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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Ammeter safety

The only time that I had a safety issue with car electrics was when a cable to the ammeter shorted against the ammeter body. Smoke and a quick glance under the dash saw the temp gauge capillary glowing red! I immediately cut the power and found the problem. Amazingly the temp gauge still worked and no real damage was done. It was some time ago and I certainly learned something.
I was reminded of all this when I recently rebuilt the TF’s ammeter. A very crude device, with all sorts of potential safety issues. The problem is that unlike a modern ammeter, all of the power goes through it and there is no shunt resistor. Having the potential for 30Amp (or 45Amp like me if you have fitted an alternator) going through the firewall /bulkhead and then the dash, is not a very wise thing really. One is tempted just to take more care and leave the darn thing alone (my repair worked perfectly, so that’s not an issue), but if anyone has a better solution I would like to hear it. Yes, I know that I could just bypass the ammeter and fit a voltmeter or even Volt sensitive LED (I’ve also done that). No, what I am really asking is whether anyone has replaced the ammeter mechanism with something safer and smarter, that uses a remote shunt resistor, for example?
Dave H
Dave Hill

This thread was discussed on 18/12/2017

MG TD TF 1500 index

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