Volt meter reading

[bo dawg 476]

Wanting to check thoughts on what the meter should be reading. 

1st pic is just engine running with nothing on. Showing discharge side. 

2nd pic is running with lights on. Showing charge side. 

Shouldnt it be other way around? The wire from battery is on the positive post and meg going to B post on ign. 

[ebinmaine 62,943]

I don't have the answer for you but I'm curious what it is so I'm going to follow along.

 

Just as a clarification Bo. That's not a voltmeter. It's an ammeter.

[bo dawg 476]

22 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I don't have the answer for you but I'm curious what it is so I'm going to follow along.

 

Just as a clarification Bo. That's not a voltmeter. It's an ammeter.

 

Correct. I just typed volt for some reason. Lol! 

I wonder if it’s bad cause it constantly flickers. Steams up inside the glass with some crud inside as well. 

[ebinmaine 62,943]

19 minutes ago, bo dawg said:

wonder if it’s bad cause

Bo if you think an ammeter is bad.... Take it out and trash it.

Please.

If it shorts it has some potential to cause a fire.

[pfrederi 17,116]

First off it is wired backwards if it is doing as you say or faulty  Switch the wire around see it if it fixes it.  Secondly a 60 amp ammeter is almost worthless as the biggest reading you get on a WH is 15 amps..hardly readable.  if you want an ammeter get a 20 amp one. Or replace it with a voltmeter.  Dead ammeter equals dead tractor dead volt meter is an inconvenience

Edited September 17, 2018 by pfrederi

[bo dawg 476]

1 hour ago, pfrederi said:

First off it is wired backwards if it is doing as you say or faulty  Switch the wire around see it if it fixes it.  Secondly a 60 amp ammeter is almost worthless as the biggest reading you get on a WH is 15 amps..hardly readable.  if you want an ammeter get a 20 amp one. Or replace it with a voltmeter.  Dead ammeter equals dead tractor dead volt meter is an inconvenience

It came with the tractor. Know where I can get a good one?

[pfrederi 17,116]

17 minutes ago, bo dawg said:

It came with the tractor. Know where I can get a good one?

All over Ebay or Amazon

[ebinmaine 62,943]

38 minutes ago, bo dawg said:

It came with the tractor. Know where I can get a good one?

Bo, as previously posted. I switch over to a voltmeter in everything. If you want to stay with an ammeter. I've got two I'll send you if you pay the freight.

 

My best advice however would be to switch to a voltmeter and get rid of the ammeter.

 

 

[Skipper 1,788]

 

A voltmeter will let you know how many volts your charging system makes, IE you can follow along and catch an overcharge situation before the battery goes boom, and you can see if it don't charge at all. When you get to know it, you can also get an idea of your batteries condition. It will kind of also let you know if you use more juice than you produce, as the voltage will dip as you put more and more load on the system.

 

The amp meter will more or less only let you see, if you are feeding the battery, or draining it. Useful on a boat, not so much on a garden tractor.................

 

This is the type I usually install. They work good, they fit, they are illuminated if you hook it up, and they are 5.58 $ incl. freight to your doorstep. I have installed about 15 of these, and had one that were about half a volt off. Otherwise, not a single problem yet.

 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2018 by Skipper

[bo dawg 476]

59 minutes ago, Skipper said:

 

A voltmeter will let you know how many volts your charging system makes, IE you can follow along and catch an overcharge situation before the battery goes boom, and you can see if it don't charge at all. When you get to know it, you can also get an idea of your batteries condition. It will kind of also let you know if you use more juice than you produce, as the voltage will dip as you put more and more load on the system.

 

The amp meter will more or less only let you see, if you are feeding the battery, or draining it. Useful on a boat, not so much on a garden tractor.................

 

This is the type I usually install. They work good, they fit, they are illuminated if you hook it up, and they are under 10$ incl. freight to your doorstep. I think I have installed 15 of these, and not had a single problem yet.

 

 

 

Where do you get them? Amazon?

[bo dawg 476]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Bo, as previously posted. I switch over to a voltmeter in everything. If you want to stay with an ammeter. I've got two I'll send you if you pay the freight.

 

My best advice however would be to switch to a voltmeter and get rid of the ammeter.

 

 

I will switch it out. 

[Skipper 1,788]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2-52mm-VOLTS-Car-Gauge-VOLT-Meter-Car-Voltage-Meters-8-16V-Black-Shell-12V-Automotive/32787112496.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dQxWUts

 

They have gone up a bit lately i see. Chinaman can't send as cheap any longer. About 7 buck now............

 

you can probably also find them amazon or ebay

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

On 9/17/2018 at 3:09 PM, bo dawg said:

It came with the tractor. Know where I can get a good one?

Hey Bo Dog I have an extra one off my 520 h if that will help you out? It a Stewart warmer 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,478]

Bo Dawg Do you know how to wire the voltmeter? It is different than the ammeter wiring and simple to do. If not just ask.

 

Garry

[bo dawg 476]

8 hours ago, gwest_ca said:

Bo Dawg Do you know how to wire the voltmeter? It is different than the ammeter wiring and simple to do. If not just ask.

 

Garry

Not sure. Should be the same as the 520 wouldn’t it?

[953 nut 51,483]

Easiest way to convert from an Amp Meter to a volt meter is to connect the two wires that feed the Amp Meter to each other and run a new wire from the "A" post of your ignition switch to the "+" terminal of the Volt Meter, the other side will go to ground.

[bo dawg 476]

On ‎9‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 1:13 PM, gwest_ca said:

Bo Dawg Do you know how to wire the voltmeter? It is different than the ammeter wiring and simple to do. If not just ask.

 

Garry

Gary, do you have a wiring diagram?

[bo dawg 476]

On 9/17/2018 at 6:32 PM, Skipper said:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2-52mm-VOLTS-Car-Gauge-VOLT-Meter-Car-Voltage-Meters-8-16V-Black-Shell-12V-Automotive/32787112496.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dQxWUts

 

They have gone up a bit lately i see. Chinaman can't send as cheap any longer. About 7 buck now............

 

you can probably also find them amazon or ebay

Here is what I got at Rual King for $16. I know cost more than the chinaman does but I wanted one with a chrome ring and black back ground. Didn’t like the black ring. Lol. Now have to see how to hook it up. 

[Skipper 1,788]

Hookup is easy. The two wires you have there is for light. The + pin goes to ignition switch +, and - pin goes to ground. 

Edited September 23, 2018 by Skipper

[bo dawg 476]

7 hours ago, Skipper said:

Hookup is easy. The two wires you have there is for light. The + pin goes to ignition switch +, and - pin goes to ground. 

Can I tie the ground in with the Hour Meter ground?

 

Also the little red/wht light wires. Red is hot and white is ground also correct? Pick up the hot from light switch I assume?

[ebinmaine 62,943]

38 minutes ago, bo dawg said:

Can I tie the ground in with the Hour Meter ground?

 

Also the little red/wht light wires. Red is hot and white is ground also correct? Pick up the hot from light switch I assume?

Bo, you absolutely CAN tie that end with the hour meter ground but be careful about combining grounds because it gives you one place for two things to fail if it corrodes.

Just be sure to remove the ground of the hour meter completely and brush or sand off the terminals and bolts and contact points before you put it back together.

 

As to where to connect the light bulb. I've put two of these voltmeters in tractors I've built and I tied the light bulb to the same place I tied the voltmeter itself. That way when you turn the ignition key to the on position, and also to the start position, the voltmeter and the light are both always available.

 

 

[bo dawg 476]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Bo, you absolutely CAN tie that end with the hour meter ground but be careful about combining grounds because it gives you one place for two things to fail if it corrodes.

Just be sure to remove the ground of the hour meter completely and brush or sand off the terminals and bolts and contact points before you put it back together.

 

As to where to connect the light bulb. I've put two of these voltmeters in tractors I've built and I tied the light bulb to the same place I tied the voltmeter itself. That way when you turn the ignition key to the on position, and also to the start position, the voltmeter and the light are both always available.

 

 

 

The hr meter I just bought is NOS. Been on a shelf in a barn for ever. Lol. It’s super new clean. 

So the hot wire from Battery to amp meter should just go straight to B post on ign. So which post on ign gos to Volt meter? I post?

 

The wire from I post gos to PTO switch. So come off PTO post to volt?

[ebinmaine 62,943]

I don't have a PTO on either one of the tractors that I've wired. So I don't have a PTO safety switch obviously. It sounds like you have all your ducks in a row though.

[bo dawg 476]

I think I’ve figured it out. I can’t see using A post of ign to hook up volt meter. And don’t want to come off PTO switch. So since the oil temp gauge hot wire comes from “I” post of ign, I should be able to jump off the oil post to volt post. Correct?

[ebinmaine 62,943]

I wouldn't have used the accessory or lamps position because those are not on all the time anyways. I would want something that would give an indication of the voltage both while you are trying to start the tractor and while it is in the regular run position.

 

I would assume that the oil gauge feed from the ignition I post would be for the lamp in that gauge? If that is the case, you should be good to go.