voltmeter for 51 8n

[DavidB1968]

Does anyone make a voltmeter that would fit in the same place as the 6V ammeter? This is for a 1951 8N converted to 12V with a one wire alternator.

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 07:13:04 12/14/17) Does anyone make a voltmeter that would fit in the same place as the 6V ammeter? This is for a 1951 8N converted to 12V with a one wire alternator.

Sure - I don't know the hole size for sure off the top of my head but 2" seems likely. Pull the ammeter out and measure it. Then go shopping on the web ;-)

TOH

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

Plentiful gauges abound, but I'd rather be looking at AMPS than VOLTS in a charging system regardless if by generator or alternator. You need AMPS to crank engine over, not necessarily volts. For example, you can take a 6-Volt Dry Cell; 4 D Cells; 4 AA's, or 4 AAA batteries and they all add up to 6-volts each however, none have the required amperage to crank over an engine. In the classic Ron Howard movie "Apollo 13", the astronauts are checking their status prior to reentry and the character Fred Haise says, " ...battery shows zero volts, 2 amps". All of their electrical systems needed the amps to operate and they couldn't exceed 20 amps total without system overload.

Tim Daley(MI)

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 08:19:58 12/14/17) Plentiful gauges abound, but I'd rather be looking at AMPS than VOLTS in a charging system regardless if by generator or alternator. You need AMPS to crank engine over, not necessarily volts. For example, you can take a 6-Volt Dry Cell; 4 D Cells; 4 AA's, or 4 AAA batteries and they all add up to 6-volts each however, none have the required amperage to crank over an engine. In the classic Ron Howard movie "Apollo 13", the astronauts are checking their status prior to reentry and the character Fred Haise says, " ...battery shows zero volts, 2 amps". All of their electrical systems needed the amps to operate and they couldn't exceed 20 amps total without system overload.

Tim Daley(MI)

I hesitate to add fuel to this seemingly inextinguishable inferno but that is a very poor analysis:

Q: What is the easiest and most direct way to measure the state of charge of your battery?

A: With a voltmeter - 12.6V is fully charged - anything less is a partially charged or defective battery - e.g. low on cranking amps

Q: With the engine off what does an ammeter tell you about the state of charge of your battery?

A: Absolutely nothing.

TOH

 

[Hobo,NC]

Voltmeter questions always brings out the amp-meter lubbers for some reason they have amp-meter fever and can not for the life of them get past the fact its not a primary diagnostic tool... They can dream up some neat chit tho :lol:

A 2" ampmeter fits yer hole you may have to clean it up with a round file I use Sparex # S.61428

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

Exactly, That is why if I question battery charge, and with a battery tender in use, really don't have to, I check static with a voltmeter at DC volts. Tomato/TOE-MATTO...

Tim

 

[Hobo,NC]

Once Y'all amp-meter lubbers learn voltmeter dynamic test Y'alls life will forever change.

 

[HCooke]

My local farm and home store has them. 2 inches.

 

[cowdog]

Man I was beginning to miss this playground
argument. It's your tractor and guage. Do
whatever you desire with both. Guage's
grow on trees. Tractor supply, etc have
them. 2 inch is the standard dimension. I
am sure you are aware of a slight wiring
differance for each.

 

[Lester Isby]

Easy answer for voltmeter verse's ammeter have both. Every new Kenworth I ordered I had both installed at the factory.

 

[oldtanker]

I guess when you have a battery load tester you really don't need a volt or amp meter, now do ya? :lol: :lol: :lol:

For what it's worth I've seen more than one battery show or test 12.6 volts or more and fail a load test, just had one do that in the wife's Suburban this fall gauge showed right at 13 volts......so much for a battery gauge. I worked on one car for a guy. Starting problems. He was convinced his battery was bad. It tested low voltage but was good as far as a load/voltage test after being on a charger. His alternator tested good too. Battery connections were so dirty it wasn't passing enough electricity to charge the battery much less turn the engine over. Battery gauge wasn't much help there. All it did was indicate what the battery voltage was when first looked at. The gauge darned sure didn't tell me where the problem was.

If the battery is fully charged and an engine fails to start but turns over normally a battery gauge isn't going to tell me anything except the battery is fully charged. Amp meter isn't going to tell me anything either. Ain't enough value in either to pick one over the other. While on the other hand if my amp meter on my N starts indicating a discharge while running I at least know I have a problem. but if the battery is fully charged a battery gauge won't tell me a thing over an hour because the ignition system doesn't eat enough juice to really bring the battery that low. So it boils down to personal preference.

I have 14 or 15 batteries around here on various tractors, vehicles and boats. Well worth it to have a battery load tester.

Rick

 

[Hobo,NC]

You don't know how to read the gauge... You posted a static reading it shows you have a lot to learn blaming the voltage reading on what you don't know is your problem...

Like most amp meter lubbers you fight it why I dunno... I don't understand why Y'all want to dumb others down...

What you posted is pure B.S.