Not a boat electrical expert, but trying to get my AC (shore power) sytem up to snuff. I have two 30 amp shore power recepticles on my cruiser. Inside, on the control panel each shore power 1 and 2 has its own voltmeter and 0-50 amp ammeter. However, when i bought the boat the ammeter for shore power #2 was missing.
#1 seems fine - shows voltage (about 120v usually) and amps drawn when I have a load. Fine. However, #2 with the ammeter missing does not register volts and does not seem to produce any power.
So i bought an ammeter to install in the open space. I got a 0-50 AC meter similar to the existing one (1988 boat) in appearance. However, when I look at how to install it, it is totally different and I am not sure how it will close the circuit. Basically, the existing opening has three leads sitting there to be attached to the meter. #1 has those 3 wires attached. However, my new ammeter says to run the pos. feed through a "donut' shaped sensor that came with it and to connect the donut to the meter with two lead wires. This new meter does have three wires also, but as I read it they are for backlight or something? Also, the three leads seem to be fairly high gauge wire for up to a 30 amp reading.
Can someone explain this to me? Can I somehow attach the existing leads in the panel (they are there from the previous ammeter) to get the system working? What sort of meter would I use?
#1 seems fine - shows voltage (about 120v usually) and amps drawn when I have a load. Fine. However, #2 with the ammeter missing does not register volts and does not seem to produce any power.
So i bought an ammeter to install in the open space. I got a 0-50 AC meter similar to the existing one (1988 boat) in appearance. However, when I look at how to install it, it is totally different and I am not sure how it will close the circuit. Basically, the existing opening has three leads sitting there to be attached to the meter. #1 has those 3 wires attached. However, my new ammeter says to run the pos. feed through a "donut' shaped sensor that came with it and to connect the donut to the meter with two lead wires. This new meter does have three wires also, but as I read it they are for backlight or something? Also, the three leads seem to be fairly high gauge wire for up to a 30 amp reading.
Can someone explain this to me? Can I somehow attach the existing leads in the panel (they are there from the previous ammeter) to get the system working? What sort of meter would I use?