Ammeter

[jhaynie]

Brent,
I know it was red. Does that narrow it down?

John

Unique 289FIA #9367
351W Fuel Injected

[brfutbrian]

clay, i agree with rick. i havent seen so much of a problem with the voltage regulator to say its junk. other than having to add a couple wires to the harness, an external regulator is no big deal. are you still go to lee`s saturday? i need to be in harrisburg on sunday to pick up some parts for a resto im doing on a musclecar ive owned for 30 years. i was going to trailer my car down to PA.and drive it in , but with the monsoon thats being forcast, ill be there, but i dont think the car will. later brian

[clayfoushee]

Yeah Brian, if the monsoon materializes I won't be there with the car, but I will be there. Hope to see you. I'm assuming Lee's going ahead rain or shine.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler (454-stroker), top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[eliminator]

Brent,

Let see, car owners initals are RS.


Yes Clay, you worry too much[^]

Rick
#4279405

[Jim Harding]

quote:Originally posted by clayfoushee

Yeah Brian, if the monsoon materializes I won't be there with the car, but I will be there. Hope to see you. I'm assuming Lee's going ahead rain or shine.

Clay,

Stick the car in your trailer and bring it over..... that's what I'm planning. Noon time weather man said Saturday morning should be overcast, but more rain expected by evening.... might still be a half way good day

- Jim -

Jim Harding
La Plata, Maryland

1982 #3004

[clayfoushee]

Lee called me this afternoon to let me know he's cancelling the event.

Rick, I'm not so much worrying as I'm trying to learn and having fun doing it. Not much of a wrench-turner here, and that's why I plunge in and ask so many questions. I suspect it helps some others as much as it helps me to share these experiences, so I do.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler (454-stroker), top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[ralphscott]

Clay I have been out of town for the last few days and my laptop hard drive threw a rod, so to speak so I have been off line. My Powermaster set up is the same as Rick and Butch's (a.k.a. show dog 1)and I had the same concern as to proximity to the head, but it works like a charm.

Ralph

[Buzz]

I would not get the 100 AMP version as the wires in the Unique are not sized for that kind of load.

When my alternator crapped out and took a bunch of other stuff with it, one of the first things I ordered was a new 100amp Powermaster unit from Summit. Then I realized two of my gauges were shot and another was already questionable, so I ordered a complete set of Autometers. The ammeter with the Autometer set is only 60 amps and I was initially told that it would be ok since the system only draws the amperage it needs. I was told the absence of a lot of power accessories on the Cobra makes the chance of exceeding a 60 amp draw remote. I double checked with the gauge manufacturer and they said under NO circumstances should I attempt to use that gauge as it would pose a fire risk. I decided to buy a different brand sorta-look-alike 100 amp gauge and figured all would be well. Now I see this. Is the Prodesign wiring harness on the Unique really incapable of handling my new alternator? Please tell me I don't have to go and order another one...

[K.Wilson]

Buzz,
The correct wire size for 100 amps at 12 volts is a number 6 (you would need to go to a number 4 if the wire lenght got over 12 feet or so). The alternator wire size in my Unique is a number 8 which is only good for about 65 amps. That is why I went with 60 amp alternator.
All that being said; you do not have enough accessories on you car to draw 60 amps (unless you have added some high electrical load devices). What this means is that the only time you would have the potential to put 100 amps of current thru the circuit would be when the battery is discharged enough so that it has the capacity to receive the 100 amps that the alternator has the capacity to produce. If the battery is sufficiently discharged to accept the 100 amps that the alternator can produce it will over load the circuit (if your wire is a number 8).
If the wire size is a number 8 I would only use a 60 amp alternator.
Keith

[Buzz]

Thanks Keith. Not good news but I am grateful for hearing it now and not after frying my harness. I wish the Prodesign manual would have included this type of information and saved me the the cost of another new alternator (almost triple by the time it gets here) and the worst part which is the time it takes to get it. Having access to this sort of help from fellow owners is literally a lifesaver. I guess I'll go ahead and install the 60 amp ammeter that matches the set - no need for the 100 amp unit now. Funny thing is - I'm still happy and excited to put the new parts on. Life could be a lot worse.

[K.Wilson]

Buzz,
I really recommend getting a "one wire" GM alternator with the internal regulator. The mods necessary to make it fit the ford engine are not that extensive and it is a lot more reliable than the ford alternator with the small regulator bolted to the back. There are always some on e-bay.......
Keith

[Buzz]

Keith, I already have the GM alt as the engine in my car is a SBC (I hope we can still be friends). It was brought down here and partially completed by a really interesting fellow who sadly died piloting a plane in Central America (that alone is a story worthy of a movie). It was a real barn find for me as I had decided on a Unique while I was living in Canada. When I moved back down here, the cost of importing a Cobra or a kit were looking very discouraging until a friend told me there was one here already. Long story short, the odds of finding a Cobra here let alone a Unique would have been a million to one. I would never willingly put a Chevy engine in a Cobra, but I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have what I have. Recently, I had decided to install a "Super FE" from Southern Automotive but two business opportunities popped up and due to the significant cost of importation I had to adjust priorities for a while. So here I am for now stuck with a strong little 383 stroker that runs like a rocket and while it aint the real thing the smile it puts on my face sure is. Take care and thanks again for the help.