Can the ammeter be jumped??

[RECHRGD]

I'm going to take out the dash cluster in the '68 for refurbishing.  I would still want to be able to start the car.  Can I just connect the two wires that go through the ammeter together without creating any problems?     Thanks, Bob

[Charger-Bodie]

Yes you can, just bolt the 2 leads together . just make sure to back tape them real well so they dont ground out against the dash frame etc.

[RECHRGD]

Thank you Sir!

[Chatt69chgr]

This would be a good time to change the ammeter to a voltmeter and deal with the charging system wiring issue.  The idea of running all the current produced by the alternator through two little contacts in the bulkhead connector and then through an ammeter was not a good one.  The contacts corrode over time and build up resistance, then they heat up and eventually can melt the bulkhead connector housing.  Sometimes the wiring overheats under the dash and catches the dash wiring on fire.  And most modern alternators put out more than the original 45 amps.   Usually 60 amps plus.  Chrysler perpetuated the ammeter long past the time when everyone else dropped it.  The articles I have read say that a voltmeter gives a better indication of the state of the charging system than a ammeter does.  I think I saw a nice article concerning this on the mymopar website.  I think it just covers the wiring issue.  Seems like their was a thread on here where someone was doing the ammeter to voltmeter conversion.  You could even put an ammeter face on the voltmeter to make it appear original.

[RECHRGD]

Good idea !  I've been thinking about that for a long time, but I've replaced all of the wiring harnesses and am somewhat hesitant to start making modifications to them.  All the bulkhead connections are new and I don't intend on putting any high amp stereo or anything like that in the car.  Heck, I don't even drive it at night, so the lights are hardly ever on.  But your right, the voltmeter is the safest way to go.    Bob

[Nacho-RT74]

NO, NO, NO
check:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33574.0.html

voltimeter is just another option that will be better working together with ammeter... no one of the gauges is perfect. The fact is batt is charged with AMPERES, not with Volts, so what is better that check the right stuf... amperes with ammeter ?... volts is just a way to check since does have somekind of relationship and oftenly is proportional, but not the right stuff

[Chatt69chgr]

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

This article is pretty interesting.  It was what I was referring to rather than a mymopar article like I thought.  It explains why the voltmeter may be the best choice.  Now if you choose to keep the ammeter, I would parallel the small wires that are routed via the bulkhead connector with some large gauge wires and just run them straight through the firewall somewhere unobtrusively and then on to the ammeter.

[Nacho-RT74]

I have checked hundres of times that link... half of what they say there is not 100% true, however problem is real... but causes are not initally those.

Is a solution ? yes... partially

are you getting the main splice out of the cab like they state there? : FALSE... and never will be since is in fact INSIDE THE CAB, on black line.

With the splice they make you are saving JUST the weak spade terminals to drive that power, but power is BEING SUCKED still INSIDE THE CAB, no matter where comes the power ( batt or alt ), just that you won't know where comes from, and if you are using alt or batt to feed the car