volt gauge

got given an old one with no wiring diagram. hooked up the bulb ok so it light s up with lights put an earth on and wired to ignition live but it blew fuses big time
have i got the wires wrong way round?
would i be able to connect straight to alternator for live?
the earth is a screw into the bulkhead. should i connect it to something a bit beefier?
not the best at electrics only just started to try and get my head roun it cheers

voltmeter can be wired into any +ve feed, but do not wire to alternator

If it blows the fuses, sounds like a dead short in the meter - i.e. it's faulty

If you're feeling brave, wire directly across battery - if i'm right you"ll get a bang, sparks and you'll jump quite high

You sure its not an ammeter to measure current rather than voltage? An ammeter connected across the battery would appear as a dead short and blow any fuses.

Shifty1962 said:

You sure its not an ammeter to measure current rather than voltage? An ammeter connected across the battery would appear as a dead short and blow any fuses.

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Evening Shifty - didn't cross my mind that the OP might have an ammeter, but yep, that would sure do it

If you go for testing the meter across the battery can you video it just in case.

bluehaze said:

If you go for testing the meter across the battery can you video it just in case.

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Oh Bluey, please don't spoil my fun - was one of my better suggestions

bluehaze said:

If you go for testing the meter across the battery can you video it just in case.

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I think your name mite be more apt than yu think

A different type of blue movie all together Daft!

Connected mine to a white wire at ignition switch.

hi
it is a volt meter i put it across the battery wow!!!! big sparks so would this suggest it is foobar then

just asking what would happen if i did connect to alternator would it blow up or something

Would earth earth out alternator, causing failure of that as well - don't do it!

great. had no intention of doing it when you said not to just wondered what would happen. i think i'll go buy a volt gauge wire it into a ignition live and is the earth to a screw on the bulkhead ok. i suppose if i buy one it will come with instructions