The Ford Barn

bobmc · 05-14-2021, 04:25 PM

This is for all the electrical guru's out there. Sorry this is going to be long. I have read all the threads about the junk amp meters being sold by the venders, and i agree they are of poor quality. But that is not exactly what this post is about. Yes my amp meter quit working yesterday, but something else happened. The car battery was no longer being charged. I barely made it home on the battery power. Now when the meter stopped working it went from 8-10 positive amps to 0. The use of power (lights /horn/etc.) would show a negative movement of the meter and return to 0. It wasn't until i got home and was able to test the system with the multi-meter. The 6 volt generator was showing a 7.4 volt output. According to a chart i acquired somewhere that is equal to 10 amps? I continued to check the terminal box and it showed the same output 7.4. on the passenger side (+)
but only 6.3 on the drivers side (-). Now moving to the battery the fluke meter only showed 6.3 volts Not having a nos meter and it was i nice day for a drive it went to the local parts supplier and purchashed a China made unit. This is where it get interesting. I installed the new meter in the dash just like the old one was. Started the car and the meter remained on 0. It did not mater what the engine speed was the needle never move, except to indicate discharge. But checking with the fluke meter i was getting the same reading on both sides of the terminal box when the car was running. Just another note i attempted to start the car when the meter was disconnected and it only crank, no start. So the bad meter needed to be in line but was serving no purpose. At a loss what to do now?
Thanks

05-14-2021, 04:25 PM	#1
bobmc Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: coraopolis. pa Posts: 70	Amp guage not working, battery not charging This is for all the electrical guru's out there. Sorry this is going to be long. I have read all the threads about the junk amp meters being sold by the venders, and i agree they are of poor quality. But that is not exactly what this post is about. Yes my amp meter quit working yesterday, but something else happened. The car battery was no longer being charged. I barely made it home on the battery power. Now when the meter stopped working it went from 8-10 positive amps to 0. The use of power (lights /horn/etc.) would show a negative movement of the meter and return to 0. It wasn't until i got home and was able to test the system with the multi-meter. The 6 volt generator was showing a 7.4 volt output. According to a chart i acquired somewhere that is equal to 10 amps? I continued to check the terminal box and it showed the same output 7.4. on the passenger side (+) but only 6.3 on the drivers side (-). Now moving to the battery the fluke meter only showed 6.3 volts Not having a nos meter and it was i nice day for a drive it went to the local parts supplier and purchashed a China made unit. This is where it get interesting. I installed the new meter in the dash just like the old one was. Started the car and the meter remained on 0. It did not mater what the engine speed was the needle never move, except to indicate discharge. But checking with the fluke meter i was getting the same reading on both sides of the terminal box when the car was running. Just another note i attempted to start the car when the meter was disconnected and it only crank, no start. So the bad meter needed to be in line but was serving no purpose. At a loss what to do now? Thanks