIC
The bulkhead connector failed AND the ammeter started to melt way back when on my 70RR. Drilled out the bulkhead terminals and ran "big" wire through there, and rebuilt the ammeter. I caught it in time to repair it Don't remember I was likely "warned" by the smell of hot plastic. I may have reaced under there and "felt the heat."
If you insist on beefing the ammeter for larger full current don't get concerned with "accuracy" You need to know "if it changes" and that "zero" is fairly accurate. You really don't care if it's reading 30, 50, or 100A (My beat up old FJ40 had a large frame Mopar alternator for awhile, the SW gauge was 100A and it would BURY that needle after winching operation)
I still think if you insist on an ammeter (I like them but do without) you should look into building a replacement external shunt meter and do away with the "full current" one. You can do just like Ford/ GM/ Mopar did with external shunt...........use the harness itself for the shunt.
To add or confirm what others have said:
Regardless of what bulkhead type terminals are claimed to be rated at, I've replaced many in electric furnaces that failed at nominal 20A. They simply do not hold up
The ammeter can and WILL melt. The photo from the MAD article says it all. Seen a few of those look exactly that way. It's cause partly by the mounting scheme, meaning the nuts clamp the whole sandwich together IN PLASTIC
The bulkhead connector failed AND the ammeter started to melt way back when on my 70RR. Drilled out the bulkhead terminals and ran "big" wire through there, and rebuilt the ammeter. I caught it in time to repair it Don't remember I was likely "warned" by the smell of hot plastic. I may have reaced under there and "felt the heat."
If you insist on beefing the ammeter for larger full current don't get concerned with "accuracy" You need to know "if it changes" and that "zero" is fairly accurate. You really don't care if it's reading 30, 50, or 100A (My beat up old FJ40 had a large frame Mopar alternator for awhile, the SW gauge was 100A and it would BURY that needle after winching operation)
I still think if you insist on an ammeter (I like them but do without) you should look into building a replacement external shunt meter and do away with the "full current" one. You can do just like Ford/ GM/ Mopar did with external shunt...........use the harness itself for the shunt.
