Factory ammeter
I don't have time to look at that this AM but off the top of my head I can't think of how small differences in resistance would indicate anything.
With no power connected to the 'sense' terminal , the field terminal to ground should be very low resistance. That's about it.
One of the other guys may have more insight.
This is a simplified VR diagram that Chrysler used to illustrate how this type of regulator works.
When the voltage at I is below something like 13.7 Volts, the Zener diode signals the transistors to complete the field circuit to ground.
That allows current to flow through the windings of the alternator's rotor. That current through the windings creates a spinning electromagnetic field.
If voltage at I is a little higher than 13.7, rapidly opening and closing the switch reduces the magnetic field strength.
There may be a third path through a resistor so there's actually three paths. That's how the earlier electromechanical ones work.
Thanks. That's fine. Don't what I wasn't thinking. I forgot about non-autoranging digital meters...
I don't have time to look at that this AM but off the top of my head I can't think of how small differences in resistance would indicate anything.
With no power connected to the 'sense' terminal , the field terminal to ground should be very low resistance. That's about it.
One of the other guys may have more insight.
This is a simplified VR diagram that Chrysler used to illustrate how this type of regulator works.
When the voltage at I is below something like 13.7 Volts, the Zener diode signals the transistors to complete the field circuit to ground.
That allows current to flow through the windings of the alternator's rotor. That current through the windings creates a spinning electromagnetic field.
If voltage at I is a little higher than 13.7, rapidly opening and closing the switch reduces the magnetic field strength.
There may be a third path through a resistor so there's actually three paths. That's how the earlier electromechanical ones work.