Battery Gauge Movement
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,030
Likes: 363
From: Lubbock Texas
However, with the engine running, the needle should not normally be left of the "0" mark. That indicates a battery discharge condition (ie current is flowing from the battery to the load) and shows the alternator is not charging the battery (or not sufficiently anyway). When the alternator is charging the battery, the needle should be to the right of the "0" mark, indicating current is flowing to the battery rather than from it.
You may have a problem with the accuracy of your ammeter or with the alternator. If both the alternator and the ammeter are working properly, I'd say your video shows a condition in which the alternator is not large enough to both supply the load and charge the battery at the same time. Some alternators don't supply enough at idle. What happens when you are driving or if you increase the rpms while in park?
DC
Last edited by DC3; Sep 14, 2013 at 11:58 AM.
