Attention: TDR Forum Junkies MacGreenie
TDR MEMBER
Hello All,
Just re-wired all 6 of my Westach gauges. All work just fine.
I notice my voltmeter/ammeter combo gauge is a little different since reinstalling it.
I used to read about 14 volts once the grid heaters went to sleep.
Now it reads 12 to 12. 5. Seems a little low.
The ammeter is tied into a shunt at the PDC and reads positive when the engine is running (about 4 or 5 amps of charge). When I turn on the lights with the engine off, the ammeter shows a discharge. So Mr. Ammeter seems to be hooked up correctly,
Mr. Voltmeter seems to be either lying to me or not connected correctly. The ground the volmeter used is the metal dash frame in the cab. This is a shared ground with all the gauges. The power source for the voltmeter is the power source for all the gauges and emerges from the fuse panel in the cab from the switched cigar lighter circuit.
Any thoughts? Bad batteries dragging the system down? Starts OK and grid heaters work as shown on the ammeter and voltmeter which drops to about 8 volts while the heaters cook in the morning.
I need to check the alternator at the back of the unit to see what it is actually putting out to be sure. Batteries read a little over 12 volts in a static condition.
I think they are stock batteries from 1998.
Am I in denial? Are my battteries about to puke?
Is there hope for the "electrically challenged" like myself?
TIA,
MacGreenie
Just re-wired all 6 of my Westach gauges. All work just fine.
I notice my voltmeter/ammeter combo gauge is a little different since reinstalling it.
I used to read about 14 volts once the grid heaters went to sleep.
Now it reads 12 to 12. 5. Seems a little low.
The ammeter is tied into a shunt at the PDC and reads positive when the engine is running (about 4 or 5 amps of charge). When I turn on the lights with the engine off, the ammeter shows a discharge. So Mr. Ammeter seems to be hooked up correctly,
Mr. Voltmeter seems to be either lying to me or not connected correctly. The ground the volmeter used is the metal dash frame in the cab. This is a shared ground with all the gauges. The power source for the voltmeter is the power source for all the gauges and emerges from the fuse panel in the cab from the switched cigar lighter circuit.
Any thoughts? Bad batteries dragging the system down? Starts OK and grid heaters work as shown on the ammeter and voltmeter which drops to about 8 volts while the heaters cook in the morning.
I need to check the alternator at the back of the unit to see what it is actually putting out to be sure. Batteries read a little over 12 volts in a static condition.
I think they are stock batteries from 1998.
Am I in denial? Are my battteries about to puke?
Is there hope for the "electrically challenged" like myself?
TIA,
MacGreenie
