charging issues
just so i understand... where exactly do the wires originate from to the gauge?
Just ran across this post and noticed nobody answered this question. The ammeter is directly in series with the battery and the only path to the battery. It measures all current flow in or out of the battery. That is ideal and requires a few caveats:
1. It does not measure starter current. That comes straight off the battery, as does current for the starter relay.
2. It doesn't measure horn current. The horn relay is powered directly from the battery.
Chrysler rightly figured that nobody cared about monitoring the current draws during the brief intervals that the starter and horn are used, the starter current is much too high to measure (>200 A?), and measuring them would require routing more wires in and out of the firewall.
Finally, for anybody who will ever need to diagnose an electrical problem in their car or home (i.e. everybody) - get a multimeter. How many posts have we read where the OP is flying blind? A multimeter costs $0.00 at Harbor Freight with a coupon. If you really want to splurge, buy a $15 voltmeter you plug in the cigarette lighter. I use one in all my newer cars since they have no electrical monitors. Check Amazon.