amp gauge: a right and wrong way

[hemi68charger]

Hey guys...

This may sound like a VERY silly question... But, when it comes to our era amp gauges, this case a 67 Plymouth, is there a proper "left" and "right" post when attaching the red and black wires? I would think the gauge just senses the current regardless of the way it is traveling through it... I could be wrong...

I went to hook up the battery after reinstalling the instrument cluster and dang, the fusible link went up and smoke. Smoke even came out of the ground point on the radiator core support where the negative battery cable body ground attaches... Never saw that one before...  I quickly removed the positive cable from the battery and checked the wiring under the dash at the bulkhead connector and outside on the firewall. The only wire that seems to have been affected is the fusible link... Whew....

[70sixpkrt]

That happened to me last year. It ended up being my alternator. I would double check all grounds in the cluster area.

[A383Wing]

Yes, there is a right & wrong way to connect the red & black wires to the gauge....if you connect them wrong, the gauge will read "backwards" when current flows through the wires......that is, when it's charging, the needle will go to the left, and when it's discharging, the needle will go to the right

But to answer yer question, hooking up the wires wrong will not cause the issue you had with the fusible link......something has touched ground back there.....

Bryan

[hemi68charger]

I found an extra original fusible link ( i'm glad I keep my old harnesses )... I replaced it, and with the instrument cluster removed, I joined the black and red amp gauge leads... Placed the positive back on the battery and no harm... Used my screw driver to test the starter relay and it worked just fine.... So, something is going on with the cluster.. I have a good insulator between the gauge and housing, so I'm not sure.. The gauge doesn't appear damaged.. It is a pretty simple design mechanically...

[AKcharger]

That Amp gauge was cause of a 9 year electrical battle! May I STRONGLY suggest to the voltmeter mode. It's in this thread

Good luck :-)

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,1429.0.html

[AKcharger]

Here it is!
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,108698.0.html