Gauges / Amp meters

[SGregg]

Found an old Amp meter in my garage today, and want to know where to wire it to?



It has two terminals on the back, I presume one goes to possitive and the other negative? but do they need to go to a specific + & -?



And I'd look at the instructions but its about 20 years old and they arent around

[Simop]

An ammeter measures the current drawn through a circuit... so you need to wire the ammeter in series, in the circuit.



ie, if you want to measure the current drawn by your radio, you should splice the live wire going to your radio and connect either end of the spliced wire to a terminal on the ammeter.



As current needs to be measured in series, its not usually a job that you would just test, for interest, as you need to mess around re-wiring things.



Simo'

[Guy]

so therefore it wud prob connect as:



+ on the battery terminal

- connect to the wires that usuall go oto battery terminal



thus making it in series?

[Guy]

thats of course if u want to measure the current being drawn from ya battery...

[SGregg]

So I just cut into the the live wire and extend it to either terminal of the Ammeter, so its 'in line' if you like?

[tgazvtr]

You need some choco block which is like a terminal (can be bought at b and Q etc. Cut into the wire put one end in plsh the end for the ammeter and the other end going to the battery in the other side and put some insulation tape around it and tape it to the cable (make sure so that no water can get in). Hope that helps you (probably doesnt but any way) Any probs just put on another post.

[SGregg]

You mean Scotch locks?

[tgazvtr]

What ever i call it coca block.

[SGregg]

Chocolate blobs? <img src= "smileys/silly.gif"> <img src= "smileys/grin.gif">

[SGregg]

So let me get this right, I just cut into the live wire going to my stereo, and wire each end to the ammeter.



or



Do I cut into the live and run wires to the ammeter, leaving the live intact?



<img src= "smileys/confused.gif">