This may have been a dumb thing to do, but the other day I put it directly onto the battery and I got a massive spark! I've probably blwon it up now anyway!
Any ideas on how to fit?
Voltage Gauge
Started by
Feeble
, Apr 06 2006 02:00 PM
6 replies to this topic
#1
Feeble
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Posted 06 April 2006 - 02:00 PM
My dad recently gave me an old voltage gauge from a Mini he used to own years ago. Think it's made by Lucas, and there's just two blue wires coming out the back of it... Would fitting this simply be a case of putting one wire to + and one to - ?
This may have been a dumb thing to do, but the other day I put it directly onto the battery and I got a massive spark! I've probably blwon it up now anyway!
Any ideas on how to fit?
This may have been a dumb thing to do, but the other day I put it directly onto the battery and I got a massive spark! I've probably blwon it up now anyway!
Any ideas on how to fit?
#2
syholl
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Posted 06 April 2006 - 02:11 PM
Yeah, it should just be a case of connecting it to 12v and earth. A massive spark would suggest a short circuit though, so it may be buggered. Or you may just have connected it up incorrectly...
#3
Feeble
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Posted 06 April 2006 - 02:31 PM
Oops... They're both unmarked blue wires, so didn't know which one would be + and which one -... Any easy way of getting a 12v+ source from the front of the car?
#4
Dan
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Posted 06 April 2006 - 02:37 PM
Connect it to the instrument supply wire behind the dash (white).
Doesn't really matter which is which wire, if the needle moves the wrong way assume you battery isn't supplying negative volts and swap the wires over.
Doesn't really matter which is which wire, if the needle moves the wrong way assume you battery isn't supplying negative volts and swap the wires over.
#5
Feeble
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Posted 06 April 2006 - 03:07 PM
Seems easy enough... So I've gotta take the instrument panel out then?
#6
dklawson
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Posted 06 April 2006 - 05:02 PM
STOP.
You said "voltage gauge" but you also said "Lucas" You also said you got a massive spark when you hooked it up. Look carefully at your gauge again. Is it a volt gauge or an ammeter? It should say right on the face... if not, an ammeter has a needle that hangs straight down and points to the middle of the scale when not connected. The needle swings left or right when current passes through it. A volt meter typically has a needle (like an oil pressure or temperature gauge) that starts at the left side of the scale and swings to the right.
NEVER connect the ammeter directly across a battery or a voltage source. When you do that it's acting like a dead short. Ammeters get wired in series with the output of (typically) a generator. They aren't very safe when used with the higher currents of cars outfitted with alternators. A real volt meter can very safely connected across a battery's terminals and is a better, safer choice for late model cars with alternators. Most volt meters were marked "Smiths".
Useless history:
Through a gentleman's agreement going back to about the 1920s, Lucas and Smiths agreed on which areas of automotive electrics each would supply. For some reason Lucas was the company that made ammeters while Smiths (or Smiths/Jaeger) made all the other gauges and things like wiper motors, heater blowers, etc. It wasn't until the late 1970s that you started to see exceptions to the old rules.
You said "voltage gauge" but you also said "Lucas" You also said you got a massive spark when you hooked it up. Look carefully at your gauge again. Is it a volt gauge or an ammeter? It should say right on the face... if not, an ammeter has a needle that hangs straight down and points to the middle of the scale when not connected. The needle swings left or right when current passes through it. A volt meter typically has a needle (like an oil pressure or temperature gauge) that starts at the left side of the scale and swings to the right.
NEVER connect the ammeter directly across a battery or a voltage source. When you do that it's acting like a dead short. Ammeters get wired in series with the output of (typically) a generator. They aren't very safe when used with the higher currents of cars outfitted with alternators. A real volt meter can very safely connected across a battery's terminals and is a better, safer choice for late model cars with alternators. Most volt meters were marked "Smiths".
Useless history:
Through a gentleman's agreement going back to about the 1920s, Lucas and Smiths agreed on which areas of automotive electrics each would supply. For some reason Lucas was the company that made ammeters while Smiths (or Smiths/Jaeger) made all the other gauges and things like wiper motors, heater blowers, etc. It wasn't until the late 1970s that you started to see exceptions to the old rules.
#7
Feeble
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Posted 06 April 2006 - 05:22 PM
Oh my! I'll have a check in a minute! Could have been a bit dodgy then! 
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