[skrat]

First, thanks again to all who helped me a while back, turns out I had a Voltage Regulater that was bad from the store, teaches me to buy the cheap brand.

So to keep tabs on my charging system I want to install a Voltmeter (My stock Ammeter is dead of course).

So my new question is what brand of voltmeter should I put in? Does anyone have brands I should use or stay away from? Any other cautions for a newbie mechanic trying to do this?

 

[TaZMaNiaK]

There's no aftermarket vm that'll look "stock, but AFAIK, from what I've been told, you can get the vm from a '90-'93 gauge cluster and it will fit where hte ammeter is. You will have to cut the ammeter wires in the cluster connector and splice them to switched 12 and ground. Otherwise, most aftermarket vm's are the same.. You can spend $12 up to $100 or more depending... I like Autometer gauges, they come in all different styles, and they have matched gauges for almost everything. Nordskog gauges are more expensive, but they use stepper motors in their analogs, so they are really accurate, and they have user-defined warning light outputs. They also make digitals. It's all a matter of what you want. They make pillar pods that will fit our trucks - someoe here has them, if you could jump in... Get a Summit catalog. They have a whole section of gauges.

Matt {peace}

 

[jdodgeram]

I also use Autometer.
I don't like the analogs too well because their too hard to read at a quick glance. On mine i know where the needle is suppost to point so I can glance at it and see that it is correct.
As far as mounting I cut the "cubby hole" out of the dach and backed it with 1/4" plexiglass painted black on the back. Then installed the 2 1/8" Autometers, 2 fit perfectly side by side.

JD

 

[georgeda]

I put a cigaret lighter plug on my inexpensive digital voltmeter and just plug it in when I want to check the voltage.