How Do I Sense Voltage

SlowandSteady66 · 12-04-2005, 12:50 PM

I have recently taken an automotive electrical class in college and made it my mission to make sure all the gauges in my stang are working. The fuel and the speed are good. The speedometer is a little twitchy but works. The temp sensor wasn't working so i got a new one and the oil pressure as well. But now the electric battery sensors is a sad fifth and im not sure how that gauge senses the electricity.

Gearhead999 · 12-04-2005, 04:09 PM

Year?? Model?? Engine?? Volt meter or Amp meter?? Is it a 1966??

rbohm · 12-04-2005, 07:34 PM

an ammeter senses current flowing through it.
a volt meter measures the amount of pressure the current needs to get through a resistance.

SlowandSteady66 · 12-04-2005, 09:14 PM

right now the gauge is in the middle so i assume it is an amp meter not a volt meter because that would stay at the bottom til it senses voltage. This bad boy just sits in the middle i think the letters on either side are d and c. I need to know if i have what is needed or if there is a sensor i should buy then i think i can figure out how to get the wires to the gauge after that. IT IS A 1966 6 cyl chassis with a 289 out of a 68 ford fairlane. This is the reason my guages were not connected because i bought a muscle car when i was 18 and didn't know shit and as long as it roared i coulda cared less about the oil pressure gauge. Thanks for anything you can help with

Gearhead999 · 12-05-2005, 07:41 PM

This is an amp gauge. It should stay in the middle when everything is OK. To see if it is working, turn the key on, engine off and turn on the highbeam headlamps. The gauge should go toward the "D" for discharge. Not all the way to the "D", but toward it.

No sending unit for amp gauge.

SlowandSteady66 · 04-09-2006, 09:10 PM

My voltage signal on my 289 1966 mustang but the engine is out of a 68 fairlane so my engine was originally a 6 im not sure what cid. But i just have no clue as to how the voltage sensor is connected ive seen nothing advertised or in my chiltons manual im thinking of buying a factory manual thankx for the help

Gearhead999 · 04-10-2006, 11:28 AM

The 6 cyl vs 8 cyl shouldn't make any difference with the amp meter.

As said above, there isn't a sending unit for the amp gauge. It has a shunt and wire in the dash harness. There is a good possiblity that it is working OK. Try testing it, like I suggested above.

Lastly, by all means buy a factory manual. It is the best and tells "way more" then Chilton, Clymer, etc.

Rev · 04-11-2006, 07:14 PM

I have a '66 Mustang with a stock amp guage (no need for a sending unit). It reads from slightly to the right of center to about 3/4 to the right depending on how much charge is needed as determined by the voltage regulator. I do also have a volt meter (Auto Meter) that tells me the state of charge for my battery. It also has no sending unit but is wired directly to the + terminal post on my solenoid connection under the hood. It reads from 11 to 15 volts depending on the altinator rpm.

Hope this helps a littlle.

Rev

SlowandSteady66 · 04-14-2006, 03:42 PM

mine stays in the middle never moving i believe it is not connected it must be wired to something. So to make my question a little clearer where should the wires that connect to the ampmeter be connected and what to? someone said the coil is it the coil? or is it positive negative of the battery? im just lost thanks for all your help

12-04-2005, 12:50 PM	#1
SlowandSteady66 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	How Do I Sense Voltage I have recently taken an automotive electrical class in college and made it my mission to make sure all the gauges in my stang are working. The fuel and the speed are good. The speedometer is a little twitchy but works. The temp sensor wasn't working so i got a new one and the oil pressure as well. But now the electric battery sensors is a sad fifth and im not sure how that gauge senses the electricity.

12-04-2005, 04:09 PM	#2
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage Year?? Model?? Engine?? Volt meter or Amp meter?? Is it a 1966?? __________________ "Support our Troops" Dave 1968 Cougar 2004 Thunderbird 2007 F150 Harley-Davidson, SuperCrew 1986 LTD 1997 Ranger 1992 Honda Civic

12-04-2005, 07:34 PM	#3
rbohm Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: tucson,az/luray,va Posts: 243	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage an ammeter senses current flowing through it. a volt meter measures the amount of pressure the current needs to get through a resistance. __________________ define irony: a bunch of idiots on a plane, dancing to a song made famous, by a band who died in a plane crash. fordsix.com admin

12-04-2005, 09:14 PM	#4
SlowandSteady66 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage right now the gauge is in the middle so i assume it is an amp meter not a volt meter because that would stay at the bottom til it senses voltage. This bad boy just sits in the middle i think the letters on either side are d and c. I need to know if i have what is needed or if there is a sensor i should buy then i think i can figure out how to get the wires to the gauge after that. IT IS A 1966 6 cyl chassis with a 289 out of a 68 ford fairlane. This is the reason my guages were not connected because i bought a muscle car when i was 18 and didn't know shit and as long as it roared i coulda cared less about the oil pressure gauge. Thanks for anything you can help with

12-05-2005, 07:41 PM	#5
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage This is an amp gauge. It should stay in the middle when everything is OK. To see if it is working, turn the key on, engine off and turn on the highbeam headlamps. The gauge should go toward the "D" for discharge. Not all the way to the "D", but toward it. No sending unit for amp gauge. __________________ "Support our Troops" Dave 1968 Cougar 2004 Thunderbird 2007 F150 Harley-Davidson, SuperCrew 1986 LTD 1997 Ranger 1992 Honda Civic

04-09-2006, 09:10 PM	#6
SlowandSteady66 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage My voltage signal on my 289 1966 mustang but the engine is out of a 68 fairlane so my engine was originally a 6 im not sure what cid. But i just have no clue as to how the voltage sensor is connected ive seen nothing advertised or in my chiltons manual im thinking of buying a factory manual thankx for the help

04-10-2006, 11:28 AM	#7
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage The 6 cyl vs 8 cyl shouldn't make any difference with the amp meter. As said above, there isn't a sending unit for the amp gauge. It has a shunt and wire in the dash harness. There is a good possiblity that it is working OK. Try testing it, like I suggested above. Lastly, by all means buy a factory manual. It is the best and tells "way more" then Chilton, Clymer, etc. __________________ "Support our Troops" Dave 1968 Cougar 2004 Thunderbird 2007 F150 Harley-Davidson, SuperCrew 1986 LTD 1997 Ranger 1992 Honda Civic

04-11-2006, 07:14 PM	#8
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage I have a '66 Mustang with a stock amp guage (no need for a sending unit). It reads from slightly to the right of center to about 3/4 to the right depending on how much charge is needed as determined by the voltage regulator. I do also have a volt meter (Auto Meter) that tells me the state of charge for my battery. It also has no sending unit but is wired directly to the + terminal post on my solenoid connection under the hood. It reads from 11 to 15 volts depending on the altinator rpm. Hope this helps a littlle. Rev __________________ '66 Coupe, 306, 350-375 HP, C-4, 13.07 e.t., 104.8 mph, 1/4 mi. O.B.C. #2 '66 coupe

04-14-2006, 03:42 PM	#9
SlowandSteady66 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Re: How Do I Sense Voltage mine stays in the middle never moving i believe it is not connected it must be wired to something. So to make my question a little clearer where should the wires that connect to the ampmeter be connected and what to? someone said the coil is it the coil? or is it positive negative of the battery? im just lost thanks for all your help

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