brain box? whats the green wire for

That shows what the wire is for...

 

thanks guys... the green wire (with red i guess... ill have to check) is I on the voltage regulator which supplys power with the key on... but then again... my guages are hooked up to the fuse box... now can i just supply power from that wire to the guages????

 

are you trying to get the lights for the stock gages to turn on with an aftermarket switch or do you have aftermarket gages that your trying to have the stock light switch turn on?

 

aftermarket guages with aftermarket switch....

just trying to clean up some of the wiring from the previous owner... i found 10 feet of unused wire

 

dont use the green wire with red stripe for the lights. there is blue wire with a red stripe that is what turns on the stock lights. there is usually one that pluged into the stock radio. you can usually find it haning under the ash tray. if you want to have them on there own switch that controles them then you need to use a wire that is hot when the key it turned on. i think there is a orange wire that comes from the ignition switch that should work. im not sure on that. you can take a test light or volt meter and check wich fuses turn on and off with the key. then stick a wire under the fuse and you can use that.

 

the wire i found under the ash tray is always hot so i used that for a cigarette lighter

i know you said not to but why shouldnt i use the green wire

also noone has told me if i have to have that wire somewhere... can i just put a wire nut on it and leave it>>>>????

and ill look for that blue wire that turns on the lights

 

the green wire is needed. it turns on the alt and works the alt light in the dash there shouldnt an exposed end to it.

 

???? then how is the car running the way it is???? this is weird...

 

at this point some pics of the wire in question are needed.

 

Go to http://www.maverickcomet.com/Wiring/MavWiring/1974/1974mainMav.pdf and look over the diagrams

 

Yes, do that. I have a greasy fingerprinted copy of that diagram folded up in my toolbox, and another on my desktop, and I've even pulled it up on my iPhone on the side of the road. I've drawn new circuits on it so I don't lose track of the changes I've made...

You can't just power random things with wires you find that happen to be hot when you want them to be. You need to know what else is on that circuit. It works sometimes, but just as often you'll blow a fuse, melt a wire or worse.

 

The wire supplies voltage to the field coil in the alternator so that the alternator begins charging immediately when the car starts. If you're installing after market gauges, I would just install a light somewhere on the dash as an charging system warning light. The positive side of the light can be wired to any switched 12 volt source, and the negative side goes to the green/red wire. To test that it works properly, the light should come on when you turn the key to the ON position, and go off when you start the car.

 

NEVER use wire nuts on a car ! ! !

If your going to use wire nuts,,,,,, don't worry about the gas leak !!!

Wire nuts collect moisture, corrode an will have you chasing gremlins later on.

 

Crimp-on connectors with the colored plastic insulation will also collect moisture. The best way to use a crimp-on connector is to remove this plastic and use shrink wrap over the connection. Electrical tape will not provide enough protection. Don't use those plastic Scotchlok connectors either.

 

OK, since we are discussing watertight connections, How about crimp-on with liquid electrical tape in the ends?