Hello, I have a 65fj45 with a 2h diesel i have installed. I have put in a wire harness from a 1980 hj45 so that the glow & start systems run through a modified stk steer column. every thing works now but the ammeter, it has a 3 prong plug with a ground wire {w&blk) and a pair of wires with 5amp fuses in line , does anyone know where they hook into system ?.
ampmeter wiring
- Thread starter rrchisum
- Start date
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A late-model ammeter (eg. 1980) works off the voltage drop across one of your fusible links. (The main one going to your ignition switch.)
This shows how my ammeter is fed from either side of my "white" fusible link:
(Since it has 5A fuses I'm assuming it is a late-model ammeter and not the old one off your 1965 FJ45.)
Hope this helps.
Why not up-grade to the '80 cluster??
I think the change to the late-model design (powering it from the fusible link) was driven by "safety".
I believe the old system of actually passing all the current through the ammeter made our vehicles more susceptible to serious wiring short-circuits/fires. And if the coils in the ammeter were to burn out, you'd probably be left immobile.
The new design is safer and if the ammeter (or its fuses) fail you can keep going. But a disadvantage of the new design is that you'll notice your ammeter hardly moves at all.
The best mine does is "twitch in harmony with my blinkers" or "flick down briefly" when I turn on my headlights. Of course I could get it to perform better by reducing the size/spec of my white fusible link but I don't think that would be wise.
So just don't expect your late-model ammeter to make much more than "barely discernable" movements!
First check the fuse for the ampmeter, then look very very closely, the needle may only barely move.
EDIT: oups i'll never learn to read all the way down, lostmarbles was quicker!
I think the change to the late-model design (powering it from the fusible link) was driven by "safety".
I believe the old system of actually passing all the current through the ammeter made our vehicles more susceptible to serious wiring short-circuits/fires. And if the coils in the ammeter were to burn out, you'd probably be left immobile.
The new design is safer and if the ammeter (or its fuses) fail you can keep going. But a disadvantage of the new design is that you'll notice your ammeter hardly moves at all.
The best mine does is "twitch in harmony with my blinkers" or "flick down briefly" when I turn on my headlights. Of course I could get it to perform better by reducing the size/spec of my white fusible link but I don't think that would be wise.
So just don't expect your late-model ammeter to make much more than "barely discernable" movements!
It is only slightly more "safe". Instead of two high current wires (chassis power and alternator output), you just have 1 wire (chassis power) with the external shunt meter. It might also be about saving 2 meters of expensive 8 gauge wire.
The newer meter has a higher amp capacity, 50-0-50, which is why it deflects less for a given current. The "barely discernable" movement is not a problem; it just indicates that the battery is charged and the alternator is working, so everything is normal. If you really want to see it move, drain the battery first, so there is something to charge.
