[DeTomaso] Alternator found

[Brian]

The stock battery cable to the amp meter is 8 maybe 6 gauge and not designed for more than maybe 80 amps.
The cable gauge required depends on the length, expected load and possibly if it is in free air to cool.
There are many sites out there to calculate the size, here is one.
http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/WireSizeCalc.html

Worse situation is a battery low on charge from cranking after a troublesome warm start, ac, cooling fans, electric fuel pump, headlights, etc on.
The full amperage required to charge the battery and power all the electrics will feed through the cable running from the alternator to the fuse panel / main feed.
This high reading you won't see on the amp meter, it will only show the battery charge amperage, this is when you might be cooking the wiring.
I think most vendors supply a new cable with their alternators.
A 4 or 2 gauge cable is a wise choice depending on the alternator.

On Sep 12, 2012, at 8:31 PM, SOBill at aol.com wrote:

> FWIW,
> 
> The story of the internals of the Pantera ammeter (with pictures)  are at 
> _http://www.panteraplace.com/page178.htm_ 
> (http://www.panteraplace.com/page178.htm) .   Inside the Pantera ammeter, between the two ammeter terminals is 
> a heavy, solid  metal bar through which the current into or out of the 
> battery creates  a magnetic field. The indicator needle mounts a very small 
> magnet which  responds to the magnetic field in the metal bar to indicate 
> charging/discharging  current. 
> 
> Pantera ammeters which get hot have loose and/or corroded internal  or 
> external connections.
> 
> A properly working alternator only provides enough  current to maintain the 
> nominal battery voltage.
> 
> The alternator current that goes into the electrical loads of the  car, 
> other that the portion which is charging the battery, does not go through  the 
> ammeter. As configured in an OEM Pantera, all the electrical loads, except  
> the battery, are on the alternator side of the ammeter.
> 
> As configured in an OEM Pantera electrical system, the ammeter only  
> indicates current going into or out of the battery.
> 
> Have fun  today,
> 
> _sobill at aol.com_ (mailto:sobill at aol.com) 
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