Ammeter waving when ignition is on.

The ammeter in the video is showing battery charging.
Assuming nothing is miswired, two possibilities:
1. Battery needs charging.
2. Battery doesn't need charging but the alternator is offering power at high voltage. Result is overcharging.

Check the voltage at the battery while the engine is running and ammeter is showing charging.
It should be between 13.9 - 14.9 Volts.
If its over 15 Volts, then check the voltage in the ignition circuit connection to the voltage regulator.

That will get you started on diagnosing.


I noticed that in the video. It makes no sense as far as the gage goes. The ammeter needle movement is trom the magnetic field created by the current going around it.
Will need to think about that.


It would have been easier to test on the bench but can do some testing on the car depending on what you can scrounge up.

However I am a bit confused because in the video the gages are all pegged!

Battery reads a steady voltage in normal range (~13.5-14 volts charging).

Do you mean current going through other circuits causing magnetic field and interfering with the ammeter? That still sounds like a problem.

I have a previous thread talking about the gauge problems. There you did share guides on how to bench test and repair gauges including the limiter in the fuel gauge, but I opted to send them to a gauge specialist because I was nervous about trying to open them myself. At the time the voltage limiter was failing and that's why they are all pegged. This video was taken before I sent in the gauges to be repaired and put it all back together, but the behavior with the ammeter continues..