Looks like transister reg. on my truck. I terminal runs to amp. on drawing. If i'm using original inductive gauge do i not use I terminal. Oh yea, Okay to use original gauge with 12 Volts? Thanks Bob

 

The stock ammeter works on any voltage, it only measures current. Can't tell you for a fact on the terminal, but "I" usually means current, so it sounds right.

 

So i'm thinking [scary] if i'm using my inductive guage i don't even have to run a wire off the I terminal of the reg.

 

No, I think "I" terminal is where all the power comes out. What other terminals are there?

 

I A S F on the Reg.

 

With an inductive gauge you are monitoring flow direction first and the amount second. It is simply a "yes the alternator is providing power to the truck (charging), or no the battery is supplying the power (discharging).

So, the inductive ammeter needs to be on the flow path between the charging source (generator or alternater) on one end and the battery on the other.

Your power distribution - fuse blocks, ignition switch, whatever- need to be between the charging source and the gauge, with the final length of the wire running directly from the gauge to the point where it connects to the battery.

On a 12 volt Ford, thats the starter solenoid lug that the positive battery cable attaches to.

The "I" post/wire on a modern alternator regulator will only work with a true ammeter with hard electrical connections but is designed for charge lights, not meters.

That type of traditional electrical flow is shown in the first drawing.



With this set up your inductive ammeter would be on the yellow wire between the ignition switch and starter solenoid, not off the "I" wire as shown.

P.S. A "BUS" is a fuse block for distributing power. "HOT" is powered all the time, "SWITCHED" provides power when the ignition switch is turned on.

 

I was under the impression this is a solid-state voltage regulator on a generator? Bob, what drawing were you referring to? Can you post it? We need more info to understand what is going on and what you have. Pictures of the generator or alternator and regulator would help.

Julie, I don't see why you are saying the I terminal on a modern alt. only works with a hard-terminal ammeter? Whether the current is picked up inductively or with a shunt, the power is flowing thru the ammeter to the loads.

 

The I terminal is used with charge lights, not meters. I left that critical fact of my post above (but added it in). I wasn't thinking about explaining why you can't do something but rather expressing what does need to be done to the OP.

When they are wired that way they are wired directly to the battery and bypass the power distribution. Thus, if there is a failure on the part of the alternator, a hard wired gauge will sense a discharge at the battery. Being hardwired the needle is physically pulled because of the electrical configuration of the hardwired gauge itself.






But if you put an inductive gauge on that line, it will show a charge, but in the event of a failure, the batter will supply power back through the primary wiring to the power distribution without it flowing through the gauge thus you will only see a charge on the gauge or a neutral indication, never a charge.

In the case with our trucks, we don't use power off the stator wire because of power distribution note there's no fuse blocks in these two diagrams. These traditional Ford systems distribute power completely differently. And the type and placement of Power Disribution is the critical elliment in getting a proper dischrage indication.

BTW, I posted thes drawings for the purpose of showing the differences between gauge and meter hook up. Not to suggest that this is the appropriate wiring schematic for our applications.

 

Wow, I can't say I've ever seen an alternator with a relay-type regulator. Is this from the early '60's?

 

Sorry for the confusion. The drawing i was refering to was the one just posted by Julie. Traditional ford external electrical set-up. I understand where the inductive guage is. Since i'm going to use that guage I just wanted to know if it was okay to not connect the I wire off the reg to anything at all.

 

So i see second drawings from Julie that since i don't have a charge light i should disregard the I wire off the Reg.

 

Yes, that's correct. I haven't used that drawing for years. When I made it up it was for a specific persons system and the "Battery Light" as "A" was understood at the time. Since I've used it as a general guide, I'll update it to show "general" configuration. Use the same drawing but for your inductive ammeter on that yellow wire between the ignition switch and starter solenoid.

Ross, there are many many different changes in the configuration on these systems between our trucks and today. Some were like the pics I posted, some needed exciter wires, shunts, etc. Kind of hard to filter out.

So I just passed on what would work for him without getting too much into detail - there's just too many possible configurations, and they're all different.

Edit Note: Here's the modified drawing: