Got my Rally Gauges hooked up per the instructions on this site. Started the car and the ammeter gauge is pointing towards the Discharge side. I let it idle awhile and it stayed in the same place. Is this normal? Should it be pointing to the Charge side while running?

Thanks everyone!

If your wiring is correct, your ammeter should show a charging state when the engine is first started, to restore the power used by the starter, then should level off to no charge. To test your ammeter, turn on your A/C, headlights and blower motor with the key in the "run" position. The needle should indicate a discharge state. Start the car, and it should indicate charge state if you run the engine fast enough for the alternator to generate enough current to charge the battery.

Yes, it should be on the charge side when running. An easy way to verify if your charging system is working is to unhook the positive battery terminal while the car is running. If it stalls your charging system isn't working. Keep in mind that your amp gauge is an integral part in your charging system. Also, in an external regulator system, 9 times out of ten the problem is the voltage regulator. A lot of the time the problem is the connection to the regulator.

Jim

maybe you have the "hot in" and the "hot out" wires reversed on the gauge.
if your engine is running, put the headlights on high beam, turn the fan on high, and step on the brake. if the indicator moves back to the center of the gauge. this would be one indication.
just my two cents

Thanks for the input so far. I will try those ideas tonight. One other thing, though. As I was driving the car last night, I noticed that when I flip the turn signal on, the ammeter gauge pulsates right along with the turn signal. Do I need to ground the gauge somehow? The cluster itself is grounded by the wire just above the high beam indicator light.

Also, the gauge was on the discharge side the whole time I was driving it. Is there a way to test the alternator?

Ok - didn't know if your previous post specifically tested the alternator or not. Just wanted to make sure. Thanks.

If you don't already have one, do yourself a favor and invest in a multi-meter. They are around $10 @ Radio Shack, or you can get the fancier one that "beeps" for $30 to $40. I use it all the time for my car and house. Before you start the car, put the leads on the battery and check voltage( should read 12+), then start car and check again, it should be around 14+. You will be able to trace alot of electrical problems with that meter. Good luck.......electrical stuff is a PITA! Kel

Thanks everyone. FBody69, I tried what you said and sure enough, it stalled after I disconnected the positive cable. I then took the alternator up to the parts store, and it tested fine. So, I bought a new voltage regulator just in case. However, going back to one of my original questions, does the ammeter gauge need to be grounded? The white wire coming off of the gauge is going to the power distribution splice, and the black one is going to the junction block.

Anyone out there done the rally gauge conversion on a '68? Looking at the back of the cluster, does the white wire go on the left, and black on the right? I have a rally gauge printed circuit diagram, and that seems opposite of what it is calling for. It states connector 105 (left side) is Ammeter(Bat.), and connector 106 (right side) is Ammeter(Gen.).

Thanks in advance!

Still struggling with this . . . Here's an update. I disconnected both wires that connect the ammeter gauge to try to isolate the problem. After disconnecting them, I was still not getting a charge to the battery.

I went to replace the voltage regulator and noticed that the brown wire that connects into the regulator was snapped off. I believe this wire supplies the generator light for the idiot gauges. This wire was taped off up at the cluster connector, since the idiot light was not needed anymore. Therefore, I'm thinking that that wire is not needed anyway, and it should not be causing the problem at the voltage regulator.

So, I installed the new voltage regulator (without the brown wire being connected) and it is still not charging the battery.

Any ideas? Does the brown wire need to be connected? Is there a trick to getting the voltage regulator pulsating? I need help!

Did your charging system work before the gage conversion? I would hook up the brown wire. Make sure your voltage regulator is grounded and your wiring clip makes a good connection.
Jim

Alright, still cannot get my charging system to work! Fbody69, I'm not sure if the system worked before the gauge conversion, but my guess is that it didn't. I was having problems with my battery (which since has been replaced), and I wouldn't doubt that part of it was the system. I hooked up the brown wire, and I still get nothing. The voltage regulator is connected tightly to the engine bay - it should be getting a good connection. I DO NOT have a ground WIRE connected to it - does it need one?

I also tried the following: I connected my voltage meter directly to the post on the alternator. I ground the meter to the negative battery post. I started the car and did not get acceptable meter readings. I really think that the alternator is the problem. I think I will have it re-tested. Am I on the right track? Another question: Does the alternator need to be grounded? It's got a "ground" post on the back of it. By the way, I tried grounding it, and still no luck.

the alt is grounded thru its case. the regulator should be grounded also. i think the brown wire should have power with the ignition on. i dont think the regulator will work without an ignition signal. the orange wire should have power all the time, the blue wire should have power when running.

that's what it looks like to me on the diagram. i took my carb off, or i would go check mine for you to be sure.
http://1968firebird.org/68wir/68wirindex.html

if the alt tests good, and you have power to the brown wire with the key on, i would replace the regulator with a new solid state to eliminate it as a problem. check it for ground with an ohmeter, as it can corrode, or be separated by paint. the frame of the regulator needs to be grounded where it mounts.

Sixstarved: Thanks for the reply. A few comments:

I disconnected the brown wire at the cluster connector behind the gauges, as I thought it was no longer needed. This wire (I believe) supplies the "Gen" light on the standard gauges with idiot lights. With the idiot lights, this light would have come on with the ignition on. Now it is disconnected. So, the regulator probably is NOT getting an ignition signal. This could be the problem???? However, the gauge conversion directions call for this brown wire to be taped off.

I should check the brown wire for continuity with the key on - I haven't tried that yet. I did replace the regulator though, with a solid state one. How can I check it for ground with an ohmeter????

Thanks for all your help!!!!!!

Did you try the system with the new regulator? Start the car and see if it stalls when you unhook the positive battery cable.
Jim

according to the diagram, the brown wire splits at the fuse block. one part goes to the ignition switch to provide power with key in run position.

do the test Jim said.

to test the new regulator for ground, put one lead of the meter on the regulator frame, and one lead on any ground, and it should show continuity.

Man! Talk about a headache! Just convert to an internally regulated alternator and eliminate the external regulator nightmare.....

There's several posts here which lead to instructions on the MAD Electrical website.

Granted I have the dummy lights, but everything works great.

Guys: I did try the system with the new regulator - unfortunately, it still stalls when the positive battery cable is unhooked.

You are right about one end of the brown wire going to the ignition. Having said that, should that be hooked up, or should I disconnect it? I'm assuming I would disconnect it, as that function (lighting the gen light when the key is on) is no longer needed with the rally gauges. However, maybe the regulator won't work unless this brown wire has power.

Thanks for the info on testing the regulator for ground. Who knows, maybe that could be it.

By the way, the brown wire has a diode soldered to it at the female spade connector. What is this for? Is it needed?

mine has no diode that i am aware of. i also dont see one on the diagram.

the brown wire at the ign switch is connected to the fuseblock. from the switch it goes to terminal B on connector, and splits off to the dash printed circuit.

from terminal B, it goes to the regulator.

basically, it is connecting power to the charging system from the ign switch. the charging sytem doesnt just work because the engine is running. it needs to be activated by the brown wire from what i am seeing here (i hate wiring). i can make my car run by jumping the coil and the starter, but it wont charge that way, or turn the light on.

if you dont like the light, you can cut the wire to the printed circuit, or just remove the bulb.

regulator brown to terminal B
http://1968firebird.org/68wir/68wir1.html

other side of connector. terminal B to ign switch and wire E to dash printed circuit.
http://1968firebird.org/68wir/68wir3.html
also showing connection to fuse block.
acc is powered with switch on.

internal conversion showing brown connected to blue. (yellow on ours is black)
http://www.chevelles.com/techref/tecref14.html
even with the internal conversion, it still has a regulator, and the brown wire still connects between the ign and charging system. a conversion wont solve the problem, just allow a higher amp alternator.

Well, I'm tracking the problem piece by piece. I definitely have good ground to the regulator. However, still no power to the brown wire when the ignition is on, AND no power to the blue and black/white stripe wire while the car is running. I am planning on pulling the alternator out again and retesting. Also, I am going to pull the gauges back out to get to the ignition to see what is going on with the brown wire.

The brown wire on my car doesn't actually go to the fuse block. There is an in-line fuse that connects the brown/white stripe wire with the brown wire. I just have no idea why that brown wire isn't getting power. It's really starting to p*** me off!

before pulling the alt again, try using a jumper wire to power the brown wire at the regulator, and see if it begins charging.

Thanks, sixstarved. I was actually going to try that, but didn't know if it would work or not. I will sure try tonight!!!! I'll tie it in to a "hot" wire.

So, if that DOESN'T work, then it's my alternator, right????

ummm, not necessarily?

that's just what i would try next. i hate wiring.

if the alt tested good before, it probably is. the testers dont always tell the truth, but they are fairly reliable.

Somewhat good news! I connected a jumper wire from one of the red "hot" wires to the voltage regulator where the brown wire connects. The charging system now works! I then hooked up my rally gauges again, and sure enough, it is showing a charging state.

BUT (there's always a but), I still haven't figured out why that brown wire isn't getting any power to it. My next step is to pull the gauges out to get to the ignition and see what's going on back there. Maybe it's been disconnected for some reason - who knows.

If I can't figure out the brown wire, is it ok to keep that jumper wire hooked up to the regulator, where it will always be hot? Or will this somehow cause a problem?

Thanks in advance!

if you leave it on constantly, that would probably be bad. i'm sure you'll get it hooked to the ign switch. i have much confidence.... i wonder why that diode was there....