removed amp guage - stopped charging?

[idaho83815]

Bought new guages for boat and now using voltage indicator type. Removed the original amp guage and in doing so I am wondering if I caused a non-charging issue. Should I take that wire that went to the amp guage and hook it somewhere? I am running a 1978 Johnson 175 long shaft in a Glastron V192. Have used boat 5-6 times since guage swap, but the volt guage seems low... always around 12 volts and does not fluctuate with RPM, and this saturday the battery was noticibly weak.

 

[ezeke]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Put a volt meter directly on your battery and take a reading with the engine off. Start the motor and take another reading. If the voltage reading is higher you have not cooked your rectifier and the issue is the wiring.

.

 

[F_R]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

The two (or more) wires that went to the amp gage all have to be connected together if you remove the gage. Otherwise you have an open charging circuit and it will instantly blow the rectifier. That's why your voltage is not increasing above 12. It's not charging due to a blown rectifier.

 

[idaho83815]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

So if I remember right (At work) it had a larger grey wire to amp guage. Other must have went to battery(?) I probably used that on new guage and left grey wire diconnected. If I took it straight to battery would that complete the circuit?

 

[angus63]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Like FR said, an amp gage is wired in series within the charging circuit. Removing the gage opens the circuit. Odds are there were two heavy gage wires, and two light gage if it had a nightlite (+ and -). The heavy gage wires need to be connected after gage removal. Check to see if your voltage rises with rpms after reconnecting. Does your tach still function?

 

[idaho83815]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Tach is functioning but I did notice when it was high in RPM (4500 + or so) it would start to fluctuate and sometime drop to 2000-3000. This weekend it did not fluctuate and seemed rock steady to 5000 RPM

 

[Vic.S]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

As has already been said join together the wires that were connected to the ammeter, except the wires that went to the bulb and the earth wire to the case if it was illuminated.

Running with the charging disconnected will not have harmed the rectifier.. It is actually disconnecting the battery while the engine is running that causes the surge that can damage the rectifier.

 

[F_R]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Respectfully disagree. Running with the charging circuit open is the same thing as disconnecting the battery. The alternator output has nowhere to go and voltage goes way up beyond the rating of the diodes. Poof!

 

[wilde1j]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

F_R got it right ... the rectifier is toast and it happened instantly. That's why most shops don't wan't to see wing nuts holding battery wiring lugs together. Nut comes loose and you bought a new rectifier just that quick.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Surprised to learn that in this intance it has toasted the rectifier..
I agree that if the battery becomes disconnected while the engine is running the surge produced is large enough to wreck the diodes but i am surprised that it has happened as a result of running without the battery connected to the rectifier at all. I would have expected the rectifier spec to have withstood the normal open circuit volts. Poor spec IMHO.

I have done it many times without blowing the diodes, As my smaller engine has a rope start I do not need to connect a battery when running in a tank when laying up or recommissioning. Perhaps I will have to either connect the battery or a load in future just in case my luck does not hold.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

You might even consider eliminating that long run of wire from the engine to the console and back to the battery and simply run from the engine directly to the battery. That connection doesn't even need to go directly to the battery. It can connect to the large terminal on the starter solenoid that has the positive battery cable attached to it. Eliminating all that wire reduces voltage drop. Your voltmeter can connect to any +12V source at the console that is active when the key is on.

 

[idaho83815]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Thank you all for the input. I will try hooking it up to starter solenoid this week. I will let you know what I find out.
-David

 

[idaho83815]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Well I must be living a good life. I hooked up the wire that used to go to the guage to the battery and I proceeded to start charging. These old motors sure can keep on ticking......Thank you all for the inputs.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

So the rectifier was OK afterall?

 

[idaho83815]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Yes it seems to be....voltage at battery went from 12.5 pre-start to 13.5 at about 1500 RPM. did not want to go any higher on muffs but to me that showed charge.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

I said it would be. Running with it disconnected from the battery does not cause the same problems as disconnecting it while running.

 

[ezeke]

Re: removed amp guage - stopped charging?

Circumlocution.

Sure am glad to learn that I don't have to unplug all the little transformers and battery chargers in my house.

Whew!