Thread: Could I use my original F1 gauges?

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Originally Posted by Dago Red

Is the ammeter the one that indicates charge? would it need to show more than 30 amps? I thought in my cars now they normally sit around 14amps charging. How would I make sure they were all accurate and where do I get the senders, the original engine and everything hooked to it are long gone.

thanks man.

Red

All the newer cars have voltage gauges... The 14 volt reading you refer to indicates the alternator is charging at 14 volts, not amps.... As a minimum, an alternator that will power up a car today is going to be at least 70 Amps.... The truck came with a generator, not near the same output as an alternator.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

All the newer cars have voltage gauges... The 14 volt reading you refer to indicates the alternator is charging at 14 volts, not amps.... As a minimum, an alternator that will power up a car today is going to be at least 70 Amps.... The truck came with a generator, not near the same output as an alternator.

alternators will make what they need to keep up to the draw, average is about 14- 30 amps after a few min's running ( will always kick a little more cold cause of crank up recovery and fast idle ). headlights, radio heater ect... all will make a diffrence of course. Alternators today, rarely go above 50% of there capacity, when they do, it's usally due to a bad battery, going above 50% on any alt is actually hard on the alternator