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I did. Don't know if you guys have seen the VDO instructions, but they're pretty generic.

http://www.egauges.com/pdf/vdo/0-515-012-068.pdf

I'll figure it out.

That's simple. Put the + of the meter on the power side of the fuse for the ignition switch, the - to any ground. Then power the gauge lamp from one of the speedo lamps and ground the other side of the lamp.

Could I just splice it into the generator charging warning light, the + side of the voltmeter going into the blue wire? Or is that what you said?

No, the circuit to read voltage needs to be the feed to the ignition switch and the light needs to be on the interior illumination circuit.

voltmeter without question STAY AWAY from the generator warning light circuit just find a circuit that goes live with key on and you will just fine

without going in to a lot of detail the gen/alt light circuit cannot really be thought of as a conventional circuit

After auto makers went through the idiot light only period in the fifties and entered the muscle car ira of the sixties and later. They found that the volt meter was easier to wire into the system. They also found out that most of the people did not know how to read them (gauges) or were only after the look, hence the volt meter was the choice.

A volt meter will tell you if you have a broken or thrown belt. An idiot light will do the same faster and is more noticable. A volt meter will tell you how many volts is in your battery or is trying to be rammed into your battery. A volt meter is easier to install. A volt meter will not (easily or at all) tell you if you have a sulfated battery or the condition of your electrical system.

An AMP meter pretty much tells you what is going on in your electrical system, if you know how to read it or do read it. It tells you the rate of charge and draw. It can tell you if you have intermittent shorts or full shorts. It can tell you if you are close to over drawing the charging system. It can tell you if your charging system is not functioning correctly. It can also tell you if you throw or break a belt but is slower to do so than a volt meter (actually the information is there but - usually - harder to read.) An AMP meter will give you indications that you may have a sulfated battery.

As it has been stated before, you have to monitor your gauges and know how to read them for them to be even worth putting on a vehicle. If you do a lot of rough riding and don't have time to look a your gauges, then idiot lights are probably this best (remember though, the oil light is slow to react and will not let you know if you have an impending failure until it is, probably, too late). Also, you can rotate you gauges so the the indicator points straight up at normal readings. I do not recommend digital gauges for off-road riding as they have to be read rather than glance at the needle and then figure out what is saying when your attention is back on your driving.

Since I an of an age where I grew up with cars that have AMP meters, the AMP gauge is my preference of the two (I still back up with a light).

Lee

Ol'fogasaurus wrote:As it has been stated before, you have to monitor your gauges and know how to read them for them to be even worth putting on a vehicle.
Lee

Good post Lee. The only bit I could think to add is in regard to the difference between an ammeter wired in series as opposed to parallel, i.e., a voltmeter wired to a shunt in order to function as an ammeter. The latter is easier (and arguably safer) to install.

Isn't the convention.. Alternators are cool if you have the battery in the front of the car?