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07-21-2014, 08:24 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Buenaventura, Calif.
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Hooking up electrical tach
A while ago I received my period-correct APCO dual gauge bracket (mounts to the bottom of the steering column) and APCO mechanical temperature gauge and installed everything. Looks and works great!
Now I want to put my old tachometer in the "right" hole but I don't know where to find ignition power. The way I see it, the car is constantly hot, when the battery is hooked up. I have a main power switch mounted with a bracket to my steering box, but if I turn main power on, I have juice everywhere, on the lights, the horn, interior light, and, of course, the junction block. I'd love to get only power to the tach when the ignition is turned on, but I'm not sure if that is an option. If it is, where would I hook it up? Thanks! |
07-21-2014, 10:44 PM | #2 |
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Location: Windy City
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
A little more info would help:
1) Are you 6V or 12V 2) Gen or Alt? If alt, what type - 10/12SI, other, single or 3 wire? 3) Original popout switch or non- popout replacement? A solution can be had for any, but it depends on what now exists. |
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07-21-2014, 10:57 PM | #3 | |
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
Quote:
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07-22-2014, 10:16 AM | #4 |
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Location: Anchorage, Alaska
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
If you are using the stock ignition set up, the easiest way to power the tach is to use a separate toggle switch for the tach. I ran mine that way for a couple of years until I changed out the repro pop-out switch that really didn't work very well anyway.
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07-22-2014, 09:16 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: Jul 2011
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
Mike, I have 12V, negative ground, alternator, and aftermarket, non-pop-out switch. My excuse: I bough it that way!
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07-22-2014, 09:20 PM | #6 |
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
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07-22-2014, 09:52 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Windy City
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
If you have an aftermarket on/off key switch with two terminals on the back the job is easy. Just change a few wires to turn the coil on/off with the switch. (Your car may already be rewired that way to turn the coil on/off)
*** BEFORE starting, make a detailed drawing (or take pix!) of how everything is now connected.*** 1)Remove the two wires connecting to the coil primary terminals. 2)From the yellow/black wire connection side of the terminal box run a wire to the key switch, either terminal. 3)Wire the 2nd switch terminal to the + side of the coil primary. (In your case the switch output wire goes to the + coil side because you converted to 12V neg ground, and the key switch output will be +). 4)The other side of the coil primary connects to the wire going to the dizzy points. 5)Test, car should run/stop with key on/off. Now, anything you want switched on/off (tach, electric fuel valve, radio, etc.) connects to the 2nd switch terminal. I hope this helps. Clear as mud? Draw it out, it will make more sense, maybe. |
07-22-2014, 09:52 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Buenaventura, Calif.
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
What you see is "leftover" stuff from when I flushed the radiator with a garden hose. I wasn't kidding when I -- in another post -- stated that I haven't washed my car since the day I brought it home and thoroughly pressure washed it. Looks worse in the dark using a flash though!
Now there's clean water in the system. |
07-24-2014, 12:19 AM | #9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Buenaventura, Calif.
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Re: Hooking up electrical tach
Mike,
Thanks for the info. I'm still processing it. Will pull the gauge cluster tomorrow and see if my brain can take it in . . . :-) |
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