Safest power draw for relays OR how to disable your ammeter
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:49 am
Hopefully a technical whiz can shed light here. Or, you might just find this interesting.
Got around to installing headlight relays recently...I know this is just a bandage and what is really needed is a whole car harness replacement. Let's face it, I don't have the $3grand for what is needed, which in my opinion is not a faithful replacement of the original, because, let's face it, the original is somewhat underwired from the factory, and by somewhat I don't mean somewhat. For starters, the design is missing universal terminal blocks for safe accessory mounting and/or grounding, but I digress.
Uh, the headlight relay. Keep in mind, the '64 has the quaint ammeter which is fundamentally a 10 gauge wire circuit from the alternator to the positive terminal of the solenoid with a splice in the middle, that's the ammeter safely tucked in the dash. The boiler-plate headlight relay plan is to draw power from that solenoid terminal or the battery, soldering in a fuse or fusible link. I chose a 30-amp circuit breaker and connected to the solenoid. Before replacing my old-timey headlights with anything bright, I fired her up, and initially achieved success, but noted a disabled ammeter. Previously trustworthy, now dead. It's not a question of soldering; multi-meter shows continuity through all splices.
Furthermore, if I remove the red wire to the relays and restore the black wire to the ammeter, circuit's closed and it works again.
These are my questions. Why does the inline power draw, taken off the discharge side of the ammeter cause this? And would I be better off/safer to draw power from the back of the alternator instead? Does anyone here create a terminal block such applications? Is '64 an exception to the "no-brainer" headlight relay plan?
Please don't see this as poking at Ford. I love my car. Tbird gooood. Fire baaaad.
Paul
Got around to installing headlight relays recently...I know this is just a bandage and what is really needed is a whole car harness replacement. Let's face it, I don't have the $3grand for what is needed, which in my opinion is not a faithful replacement of the original, because, let's face it, the original is somewhat underwired from the factory, and by somewhat I don't mean somewhat. For starters, the design is missing universal terminal blocks for safe accessory mounting and/or grounding, but I digress.
Uh, the headlight relay. Keep in mind, the '64 has the quaint ammeter which is fundamentally a 10 gauge wire circuit from the alternator to the positive terminal of the solenoid with a splice in the middle, that's the ammeter safely tucked in the dash. The boiler-plate headlight relay plan is to draw power from that solenoid terminal or the battery, soldering in a fuse or fusible link. I chose a 30-amp circuit breaker and connected to the solenoid. Before replacing my old-timey headlights with anything bright, I fired her up, and initially achieved success, but noted a disabled ammeter. Previously trustworthy, now dead. It's not a question of soldering; multi-meter shows continuity through all splices.
Furthermore, if I remove the red wire to the relays and restore the black wire to the ammeter, circuit's closed and it works again.
These are my questions. Why does the inline power draw, taken off the discharge side of the ammeter cause this? And would I be better off/safer to draw power from the back of the alternator instead? Does anyone here create a terminal block such applications? Is '64 an exception to the "no-brainer" headlight relay plan?
Please don't see this as poking at Ford. I love my car. Tbird gooood. Fire baaaad.
Paul