[DeTomaso] New Owner Questions, Help

[F&D Terry]

Mike,

All automobile ammeters already have an internal shunt otherwise their 
delicate meter circuit would be instantly destroyed. The shunt is 
usually brass and of a known cross section so that the amount of current 
bypassing the meter circuit can be calculated. The minuscule current 
that does go through the meter coils causes it to move a precise amount 
and thus register the amps. Placing a second shunt across the meter 
terminals may cause the meter to cease functioning depending on its 
cross sectional area.

There is no good reason to add a second shunt. If the meter terminals 
are clean and tight it will operate as intended. I ran a 120 amp 
alternator on my car for years that supplied the heavy current demands 
of an electronic fuel injection without an incident. There are those who 
advocate shunting the ammeter but to me it is a useless endeavor.

Take a look at http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_8/4.html

Fred T.

MikeLDrew at aol.com wrote:

>In a message dated 7/4/07 19 10 55, asajay at asajay.com writes:
>
>
>  
>
>>- Short the Ammeter
>>    This one is a matter of who you talk to.  Shorting the ammeter
>>prevents it from heating up and catching fire (don't let that scare you
>>though, it's not a -real- problem). 
>>
>>    
>>
>
>AJ means SHUNTING tha ammeter.   Shorting it will instantly cause a fire. :>)
>
>Running a wire from one side of the ammeter to the other (a shunt) allows 
>some of the current to flow past the ammeter, instead of through it.   This does 
>two things--it ensures the car will still run if the ammeter dies internally, 
>and it also helps dampen the wide fluctuations you might otherwise see.
>
>SOBill Taylor (SOBill at aol.com) is the resident electrical guru here, and he 
>should be chiming in with help any moment now. :>)
>
>MIke
>
>
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