who makes a voltage gauge to replace amp gauge

[brads70]

I have been reading all the posts about the stock amp gauge being such a fire hazard. I looked on Guage works site and redline, but can't seem to find a voltage gauge that looks like it is stock? Anyone?
I have the non-ralley dash

[wally426ci]

  I have Rallye. Also looking for the same thing.

[inviolet]

Check Dash Works. I sent them my stock amp gauge and they converted it for me to a volt gauge. Best bet is to call them for price.

http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page

More info:

http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/images/f/f6/Stealth_Voltmeter.pdf

[brads70]

Check Dash Works. I sent them my stock amp gauge and they converted it for me to a volt gauge. Best bet is to call them for price.

http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page

More info:

http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/images/f/f6/Stealth_Voltmeter.pdf

Great thanks! I looked at there web site but didn't see it listed! Do you have a picture of the voltmeter gauge? Curious on how it looks?
Thanks

[GoodysGotaCuda]

I have been reading all the posts about the stock amp gauge being such a fire hazard. I looked on Guage works site and redline, but can't seem to find a voltage gauge that looks like it is stock? Anyone?
I have the non-ralley dash

Redline has one for the non-rallye cluster. It's alive and well in my Dad's 72 Challenger..

[RB2929]

GoodysGotaCuda-
I just looked at the Redline web site, http://www.redlinegaugeworks.com/default.asp

Saw a really cool non-rallye dash tac and oil pressure gauges (I need both of them), but no Volt meter.

Aside from contacting them directly, do you have a suggestion?
Thank you
Ron

[RB2929]

Hi all-
I sent Redline an email asking about the Volt meter.
Maybe we can organize a group buy?

Just a thought
Ron

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Aside from contacting them directly, do you have a suggestion?
Thank you
Ron

...Contact them directly. They are a small shop and will answer all your questions, not everything can be displayed on the web I'm sure.

[brads70]

Hi all-
I sent Redline an email asking about the Volt meter.
Maybe we can organize a group buy?

Just a thought
Ron

If they look stock I'll get one!

[GoodysGotaCuda]

If they look stock I'll get one!

Looks extremely stock. I can't get pics until I raid my hard drive once I get back from vacation.

[brads70]

Thanks!! I hope it comes with instruction on how to install (wiring) Enjoy your vacation Goody!

[ragtopdodge]

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=67781.0

[shadango]

I, too, am reading these posts and panicking a bit.

The amp gauge in my car works fine, far as I can tell.....I have an aftermarket voltage gauge installed alongside my external oil and water temp gauge...so I guess I dont need the amp gauge if its that damgerous.

But the questions in my brain right now:
- with the stock wiring, non A/C car, just an aftermarket in dash stereo/cd player, how great a risk is the gauge?
- is bolting the two leads together a reliable and safe way to go?   The MAD site referred to elsewhere shows a complete rewiring schematic and seesm to look at the meothod of bolting the two leads together and purely temporary.....

I have enough issues right now trying to figure out why car keeps dying out (I still have dash and starter power, so not relate to the amp gauge).....I do have a couple days of down time before my harness comes back from Bill Evans....should I make this change now or wait a while?

[dodj]

The ammeter is the weakest/dangerous link. You won't find ammeters in cars anymore for that reason. They tried shunts for a while but even that has some risk, though not much. The voltmeter is just the smart way to go. Even if you have stock wiring, you should consider the voltmeter upgrade. Restorations excepted of course.

[UKcuda]

I agree it is a dodgy bit of kit, but I would say don't panic too fast but plan to do something when you get your other issues sorted out.

The problem with the ammeter is that it's designed to run as a high current device - it mainly consists of two threaded studs for the wiring connections rivetted into a solid brass bar.  Apart from the needle and a tiny little iron magnet, that's it !  When I looked at one the other day I could hardly belive it is soooooo simple.

The reason they burn up is that the connections between the studs and the bar (or the studs and the wires) get loose or begin to rust up which increases the resistance.  It would not be such a big deal with most things but, because the ammeter has unimpeded access to voltage, if it sees a large voltage difference across its terminals it starts to act like an electric heater in the area of the bad connections.

The chaps at RT have an upgrade which consists of improving the stud/brass connections to cure/alleviate this issue.

In fact, if it all seems OK at the moment, then I think you are unlikely to run into a problem all of a sudden unless you hit a very high voltage differential across the ammeter.  Using a lot of accessories when the engine is running is not really going to achieve that because nearly all the systems are fed from the alternator side of the ammeter.

Also, you are unlikey to be using massive amounts of electrical accessories without the engine running.

The most common high voltage differential across the ammeter occurs when you have just jump started the car because it has a dead battery.  The alternator then begins throwing a lot of effort into recharging the battery and all of that goes across the ammeter.

The other risk with the ammeter is that one of the terminals goes to ground on the body of the thing. They are only insulated by a bit of thick stiff card type stuff.  But as far as I know though this is not a common mode of failure and if it happens it should blow a fusible link.