Voltage problems, cutting out when hot
The pressure in the pipes is the voltage.
The water (or air) flowing is the current.
If every faucet in your house is shut, the pressure through all the supply lines is the same as the source. If just one faucet is opened, hopefully the pressure doesn't drop even though water is flowing in that line.
Lets say the house has a well and water tower. The well pump when running can supply 14.5 psi and up to 60 gallons per minute. The water tower is only high enough to supply 12.5 psi, but has 400 gallons in it.
So on a factory setup, (no fans, no extra anything) all of the main circuit should be at the same voltage.
The ammeter shows flow to or from the battery. Once the battery is charged, the ammeter line should have zero current flowing through it.
If a wire has been added in parallel from the alternator to the ammeter, then when the alternator is running, current can flow through either or both.
It will take the path of least resistance.
If the battery is taking a charge and other equipment is being run, very likely some current will run through both.
Using the same example but with fans or other electric devices attached to the starter relay, the ammeter shows current flow for either or both charging and the fans.
Even with parallel wires, such an arrangement is putting constant loads and will have higher peak loads on the ammeter. It was really only intended for relatively short term loads. Same with the fusible links.
If we were talking about a compressed air system or piped water in your house the analogy is this.
The pressure in the pipes is the voltage.
The water (or air) flowing is the current.
If every faucet in your house is shut, the pressure through all the supply lines is the same as the source. If just one faucet is opened, hopefully the pressure doesn't drop even though water is flowing in that line.
Lets say the house has a well and water tower. The well pump when running can supply 14.5 psi and up to 60 gallons per minute. The water tower is only high enough to supply 12.5 psi, but has 400 gallons in it.
So on a factory setup, (no fans, no extra anything) all of the main circuit should be at the same voltage.
The ammeter shows flow to or from the battery. Once the battery is charged, the ammeter line should have zero current flowing through it.
If a wire has been added in parallel from the alternator to the ammeter, then when the alternator is running, current can flow through either or both.
It will take the path of least resistance.
If the battery is taking a charge and other equipment is being run, very likely some current will run through both.
Using the same example but with fans or other electric devices attached to the starter relay, the ammeter shows current flow for either or both charging and the fans.
Even with parallel wires, such an arrangement is putting constant loads and will have higher peak loads on the ammeter. It was really only intended for relatively short term loads. Same with the fusible links.