Re: International 2404 ampmeter

Posted by Janicholson on May 19, 2006 at 06:11:35 from (199.17.6.175):

In Reply to: International 2404 ampmeter posted by Don2404 on May 18, 2006 at 17:42:19:

Amp meters measure the flow of electrons into and out of the battery except for the starting current (which is way too much for that small meter). Thus the wire that feeds the entire tractor (usually from the battery side of the solenoid) is re-routed to flow through the Amp gauge. The wire you use should be equal in size (and color) to the original wire if your charging system is stock. If you have a high amp alternator (45-60A), the wires should be 10ga if even higher 8ga would be safe to the alternator, and to your new amp gauge. Keep the wires tidy and routed to avoid sharp edges, they can cause fires. I always use a fusable link in my wiring (not mentioned too much in discussions) which limit the amps flowing through the various wires to the rating of the alternator, + 10%. So for a fifty Amp alternator, a 55 amp fusable link is perfect. They are available at NAPA and other fine stores. The link goes in series with the wire you will connect to your Amp meter, and the Bat side of the solenoid.
Use spade terminals to do the connection, and tape or shrink tube to prevent shorting.
The Meter will not care which way it is installed. to make sure + and- are correct befor you put it in, run a wire to the non-grounded side of the battery to one terminal of the amp gauge (temporary connections are needed here) then use another wire to go to the back of a headlight. to make it shine. The gauge polarity is correct when the gauge reads discharge with the headlight on. The solenoid side will be the same as the one now connected to the battery non-ground, and the load side will be the other.

Last item is use an amp gauge with a top scale reading big enough for the fuse link. In the example above, for 55A use a meter with 60+ and 60- numbers on the dial. Meters smaller can have their shunt burned out by being subjected to mor than rated amps. Good luck I hope I helped. Keep us updated on the progress.
JimN

Replies:

Add a Reply Name: E-Mail: Subject: Comments: Optional Link URL: Link Title: Optional Image URL: Email Notification: If you check this box, email will be sent to you whenever someone replies to this message. Your email address must be entered above to receive notification. This notification will be cancelled automatically after 2 weeks.

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]