Next Under Dash Wiring Question

[Daveh]

When I removed the harness 6 years ago I labeled it well and now that I'm transferring my labels from the old harness to the new one I have a few alternator wires that need clarification. 

1.   I have 2 red wires that were connected together when I took the harness out of the car.  Where do they go?
2.   I have 1 black wire that I also labeled alternator.  Where does that go?

Thanks

[Burdar]

What year are we talking about?

The large gauge wires with the eyelet connectors on them look like ammeter wires.  They bolt to the back of the ammeter.

[Daveh]

Yes under dash harness.  I'm adding aftermarket gauges see below.  I'm using a volt meter can I use one of them for it since I have no ammeter??

[anlauto]

The red wire you're holding in the picture is an accessory wiring harness, did the car have power windows ?

[Daveh]

Yes it has power windows and still does. 

[Burdar]

So, red and black wires in the main harness go to either side of the amp gauge.  The red wire from the accessory harness goes to one side of the amp gauge to get it's power.  If you aren't running an amp gauge, you can connect all three wires together.  On mine I just bolted them together, covered them in rubber plasti-dip like stuff, then wrapped them with electrical tape.  Make sure they are tied somewhere where they can't touch a ground.

[chargerdon]

Do NOT put the two ammeter wires onto one post of a voltmeter.   If you do then the voltmeter will always be ON...  You need to find a switched power source for the voltmeter...there are many of them to chose from. 

[Daveh]

As you know I'm using aftermarket gauges.  Can you tell me if the black and 2 red wires in the photos above will be live when the car is on?  Are they switched live wires or constant?  Thanks

[Burdar]

Those wires are live all the time. 

[Daveh]

Thanks that's good to know. I'm glad I asked.

Any other wires back there that are live that I should be on the look out for?  Using the aftermarket gauges I know I'm not going to need a lot of them but I really don't want the car to catch fire either.    

[Burdar]

The red wire comes right from the battery and originally connected to one side of the AMP gauge.  The black wire was originally connected to the other side of the AMP gauge and went to the large stud on the alternator.  That's why the alternator has power all the time.

There should be a wire connected to the cigarette lighter that has power all the time.  Don't quote me on this but I THINK there is a red rubber three pronged female plug that has constant power.