Quote:
Originally Posted by hayhauler71
what he said
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Ok, sorry I did not answer. When I got my '66, p/o had used partly 10-gauge and partly 12-gauge, running from alternator to aftermarket AMP gauge and then eventually to battery. Both the 12-gauge wire that I could reach/touch easily & the ammeter itself were getting really hot at times. Alternator shop owner said to use minimum of 10-gauge on that long "a run" & that 8-gauge would ideally carry any load I threw at it. (All us dealers, mechanics, and hot rodders trust EXPERIENCED advice from this little service center, as it is now in 2nd generation, family-owned, with the lead-technician, the son, approaching 65.) I removed the old wiring, re-did it all with 10-gauge, & replaced the ammeter with a voltmeter. Don't plan on amplifiers or other high-load electronics on my '66--did not even re-install the 8-track player that was in it--& made a nice radio-delete plate for dash.
Since I did that, I've had NO problems in going on 2 years--and 'all is cool'. Running a 100-amp alternator. Hope this helps. *BTW &
just my opinion: I believe that using an ammeter on alternator systems is kinda redundant; since good alternators charge even at idle the negative half of gauge is wasted. And on voltmeters, theoretically there's no minimum voltage that may be developed at times; so ALL the voltage range--from zero to whatever the gauge shows--could sometimes be output across the system. So, I put no ammeters on my vehicles, none of which run generators.
sam