Question on Hooking Up Dwell Meter

[jg61hawk]

Just for fun I wanted to get a base dwell reading. I have an old meter that says it works with 6 or 12 volts. It says for positive ground just reverse the leads so the black ground goes on the coil and the red hot goes on a ground. Normally a dwell meter goes to the negative side of the coil (my Studebaker 12V negative ground).

Question: On a Model A (stock set up...except modern points) do I connect the meter leads to the positive side of the coil? I tried both sides...I got what I think is a dwell reading when connected to the positive side, but the book says to use the negative side.....I don't completely understand how the system works. I do know on the Studebaker the negative coil side is the distributor side. Is the positive side the distributor side on the Model A?

[jg61hawk]

So I went back through my notes and I see the red wire (+ coil side) goes to the ignition switch where it then magically turns into the armored cable and goes to the points. So I'll answer my own question: Jim connect the black ground wire from the dwell meter to the + side of the coil and red hot wire from the dwell meter to a good ground. This should show you a dwell reading. Jim, just set your points correctly and stop being a pest.

[Ruth]

Originally Posted by jg61hawk

So I went back through my notes and I see the red wire (+ coil side) goes to the ignition switch where it then magically turns into the armored cable and goes to the points. So I'll answer my own question: Jim connect the black ground wire from the dwell meter to the + side of the coil and red hot wire from the dwell meter to a good ground. This should show you a dwell reading. Jim, just set your points correctly and stop being a pest.

Who's Jim??

[jg61hawk]

I'm a very funny man...well maybe not this time...you know what they say, "if you have to explain a joke ...".

See I said I'll answer my own question...so I talked to myself.... OH well I'll stick to fixing stuff and avoid stand up comedy!

[jb-ob]

One black musician waking out of the club says to the musician walking in..
"Yous too hip for the room".

[Jemelton#]

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Originally Posted by jg61hawk

I'm a very funny man...well maybe not this time...you know what they say, "if you have to explain a joke ...".

See I said I'll answer my own question...so I talked to myself.... OH well I'll stick to fixing stuff and avoid stand up comedy!

My name is Jim and I thought it was funny!

[Benson]

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