Volt /Ammeter at odds ??

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44070dart said:
ammeter never goes to charge side .. at the bulkhead the fuseable link wire from the starter relay looks pretty shabby and slightly melted at the bulkhead. Is that the one that eventually leads to the meter.
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I never really answered this. Its hard to know if its the ammeter movement (unlikely since it works on discharge) or something else.
My assumption, based on what happens with the lights on while driving, is that there isn't much current making its way from the alternator to the main splice. Then with additional resistance you descibe in the battery line, there's just not much power available for recharging. Its probably getting something like a trickle charge. How much current a battery draws depends on both how low the battery is and the voltage of the supply.
A low battery will suck power if available at even 13. Volts, and a charged battery might not suck any power even if available at 14 Volts.

If you want to check a furhter into what may be going on:
While the engine is running check voltage from the battery positive to ground, and then at the alternator's output stud to ground.
It should be the same, especially if you use the same ground point.
Immediately after shutting the engine off, the battery will show a surface charge. It may be around 13 something.
After a few minutes (or flick on the parking lights for a few seconds), voltage should be around 12.8 V if fully charged.
 
From your bulkhead pictures, the terminals look like they have the dreaded green corrosion on them. Could be another problem in the future.

There are 2 wires that carry heavy amperage loads. They are both located in the center connector. They are either black/black or black/red heavier wires [#10 or #12]. It looks like one of them was modified at some point. Looks like it was pulled thru the bulkhead connector and reconnected on the engine side. I would do the same thing to the other heavy wire. OR, pull them both out a little and solder them, shrink wrap, and tape. That will eliminate any heat build-up and you'll still have a working ammeter.

I'd disconnect the negative battery terminal, and pull off the wires from the ammeter, Wire brush the ammeter terminals with a steel toothbrush, carefully/lightly snug up the ammeter nuts, sandpaper both sides of the outer terminal nuts, assemble with grease or silicone, and tighten the nuts.

If your alternator and regulator are working as they should, the ammeter normally shows positive at idle without fan or headlights on. This depends on idle speed also. ---good luck--
 
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