Battery Gauges
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
Yep, we haven't had real voltmeters in a LONG time. Ford has been seemingly exclusive in the "dummy gauge" department for years, and I've never understood why.
Trucks nowadays are smart though, if the alternator fails it will let you know.
Trucks nowadays are smart though, if the alternator fails it will let you know.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Northeast, OK
It had better let me know quickly given all the "stuff" that requires power on these. My 81's can go for over 100 miles without a battery - I've done it. But, I doubt these new trucks could get anywhere near that, even if you shut off the accessories.
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Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
I make no secret of the fact that I came very close to buying a Ram this time around. One of the things I liked most was a gauge screen in the instrument cluster that showed oil pressure, oil temperature, transmission temperature, battery voltage, and coolant temperature. Even the base instrument cluster had this, why can't we?
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FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 32,875
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From: Northeast, OK
There's no reason we can't. The computer has all the needed info, and the "gauges" are nothing but a graphic generated by the computer. So, it could easily generate graphics that had temps on them. And, graphics for voltage, current, etc.
But, Ford hasn't thought we are smart enough to use #'s since way, WAY back. The 80 - 86 gauges certainly don't have #'s, and I think that was the case much further back than that. In fact, at one point Ford thought we are so dumb we don't care that the gauge was driven by a switch. Yes, some of the oil pressure gauges were driven by a switch, so if you had even a smidgen of pressure the gauge read in the middle.
But, Ford hasn't thought we are smart enough to use #'s since way, WAY back. The 80 - 86 gauges certainly don't have #'s, and I think that was the case much further back than that. In fact, at one point Ford thought we are so dumb we don't care that the gauge was driven by a switch. Yes, some of the oil pressure gauges were driven by a switch, so if you had even a smidgen of pressure the gauge read in the middle.
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rods4life
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Feb 10, 2008 03:33 PM