Fiat Ammeter Question

[RDSPYDR]

I came across a Veglia Ammeter and since my Fiat Spider didn't have one. I was wandering if the guage was an option for certian years ? Also wondering how hard would it be to hook up ? Is ther wiring currently in the dash that I could use without wiring the whole thing from scratch ?

Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to gain some knowledge from your years of working on them. Still new to the Spider.

[baltobernie]

I can't comment on this gauge as a factory option, but ammeters in general are wired in series with the big wire going from the alternator to the starter. No part of the gauge must come close to a ground path, and the gauge itself must be capable of handling current in excess of the alternator's rated output. Hope this helps.

[So Cal Mark]

none of the Spiders had an ammeter option, so there isn't any wiring to connect to easily.

[spider2081]

Unless you know what type of ammeter you have it might not be a good idea to try and hook it up.
Ammeters usually have the 0 in the center and deflect to the left to show a battery discharge and to the right to show a charge. Most Ammeters require a shunt for most of the current to flow through and actually only sample the actual current. Some have the shunt mounted internal in the meter housing and are installed in the battery positive lead to show if the battery is charging or discharging. Other ammeters have an external shunt and then just small wires are connected to the meter.
A 1967 Ford Cortina I owned used a small pick-up coil attached to the battery lead to drive the ammeter. By not knowing what you have, if you connect it up and it needed an external shunt it may self distruct.
A meter connected in series with the alternator lead usually has the 0 on the left side and deflects to the right only. It displays the current that the alternator is delivering. These are often called "load meters"
I know, Lots of words and little help Good luck

[mdrburchette]

I've got a Veglia ammeter from a Jaguar somewhere in my pile of parts. I was thinking of installing it in place of my clock like some other Fiat owners have done.

[RDSPYDR]

The one I was thinking about was on EBay listed as a FIAT 500 600 850 124 SPIDER 127 128 VEGLIA VOLT GAUGE. If that doesn't seem to be a viable option, I guess I could install VDO for the smaller guages. But would prefer to use the Veglia.

More research I guess is needed.

I am actually in the process of making new inserts for the dash and I was going to add another hole for the Ammeter.

I know its not original, but I do like to add my own touches.

Tks to all.

[racydave]

I almost burnt up a car once (when I was much stupider ) with a ampmeter. I would suggest a dedicated hole, gromet, and wraping the wires in heater hose to isolate the wires from the cowl. and proper fused protection at the source.

[So Cal Mark]

a voltmeter is very different than an ammeter

[adrians]

RDSPYDR

I have brought one of those voltmeter from Theo (Cyord) on Ebay ..... it arrived last Friday.

I'll be testing it next week, I'll let you know the outcome.

Regards

[mdrburchette]

My bad. Mine is a voltmeter.

[RDSPYDR]

Ooops. So it is a Volt meter.

Please do let me know how it turns out.

Tks

[TJC]

The one I was thinking about was on EBay listed as a FIAT 500 600 850 124 SPIDER 127 128 VEGLIA VOLT GAUGE. If that doesn't seem to be a viable option, I guess I could install VDO for the smaller guages. But would prefer to use the Veglia.

I have had experience with a Veglia voltmeter bought on ebay from a seller in Cypress (nothing wrong with the seller or transaction, I just mention it so you can see if it was the same).

Unfortunately, I have to say that this particular Veglia was absolute junk. I don't know if it was fake (do people make fake Veglias like they make fake Rolexes?), it was indeed brand new, but it was made in France, not Italy. At first I didn't think anything of it until I opened it up to change the chrome bezel to a black one when I saw that the inner workings. A few thin windings and bad solder joints. It looked like something out of a Radio Shack 100-in-1 electronics projects kit. I decided to try it out to see if it would even work and, on cue, it didn't. I decided to cut my losses, not bother with returning it (I got it for cheap), and ended up just pulling a VDO voltmeter out of an old Jetta GLI.

I know the inner workings of my other Veglia gauges (and the VDO) at least look like their fairly robust designs and they have all worked in my car ever since, so I don't know what the deal is with this one.

[adrians]

TJC

As stated earlier in the posting - I've have also purchased one of these voltmeters from (EBAY User Cyord - Cypress/Greece)

When I hooked it up to a 12 Volt supply nothing happened, 'a dud I thought', then tried it on a car battery - same result no movement in the meter ! !

So I to was going to write off my loses !!!, however I retested it again and left it connected to a while, then the meter came alive with the correct reading !!

So retest yours leaving the current applied for awhile.

Regards

[mbouse]

I purchased a Vegila volt meter from a guy a year ago. thought i had a dud too, but discovered that it needs to be hooked up for 20-30 seconds before it begins to register; as if it needs to warm up, or something.

i have fun with it, but the adjustment is so touchy, that i eventually gave up attempting to tune it in.

[baltobernie]

I used this one.
http://www.egauges.com/vdo_ind.asp?Type ... N=ATM-2645
It's the correct size, and the lighting matches the other instruments. Unless you look closely, only the red pointer gives it away.