Testing dash gauges

[raphyel]

ANyone know how I can test me gauges on my dash using voltage? I was gonna just plug in a 12 v battery and see if I got movement, but not sure if they run on a reduced voltage or not. Anyy help will be appreciated

[blood62]

Do not plug in a 12v bad idear your likely to blow or pin them, is thier anyway you can get a votage mesurment or find out the ranges using a shopmanual. I do know that almost all votage based gauges usaly operate on low votages if they are reduced at the dash or from the sensor i cant tell you for shure i will try to find out by tomorow.
what gauges are you trying to test anyway?

[blood62]

here is some proof that connecting directly to 12V might be a bad idear

http://www.fortunecity.com/silversto.../svc8x66.htm#6

im still gona look for a voltage range that you could apply to em to test them

[blood62]

Ive been looking for 3 hours its 1 am ill pickup on it tomorow hang in thier

[raphyel]

I recently bought a tach dash for a 60 - 63 I have gas gauge, oil pressure, Temp, Tach, and battery gauge. I know there must be a way to test them, but I am not sure how, and I dont want to have to replace them because I blow them up, so I am looking for a easy way to establish continuity.

[60-66 Nut]

Raphyel, does your truck have gauges already? Are you wanting to know how to hook up the gauges or to test them? Or both? Might be able to help you if you still need. Just let me know.

60-66 Nut

[raphyel]

I just need to test them. The unit I bought was untested and I dont want to install it without testing, as I have extra gauges if something is bad I can replace it.

[blood62]

is thier any way you could take a voltage mesurement off sensors... also check the back of the gauges for serial numbers somthing indicating operating ranges

any way ive been sick all day or i would have gone outside and found out for my self

if i do feel better I will go look

[60-66 Nut]

If you already have gauges in your truck, then the best way to check the new cluster is to hook it up to the truck. Even if you don't install it, just hook up the wires to see if it works with the correct senders. I think Ford and Dodge were the only ones to use voltage limiters on their old gauges. I've never seen them on the old GM trucks. You can check the voltage to the fuel and temp gauges on your truck to be sure. The oil pressure gauge on most of these old trucks is mechanical, you should be able to check it with 30-40 PSI air pressure(be carefull-it could spit out a little oil when you take the air away). The amp gauge should connect inline between the battery and the accessory wire. It would be hard to test it witout a load. I have checked the sender type gauges like the fuel and temp gauge by hooking power to the hot side and just momentarily touching ground to the sender side, but I do not recommend it, you could easily fry a gauge if not carefull. Besides, this will only tell you if the gauge moves or not; it won't tell you how accurate it is. Hope this helps, best of luck.

60-66 Nut

[raphyel]

I used a 6v lantern battery to test the gauges and all of them show continuity. The gas hand the voltmeter, the temp all shoe continuity. I will have to wait to test the tach and oil pressure gauges. But the best thing is that the 6v battery was sufficient to activate the electromagnets. but didnt hurt the coils.

[blood62]

ill remeber that though i probly will not need to test much most of my indicators are just a light bulb