Underhood Ammeter Bypass

[cbarge]

@cbarge have you linked a Bulkhead Bypass thread yet?

Not yet. Been busy putting it together,taking pics.
Once I have all the information and pics gathered I will post it up in one sitting.
Tricky to do when ppl post replies in the middle of it when I am not done,LOL

 

[James Romano]

I am running a 95amp "Roundback" Powermaster alternator. Part # 7018
Looks factory but packs a punch,LOL.
My car originally came with 38 amp alternator.
I did use heavier wiring,bypassed the bulkhead and did the underhood bypass as well.
Also running an electronic voltage regulator.
No issues.
The plan was if I ever was to go with a big stereo or add A/C and electric fans the car is readily capable to handle the electrical load.
View attachment 379643

Nice motor!

How do you know the output of your Alt? I think mine is 55 amp, other than hooking in my Fluke to the amp circuit, I have no idea what mine is really putting out.

Also... I was going to do the bulkhead bypass, but my bulkhead connectors actually look good. I tied the ammeter wires together and dumped out my ammeter, changing it over to a voltmeter. I figured between doing that, and adding in the second 10 gauge line from the Alt to the starter relay, I should be fine. Plus I also did the headlight relay mod today as well.

What other wires did you beef-up to run a 95 amp?

 

[cbarge]

Nice motor!

How do you know the output of your Alt? I think mine is 55 amp, other than hooking in my Fluke to the amp circuit, I have no idea what mine is really putting out.

Also... I was going to do the bulkhead bypass, but my bulkhead connectors actually look good. I tied the ammeter wires together and dumped out my ammeter, changing it over to a voltmeter. I figured between doing that, and adding in the second 10 gauge line from the Alt to the starter relay, I should be fine. Plus I also did the headlight relay mod today as well.

What other wires did you beef-up to run a 95 amp?

View attachment 379648

View attachment 379646

Based on factory specs is where i assumed it had a 34 or 35 amp alternator. Basic car no big electrical options.
I agree with the work you have done you should be fine. The main wire from alternator you already done and as long as the voltage regulator can hsndle it no problems should arise.
Been following your progress and good work!!

 

[NDSWEDE]

Thanks for the info. It's a must do on my 66 Fury list.

 

[mopar440]

I did the bypass, while doing it, I moved my electric choke wire to the IGN terminal of the voltage regulator

I hooked up a voltmeter too. I've noticed it approaches 15.5-16 V sometimes cruising. No lights one

Original regulator and alt. Is that normal with a good battery, or is that load on the IGN side causing a issue?

 

[James Romano]

That's high. Have you given any thought to swapping to solid state VR. Keeping mind that the original VR is setup to accept the original wiring.

Now that it's seeing a clean source of power, it might be overstressed.

If you've never seen what they look like inside, it's just a big coil and a set of points. The points might be sticking closed.

 

[mopar440]

That's high. Have you given any thought to swapping to solid state VR. Keeping mind that the original VR is setup to accept the original wiring.

Now that it's seeing a clean source of power, it might be overstressed.

If you've never seen what they look like inside, it's just a big coil and a set of points. The points might be sticking closed.

I'm thinking about it, the ole standard ignition ones any good, or the ones a member on here has?

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Bill Corcoran (@FURYGT ) here on the board sells the electronic ones (look original, electronic guts) - excellent.

 

[66MonacoWagon]

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this. I was able to do this to the car today - took less than 10 minutes and cost under $20. I even printed up this thread for the car's records so the next owner doesn't have to scratch their head and wonder what the extra wires are for...

 

[James Romano]

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this. I was able to do this to the car today - took less than 10 minutes and cost under $20. I even printed up this thread for the car's records so the next owner doesn't have to scratch their head and wonder what the extra wires are for...

Just saying... Don't be afraid to go further and do the headlight conversion as well. It all helps preserve the car for the long haul.

 

[cbarge]

@cbarge have you linked a Bulkhead Bypass thread yet?

Here ya go!!!
Simple Bulkhead Bypass

 

[RagTop66]

Here ya go!!!
Simple Bulkhead Bypass

Maybe I missed something(I apologize), but if I did the under hood bypass, is it necessary to bypass the gauge itself? I’m a complete novice, but I’d like to avoid having to use the fire extinguisher that I installed in my car. Thanks in advance. The step by step instructions were extremely helpful and easy to understand for the under hood bypass.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

No, you don't have to bypass the gauge itself, although that is often done in ADDITION to the underhood bypass. When that is done, the owner installs an aftermarket voltmeter (because the ammeter is now useless) to monitor the charging system. Fact is, a voltmeter is a good idea, period, even when doing the underhood bypass.

Point is, the underhood bypass takes much of the strain off of the ammeter and the bulkhead connections that send juice TO the ammeter, and then back OUT to charge the battery. In other words "bypassing" that vulnerable old bulkhead connection to some extent.

Also, you may have read where the ammeter doesn't work quite right after the underhood bypass. That's because it's seeing a discharge condition because it's no longer seeing the incoming juice due to the underhood bypass. My ammeter reads in the negative, as if the charging system was weak or I had every light and accessory in the car on. Others have reported that their gauge shows a positive charge. So make note of where your gauge reads now (idling, nothing on), make the bypass, and see where the needle is (idle, nothing on). This would be your New Normal for the gauge.

 

[JM_ART]

No, you don't have to bypass the gauge itself, although that is often done in ADDITION to the underhood bypass. When that is done, the owner installs an aftermarket voltmeter (because the ammeter is now useless) to monitor the charging system. Fact is, a voltmeter is a good idea, period, even when doing the underhood bypass.

Point is, the underhood bypass takes much of the strain off of the ammeter and the bulkhead connections that send juice TO the ammeter, and then back OUT to charge the battery. In other words "bypassing" that vulnerable old bulkhead connection to some extent.

And this is something I need to finish. I performed the underhood, partial bypass, which enabled me to start my New Yorker, and brought back many of my accessories, too. Now I want to fully bypass the ammeter.

So, my understanding is that I should run an eight or ten gauge wire from the large post on the starter relay into the passenger compartment through a hole which will be lined with a rubber grommet. This bypasses the bulkhead electrical connector. But, instead of connecting that red wire to the “red” post on the old ammeter gauge, I would remove the black wire from that gauge and connect my new red wire to it using a crimped/soldered/wrapped splice. Then, the black wire, from the large welded splice, needs to be crimped/soldered/wrapped to an eight or ten gauge black wire, which will pass through the same bulkhead grommet as the aforementioned red wire. This black wire will run back to the starter relay lug, using a fusible link. Do I have that correct?

 

[RagTop66]

No, you don't have to bypass the gauge itself, although that is often done in ADDITION to the underhood bypass. When that is done, the owner installs an aftermarket voltmeter (because the ammeter is now useless) to monitor the charging system. Fact is, a voltmeter is a good idea, period, even when doing the underhood bypass.

Point is, the underhood bypass takes much of the strain off of the ammeter and the bulkhead connections that send juice TO the ammeter, and then back OUT to charge the battery. In other words "bypassing" that vulnerable old bulkhead connection to some extent.

Also, you may have read where the ammeter doesn't work quite right after the underhood bypass. That's because it's seeing a discharge condition because it's no longer seeing the incoming juice due to the underhood bypass. My ammeter reads in the negative, as if the charging system was weak or I had every light and accessory in the car on. Others have reported that their gauge shows a positive charge. So make note of where your gauge reads now (idling, nothing on), make the bypass, and see where the needle is (idle, nothing on). This would be your New Normal for the gauge.

Thanks! I already added an aftermarket volt, temp, oil gauge set previously, so I’m good to go. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t missing something with the ammeter gauge bypass.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Just connect both the black and red wires to the hot stud of the amp gauge. This will bypass the gauge, join the two wires together very strongly, and have a nice safe solid shrouded terminal with no chance of fraying insulation/tape grounding out somewhere, all held in place by the gauge housing.

I don't like crimped and taped connections that carry that much amperage.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

And this is something I need to finish. I performed the underhood, partial bypass, which enabled me to start my New Yorker, and brought back many of my accessories, too. Now I want to fully bypass the ammeter.

Just to Reply to you, I have not done the mod full bypass mod you describe and don't intend to. In my case, my bulkhead connection was good (not scorched!) so I fastidiously cleaned every (male and female) terminal to bright metal, coated everything with a thin coat of dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion, and put it solidly back together. The underhood bypass then reduced the load on that very important 10 gauge bulkhead connection, so I'm good.

I've also retained a low-amperage alternator as Chrysler specified, so as not to cook the damn harness. I worry about guys putting 120 amp alts in their cars. What are they trying to power.....a lowrider hydraulic "jump" system?

 

[JM_ART]

Just to Reply to you, I have not done the mod full bypass mod you describe and don't intend to. In my case, my bulkhead connection was good (not scorched!) so I fastidiously cleaned every (male and female) terminal to bright metal, coated everything with a thin coat of dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion, and put it solidly back together. The underhood bypass then reduced the load on that very important 10 gauge bulkhead connection, so I'm good.

I've also retained a low-amperage alternator as Chrysler specified, so as not to cook the damn harness. I worry about guys putting 120 amp alts in their cars. What are they trying to power.....a lowrider hydraulic "jump" system?

Oh, no intentions here of trying to install a crazy-high amp alternator. I’m comfortable with the stock unit. I just want to fully bypass the bulkhead connector (which isn’t fried, and appears serviceable) and the ammeter. The highest draw accessory I plan on installing would be a moderate amplifier for a new audio setup (like something from Retro Sound, or Classic Car Stereos).

 

[saylor]

just for flavor - the stock wiring is not 10AWG.
if you drive headlights, stereo, electric fans, electric fuel pump, amps, etc, you can quickly exceed the amperages of the stock electrical system. If you examine your stock harness around the heater, or headlight connections, for example, you may find a wire looking like this

or like this

both pictures demonstrate wire failure, and should be replaced.

I recommend doing the ALT <> BATT upgrade, the firewall bypass, the ammeter bypass, and the headlight relays bypass.


try not to die -

- saylor

 

[JM_ART]

just for flavor - the stock wiring is not 10AWG.
if you drive headlights, stereo, electric fans, electric fuel pump, amps, etc, you can quickly exceed the amperages of the stock electrical system. If you examine your stock harness around the heater, or headlight connections, for example, you may find a wire looking like this
View attachment 399803

or like this

View attachment 399805

both pictures demonstrate wire failure, and should be replaced.

I recommend doing the ALT <> BATT upgrade, the firewall bypass, the ammeter bypass, and the headlight relays bypass.


try not to die -

- saylor

And putting my headlights on relays is on my “hit list”. I’m thinking the upgraded audio installation can also go on a relay, true?