Ammeter Wiring

lomaxjohn

Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Wiring an Ammeter

Please correct me when I go wrong

MTML Regulator Brown wire to ammeter (as per installation instructions)

Then ammeter to battery; can I split this wire into two, one going to the ignition switch the other to the battery, or do I have wire the ammeter direct to the battery and then run another cable from the battery to the ignition switch.

Hope this makes sense

John



Ammeter

Battery

Ignition Switch

Regulator
 

John Appleton

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
John, if you wish for your ammeter to show charge and discharge to the battery you do neither of those things. The brown goes to the ammeter and then to battery. All other wires share the same ammeter terminal as the brown wire from the regulator. Now, no engine running, ignition "on", ammeter shows discharge.(if it shows "charge" swap all the wires on the ammeter). Start the engine and the generatior will run any loads you have put on the brown terminal and only show on the ammeter that surplus that the battery requires to top up.If you do it the way you have described, the generator will still balance them out , but will show them as a massive overcharge and never show a discharge.
John
 
Last edited:

lomaxjohn

Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
John, if you wish for your ammeter to show charge and discharge to the battery you do neither of those things. The brown goes to the ammeter and then to battery. All other wires share the same ammeter terminal as the brown wire from the regulator. Now, no engine running, ignition "on", ammeter shows discharge.(if it shows "charge" swap all the wires on the ammeter). Start the engine and the generatior will run any loads you have put on the brown terminal and only show on the ammeter that surplus that the battery requires to top up.If you do it the way you have described, the generator will still balance them out , but will show them as a massive overcharge and never show a discharge.
John


Hi John

Many thanks for your very prompt reply

I think I have got my mind around this
Now just checking, can I split the Brown cable into two, one to the ammeter the other to the ignition switch, which is the on/off for all of the electrics

Battery
l
Ammeter...............................Regulator
l
Ignition Switch..........l

John
 

John Appleton

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi John, yes, thats ok, the only accessory that sometimes has a direct fused feed from the battery is the horn as this can put a frightening reading on the ammeter.
John
 

Alan J

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I have wired my stop light and indicators"the wrong way round"!but at least the unexpected "charge" shows me that they are working-and so far15 years or so, no damage to the ammeter has resulted! You are right, best wire the "horn" directly.
 

lomaxjohn

Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Hi John

I have often wondered why the horn / stop light had a direct link to the battery.

I used the ignition switch to act as the master switch for all of the electrics, switched off, no power anywhere.

Alan has reported no problems with his ammeter to date and I am using a low powered horn (just enough to be legal) so unless you consider the high discharge may damage my ammeter I will retain the ignition switch as the master switch

To John and Alan, many thanks for your help and assistance

Regards

John
 

John Appleton

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi John, it is highly unlikely that you will damage the ammeter if you havn't done so by now.
Just one other suggestion, why not join the V.O.C. and meet all of us old and grizzled riders in person. You did not say what bike you have been working on, but even if it didn't come from Stevenage we wont mind.
John
 
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