Ammeter or voltmeter?

[KYJ10]

I getting ready to pick me up a 3 gage setup, and know the difference between an ammeter and voltmeter, but which should I get and why? Dennis

[Stuka]

ammeter measures amps, voltometer measures volts. Screw the ammeter, they are known for fires from having all the current run through them. Main reason no newish cars ahve them.

[Kenall]

voltmeter.

[PlumCrazy]

Voltmeter...I would rather know how much voltage I have than if the alt is charging.
IMHO it is easier to tell if there is a problem with the charging system.

[Chuck1]

definately get the voltmeter

[SAustinwag]

Voltmeter. Dunno why you'd ever need the amps read anyhow. BTW ..WTF does the factory gauge try to say in our jeeps anyhow. its a -60 to +60 ranged gauge where 0 is where the needle lies most of the time.. IS that measuring the draw or something? Never quite got that...

[Joe Guilbeau]

Originally posted by SAustinwag:
Voltmeter. Dunno why you'd ever need the amps read anyhow. BTW ..WTF does the factory gauge try to say in our jeeps anyhow. its a -60 to +60 ranged gauge where 0 is where the needle lies most of the time.. IS that measuring the draw or something? Never quite got that...

Guilbeau's my Name, Electronics MY Game...

Ok, the Ammeter in our Jeeps are in acutallity a Battery Charge/Discharge Rate Indicator.

The alternator is hooked up to one side of the Amp gauge, the other side of the amp gauge goes to a splice which draws electron current flow from the Battery itself. That is why the fusible link is on THAT side of the Ammeter. The battery will supply power to the Ignition Switch, the Horn Relay, the lights, and a few other items.

What the ammeter is acutally measuring is the Alternator output to the battery when the Alterntors Regulator circuit tells it to start charging the battery due to low battery voltage. This is what you see when just after starting the vehicle and the Amp gauge swings to the positive to something around 40-60 Amps and then slowly tapers off to the center or 0-Amps after about a half mile or so or sooner depending on the size of the Alternator and the size of the Battery.

Now, when the engine is not running, you can turn on all the lamps, honk the horn etc... and the Amp gauge will read negative because the ammeter is no longer supplying current.

When the gauge reads somewhere around zero, it simply means that the ammeter is keeping up with the load placed on the battery.

By the way, those of you who bypass the ammeter by placing both of the connection at the ammeter on one side of the ammeter terminal, really need to place a fusible link on the Red Wire from the Alternator, because you have now provided a parallel path for current to flow, so if the fusible link on the yellow wire opens up, the red wire is still gonna try to burn your Jeep to the ground.

Circuit breakers are a much better idea for about 40 bucks retail, you can get a 100 amp resettable circuit breaker that is sealed and can be mounted on the firewall right next to the solenoid. Now you are protected...

[SAustinwag]

Omg, Awesome info man, thanks alot. I'm a smater person for knowin ya!

[SAustinwag]

cool you're in San Antonio too.. I know who I'll be callin on for electricity probs now......