Dumb Wiring Question

My "replacing the gauges project" turned into more than I thought it would. Once I got under the dash, too many years and two other owners required a lot more re-wiring to clean up some ugly stuff. The car originally had an ammeter and I will be using a voltmeter so the #10 wire from the alternator (GM single wire) comes into the cab.

The question is, does the wire from the alternator have to go directly to the starter solenoid/battery post first or can it pick up the circuit at the fuse panel? I have wired a couple of houses and even built a stereo amplifier and so to me a circuit is a circuit. Why would you have to go to the solenoid first or do you?. Line resistance? Etiquette?

Thanks for your comments, I have always learned a lot from you guys.

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Originally Posted by tsquare

My "replacing the gauges project" turned into more than I thought it would. Once I got under the dash, too many years and two other owners required a lot more re-wiring to clean up some ugly stuff. The car originally had an ammeter and I will be using a voltmeter so the #10 wire from the alternator (GM single wire) comes into the cab.

The question is, does the wire from the alternator have to go directly to the starter solenoid/battery post first or can it pick up the circuit at the fuse panel? I have wired a couple of houses and even built a stereo amplifier and so to me a circuit is a circuit. Why would you have to go to the solenoid first or do you?. Line resistance? Etiquette?

Thanks for your comments, I have always learned a lot from you guys.

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First of all not a dumb question, as many of us are dumbfounded by automotive electronics!
Secondly I would use the directions for the new guage, since if anything doesn't work, it will be covered by warrenty. I know only a little about car electronics, but unless it is a pain to wire the way it is stated, I'd just follow the directions. Hope this is helpfull until one of the pro's chimes in!

Just splice to the "hot when key is on wire" from the ign switch, or from the fuse box to the gauge, ground the other side to ground.

Pat

How big is the feed wire to the fuse panel? If you go to the fuse panel with the #10 alt wire, it will have to use the rest of the feed wire system to get back to the battery to charge it. If you move the #10 alt wire to the battery/starter connection, the battery cable will take the charging current to the battery, and it will be big enough to handle it without any worry. Sniper

You want the alternator to feed directly to the battery through the shortest route (path of least resistance)... this is often through the hot side of the starter solenoid for convenience. A heavy wire (10 or 8 awg) straight to the battery post is better. You can then pickup the main hot to the fuse box at the starter solenoid or battery whichever is more convenient. Your voltmeter can be on any switched hot circuit. Better to keep the heavy alternator wire out of the drivers compartment if you odn't have to for an ammeter...

-Chris