- 1). Find a spot usually--under the dash--that the voltmeter can be mounted. Mount the voltmeter with the screws provided. On the back of the voltmeter, there are two connections. Look at them closely--one side is positive and the other negative. They must be hooked up that way or the voltmeter will work backwards indicating a discharge when in fact it is charging.
- 2). Use 16-gauge wire for the hookup if the wire was not provided with the voltmeter kit.
- 3). Remove the bottom of the dash to gain access to the harness. The harness can be seen coming out of the steering column and going into a rectangular connector close to the column--usually to the left side. Probe the connector for a wire that has power with the key off and does not drop to 0 when the engine is started. Remember that the large 10-gauge yellow wire is the starter and will not have any power except when the starter is engaged. Never mess with a yellow wire with a bold black stripe around it. Call it the yellow jacket wire because this is the air bag wiring.
- 4). Look for an accessory wire. Usually, the brown wire is the accessory wire and the green or blue wire will be the main power to the ignition. Any of these will work, however every manufacturer has its own colors for the different circuits. It is perfectly safe to test these circuits.
- 5). Attach the voltmeter negative to a good ground and probe the wires at the connector. When a wire is found that is hot (has power) with the key off, hold the probe there and turn the key on. Keep watching the meter. As long as the power is still there when the key is turned on, it is a good circuit to use for the voltmeter. Turn the key off and cut the wire about 4 inches up from the connector (the cut will be between the connector and the steering column). Attach the wire coming out of the connector to the positive terminal of the voltmeter and the end going to the steering column to the negative side.
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