volt meter problem

[Rich Novak]

1972 slickcraft 225 sterndrive

adding a volt meter to my gauges
Ig wire to positive terminal.
neg terminal to ground

problem is when I turn the key on the light comes on and the base of the gauge is hot

when I turn the light switch on the light goes out.

when the key is on the gauge is pegged

what is wrong ???

thanks RICH

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: volt meter problem

There's normally 2 terminals and 2 wires the wires are for the light the terminals are for the gauge reading. Also there are 2 bushings that go on the terminals to stop the bracket from shorting the terminals out. Lg wire doesn't mean its the positive wire. The gauge should be daisy chained from another gauge so you can just add wires from the fuel gauge + to the volt meter+ and then neg to neg and it should work (p.s it is a volt meter not a amp gauge)

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: volt meter problem

Should be some thing like this

 

[Rich Novak]

Re: volt meter problem

There's normally 2 terminals and 2 wires the wires are for the light the terminals are for the gauge reading. Also there are 2 bushings that go on the terminals to stop the bracket from shorting the terminals out. Lg wire doesn't mean its the positive wire. The gauge should be daisy chained from another gauge so you can just add wires from the fuel gauge + to the volt meter+ and then neg to neg and it should work (p.s it is a volt meter not a amp gauge)

My gauge has 3 terminals, 1 is marked + with no bushing the other one across from the + is marked - it has the bushing, there is a 3rd terminal at the bottom of the gauge it has the bushing , then the light bulb socket .
I have the + wired to the ignition switch, the - to ground on another gauge, the light wired into the other lights. If I move the + wire to the bottom terminal with the bushing it blows the fuse.
I am confused I thought this was simple install , my original gauges aren't marked + and -
thanks I will keep trying, Rich

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: volt meter problem

if the terminal goes through the metal bracket then the positive must have a bushing. On some the negative may or may not have a bushing, Can you get a picture if possible and post it so we can see what you have.

 

[Rich Novak]

Re: volt meter problem

if the terminal goes through the metal bracket then the positive must have a bushing. On some the negative may or may not have a bushing, Can you get a picture if possible and post it so we can see what you have.

The mounting terminals with the bracket are separate from the 3 other terminals .
I will try to post pict. but have no idea on how to do that.
Rich

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: volt meter problem

Thinking about the light being on until you turn the light switch on then it goes out......That means that you have a positive connected to the light switch and a switched positive connected to the other side of the light that is daisy chained to the other gauges. With the switch off power goes to the light then back out the other wire to the other gauges so the light comes on and if you look real close the other dash lights may have a real dim light on. When you turn the switch on you now have 2 positives to the light so the light goes off.

Find the wire that's not the switch positive from the other gauges and remove it and connect it to negative on one of the gauges not to the ignition switch like you have done

 

[Rich Novak]

Re: volt meter problem

Thinking about the light being on until you turn the light switch on then it goes out......That means that you have a positive connected to the light switch and a switched positive connected to the other side of the light that is daisy chained to the other gauges. With the switch off power goes to the light then back out the other wire to the other gauges so the light comes on and if you look real close the other dash lights may have a real dim light on. When you turn the switch on you now have 2 positives to the light so the light goes off.

Find the wire that's not the switch positive from the other gauges and remove it and connect it to negative on one of the gauges not to the ignition switch like you have done

OK I will try that, Thanks, Rich