Re: ammeter for 69' 85 hp
Oops, sorry I wasn't too clear.<br /><br />In an unmodified configuration, there is the<br />big heavy gauge red wire which runs from the<br />battery to the starter solinoid. Off of that same<br />terminal on the starter solinoid is two wires.<br />One goes to the ignition switch, and one goes<br />to the recifier, and subsequently to the alternator.<br /><br />You will be removing those two wires from starter<br />solinoid (but leave them connected togeather) and <br />thus the direct connection to the battery. At <br />that point you will have direct connection from <br />the alternator/rectifier to the ignition switch <br />in the existing wireing harness.<br /><br />You need to run a 12 guage or better wire from the <br />+ terminal of the battery to one connection of<br />the ammeter. Then jumper the ammeter other terminal<br />to the same terminal on the ignition switch<br />as the red wire.<br /><br />PS. What I ended up doing was run an 8 guage<br />wire fused at the battery for 40 amps to the<br />ammeter, and the from the ammeter to a distribution<br />fuse panel. Then I jumpered the red ignition <br />switch wire to the fuse panel with a 10 amp<br />fuse installed. Other accesories (such as running<br />lights, horn, hydrolic tilt, & radio/fish finder<br />all attached to different fuses on the panel.<br /><br />Configured in this manner, the ammeter is ALWAYS<br />active and displaying any draw (outside of the<br />starter motor) on the battery (well almost true,<br />the shift solinoids draw some current off of<br />the alternator during wind-down after shutting<br />off the motor, in order to keep the lower unit<br />in nuetral)<br /><br />The guage of the wiring running from the battery<br />to the ammeter is dependent on how many other<br />loads you have on the battery... Due to the<br />hydrolic tilt, I ran 8 guage rather than 12.<br />But if you are just doing running lights and<br />the ignition current, 12 guague would be fine.<br /><br />The alternator puts out 9 amps, but will never<br />charge at that rate... probably 4-5 amp charge<br />is more typical.<br /><br />Regards,<br />Mike