ammeter

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
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FVOUK
Posts: 18
Joined: March 27th, 2017, 9:44 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1929
Location: St Stephen Minnesota

ammeter

Post by FVOUK »

Getting towards the end of my rustoration. Working on wiring. My ammeter is reading backwards. I know the simple answer is the wires are switched but I swear they're not. Looked at two different wiring diagrams, took a picture of the original wiring on the ammeter, and the new wiring wants to fall into the correct terminals. Yellow with black tracer and dash light to the terminal towards center of instrument panel and yellow wire to terminal towards outside. Left and right respectively as you're looking at face of meter. I backtracked every other wire and the battery is positively grounded as it should be. Any suggestions? thanks, FRANK J
FVOUK
Posts: 18
Joined: March 27th, 2017, 9:44 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1929
Location: St Stephen Minnesota

Re: ammeter

Post by FVOUK »

Forgot to mention: all new wiring and new ammeter from Mike's
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: ammeter

Post by Stakebed »

could be model T meter, they are neg ground - and or a crappy reproduction (only good ones are origionals)
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markp213
Posts: 41
Joined: October 27th, 2011, 9:31 pm
Body Type: 82B
Model Year: 1931

Re: ammeter

Post by markp213 »

You might need to polarize the generator. Same thing happened to me on my T-30 Ferguson Tractor. Similar 6 Volt system as the Model A. Drove me nuts for years. Never charged the battery, and the ammeter kept reading backwards. I had read on-line that I might need to polarize the generator to correct the problem. Didn't think that was the issue, so my stubbornness kept me hunting through the electrical system. One day, I actually gave it a try, and low and behold, it worked! (palm slap to the forehead) It has been charging well ever since! There are plenty of youTube videos on the process.

Hope that helps!
markt
Posts: 110
Joined: June 24th, 2011, 7:35 pm
Body Type: 188a
Model Year: 1928
Location: Tofield, Alberta , canada

Re: ammeter

Post by markt »

I had the same problem. Turns out the repo ammeter was junk, I found a good original and all worked as it was supposed to.
SHELBY MESSER
Posts: 752
Joined: March 9th, 2009, 8:06 pm
Body Type: 75-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Re: ammeter

Post by SHELBY MESSER »

Frank, Welcome to the club. If your wiring is correct to the amp meter I would suggest to go double check the your battery connection making sure that the small battery connects to the starter. One other thing that is could be is the generator. Did you have the generator apart or restore it. If so you will have to polorise it . To polorise the generator, disconnect the wire coming out of the generator to the relay you will have to use a jumper wire form the battery at the starter and just ork a spark across to the wire coming out of the generator. You will see the spark. This is all you will need to do .reconnect the wire out of the generator to the relay. You are done. Start your engine and see if you have a charge or discharge. Let us know if this worked so everyone will know if this works for you it may held others with this same problem. It has always worked for me :) Shelby, Sacramento
SHELBY MESSER
Posts: 752
Joined: March 9th, 2009, 8:06 pm
Body Type: 75-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Re: ammeter

Post by SHELBY MESSER »

Frank, let us know if you got your amp meter problem solved and what you did to correct it :roll:
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: ammeter

Post by Chris Haynes »

Is you battery positive ground?
FVOUK
Posts: 18
Joined: March 27th, 2017, 9:44 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1929
Location: St Stephen Minnesota

Re: ammeter

Post by FVOUK »

Thanks for all the info and tips guys. I did have the generator rebuilt so tried the polarizing trick. Didn't change anything so that must have been good. Talked to Mike at Mike's Affordable and he basically told me he had the same problem with his Model A and had to switch the wires. He said he is trying to find a different supplier for ammeters but at this time is having no luck. So the post from markt that originals are the only way to go is probably true. Thanks, FRANK J
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