Mean Green Posted August 30, 2023 Share Posted August 30, 2023 Went to Watts show this past weekend always a good time tons on trucks there a big thank you to everyone at Watts for putting on such a great show . Well on the way there I stared smelling something from the b model and I couldn’t tell exactly what it was but once the cab filled with smoke I figured I better pull over ended shutting off the batteries and ignition and got to a hardware store to get some tools pulled the dash out and found this amp gauge burned to a crisp I’m just glad it didn’t burn to the ground … think I’m just going to go with a volt gauge this time Quote If your going to be a bear be a grizzly Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73236-got-a-little-hot/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechohaulic Posted August 30, 2023 Share Posted August 30, 2023 did you find a cause for gauge burn out =loose terminals got hot/ bad gauge etc ? fortunately damage was minimal . 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73236-got-a-little-hot/#findComment-537919 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Green Posted August 30, 2023 Author Share Posted August 30, 2023 The hottest spot was at the gauge it burned the wires halfway to the alt and out to the block on the firewall but not to the breaker at the back of the headlight switch so I’m thinking faulty gauge . I cut all the harness apart and only the heavy wires burned I’m only running a volt gauge now so I don’t need to go the the gauge with heavy wire then back out again I’ll just go to the breaker on the head light switch Quote If your going to be a bear be a grizzly Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73236-got-a-little-hot/#findComment-537921 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Weeks Posted August 30, 2023 Share Posted August 30, 2023 (edited) I ran Isspro's 270 deg sweep remote shunt ammeters and loved them. I have since seen they have changed them so can't say if the new ones are as good. I could read a draw as low as 1.5 amps and they read up to 100 amps draw or charge. I'm sure someone else must still make something similar. Isspro's new gauge is more expensive and uses a sender "donut" that the cable has to pass through. I found automotive 90 deg sweep voltmeters to be inaccurate and hard to tell what is really going on. I had both gauges on all my trucks, but just because they came with voltmeters. I could see a bad cell in the battery or a bad diode just by watching the ammeter. With both it was like having a VAT connected up at all times. your gauge looks like the insulator around the mount cross bar failed Edited August 30, 2023 by Geoff Weeks Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73236-got-a-little-hot/#findComment-537929 Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleclutchinweasel Posted August 30, 2023 Share Posted August 30, 2023 Had that happen to an ammeter on a school activity bus I was driving one time. Unhooked the battery to keep it from going up in flames. Straight-wired it to get it back to school. Last time I saw it, it was an the hook, headed for the repair garage. Guess they didn't know how to straight-wire it! Quote "Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73236-got-a-little-hot/#findComment-537943 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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