amp guage
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 143
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From: Berwick Victoria
amp guage
I have been trying to find the thread on amp gauge, when it reads high it says what causes the gauge to read that way, "A higher than normal reading" generator/alternator problem? i need to find the thread, so as i can read it again
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
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From: Kernersville NC
When the amp gauge is reading on the (+) side it is indicating amperage going to the battery such as after starting while the battery is recharging.
When the amp gauge is reading on the (-) side it is indicating amperage going from the battery to operate the car. You will see this if you turn on the lights without the engine running.
Two examples of how to read the gauge. First: Two years ago I took a little two hour drive to have lunch. I had worked on the car over the winter and it had not been run very much. So after starting it was indicating a charge on the battery. This is normal except that after 2 hours of driving it still indicated about 10 amps. This is not normal. So I had the battery checked. It indicated 12 volts but had at least one weak cell as it would not hold a load. The long charge time was the key.
Second example: Two weeks ago my buddy said he wanted brighter headlights and during the conversation mentioned that the amp gauge indicated a little on the (-) side while driving and he thought he needed a new alternator. I sent him to Advance Auto to check the output on the alternator and it could not maintain output voltage under a load. The battery was having to make up the load (dim headlights) and thus the discharge indication on the amp gauge.
A volt meter may or may not have told the whole story in either case. The two together are great but an amp meter, IMHO, is a far better tool if you only have one and take the time to understand what it is really telling you.
When the amp gauge is reading on the (-) side it is indicating amperage going from the battery to operate the car. You will see this if you turn on the lights without the engine running.
Two examples of how to read the gauge. First: Two years ago I took a little two hour drive to have lunch. I had worked on the car over the winter and it had not been run very much. So after starting it was indicating a charge on the battery. This is normal except that after 2 hours of driving it still indicated about 10 amps. This is not normal. So I had the battery checked. It indicated 12 volts but had at least one weak cell as it would not hold a load. The long charge time was the key.
Second example: Two weeks ago my buddy said he wanted brighter headlights and during the conversation mentioned that the amp gauge indicated a little on the (-) side while driving and he thought he needed a new alternator. I sent him to Advance Auto to check the output on the alternator and it could not maintain output voltage under a load. The battery was having to make up the load (dim headlights) and thus the discharge indication on the amp gauge.
A volt meter may or may not have told the whole story in either case. The two together are great but an amp meter, IMHO, is a far better tool if you only have one and take the time to understand what it is really telling you.
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Too highcould be a voltage regulator problem too. Good luckon finding the thread
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-output.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...amp-gauge.html
Thismightbe the one you want
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...p-problem.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-output.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...amp-gauge.html
Thismightbe the one you want
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...p-problem.html
