Help wiring SunPro gage pack

[XXBULLETSXX]

Someone give me some help. I have been trying to wire up the alt gauge on a SunPro gauge pack. Where do the two wires on the back of the alternator gauge go. I can get it to show what the battery has but I can't get it to show what the alternator is doing. I also want the gauge to shut off when the ignition is off.

Someone help I hate wiring! LOL plus I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[jikelly]

Did you get a wiring diagram with the guage? If so you need to follow it and its instructions.

Okay, with that said. If you have a voltage gauge then you will need to connect the hot side of the guage to a 12 volt accessory source on your wiring harness. That way your guage will turn off when your key turns off. As far as reading the alternator voltage seporate from your battery, I don't think that is possible since it is electrically connected to the battery's positive post. You could wire the hot side of the gauge to the +post of the battery and use a relay connected to the accessories to turn it on with the key.

 

[Edbert]

An ammeter (ampmeter) should be able to tell you the alternator output, while a voltmeter reads the entire system. I've got a 1-wire alternator so there was no option for such a thing, plus I've read that you cannot use them with any alternator that has more than 65amps output, and mine is a 140.

 

[XXBULLETSXX]

Thanks guys I've got it working now but I'm not sure if I'm having a problem with my alternator or my voltage regulator. Or they could be working fine and I'm not checking my alternator correctly. I've checked the battery voltage with the car off and then checked it again with the car running. My thought was that the voltage should be higher when the car is running and lower when off. But it was lower when it was running?
I'm lost...did I mention I hate electrical work?

 

[Edbert]

It should be higher when the alternator is running yes.

Also battery voltage is not a good indicator of it's power. A dead battery will often read 12 volts when there is no load.

 

[XXBULLETSXX]

Ok I finally got my charging problem fixed. Turns out is was a couple of things that caused the problem.
1st. I had no block to body ground.
2nd. The no block to body ground caused my voltage regulator to burnout.
3rd. The voltage regulato burned out
4th. I had my field wire hooked up on the wrong post while trying to figure out the problem.
Long story short, I got it working and I'm a happy man now.

BTW, if you don't have a block to body ground...GET ONE!