I have an ammeter fitted i have no idea what it's supposed to do and it never seems to move, it is wired up but i've no idea where to or if it's on correctly, what is the point of it and if none really can i get a rev counter or some other useful one in the small size that it is? I already have a voltmeter and cylinder temp and a clock so i can only think of a rev counter but seeing as i'm an auto it's not like i can thrash it so i guess there isn't a point. I'll take a picture in a minute.
It shows the current being supplied by the alternator So will remain pretty constant unless you switch on a high drain bit of kit like a heated window or big spotlamps
ahhh ok which is why it doesn't do a lot..... my heated rear screen don't work and i've got no spotlights...... i very rarely drive in the dark and have no electric fan either, so all in all pretty useless.
but the voltmeter will too? that is a good indication it sits about 14 v just under when driving and if i use the wipers or lights it drops down to about 13 v
Ammeters date from the days of dynamos, flat caps and string-backed driving gloves, so not a lot of use. A simple one is hard to wire in a rear-engined vehicle, as you have to run thick cables back and forth. If it's made by Lucas, it probably doesn't work anyway. I'd get rid of it. A voltmeter doesn't really serve much purpose either, as your alt light will show you all you need to know. The VDO voltmeters are also hideously inaccurate, so you could lose that as well. CHT gauges? Serve a purpose if their showing true head temp, which they're likely not. Fine on a Cessna or Bell 47, but on an aircooled vehicle they'll go up and down like a friendly ladies drawers, thus terrifying you. If you must have a gauge, a simple oil temp gauge off a dipstick sender is handy. I've got one and it's fine at telling me when to get my foot out of it. Worth noting that in the 60s/70s, I believe VW send out a service bulletin to dealers advising against fitting gauges, as it just frightened customers.
as i said on another thread the cht/volt gauge are now only used by me to an aid for what i have found normal, the ammeter one just seems pointless but i don't see the point of a rev counter on an auto? what else would fill the hole though if the ammeter is pointless?
