Amp meter vs volt meter
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Amp meter vs volt meter
Posted: August 15 2007 12:34 AM
 
Jerry Matthews (aka Willys33) [ View ] [ Email ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
Alamogordo, New Mexico

 Get off the trailer and drive
 
I see that some are using amp meters and some are using volt meters. Care to tell us why you perfer one over the other? Any stories on either?
 
 
Comments
 
Posted by bigdude  -  08/15/2007 12:44 AM
Volts are the easiest to figure out if your alt takes a dump(just happened)
resident know it all [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Three Rivers, Michigan Charter Member since January 2004
 
Posted by sellersrodshop  -  08/15/2007 01:17 AM
i run volt guages on all my projects. they seem to be easier for the average guy to understand. here's a link to a good tutorial on amp vs volt meters. it mainly deals with factory systems, not the updated aftermarket setups we use in our rods, but is pretty intersting.


http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml
sellersrodshop [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] old hickory, Tennessee
 
Posted by storm  -  08/15/2007 09:08 AM
Less chance of a wiring fire with a volt meter. Much easier to install.
storm [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Lafayette, New Jersey
 
Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  08/15/2007 09:23 AM
amp meter is a melt down looking for a place to happen. you can have a good reading of amps but have a weak batt and not know it.
dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003
 
Posted by fitzwell   -  08/15/2007 09:38 AM
ammeters are great....


in cars that have a generator.

Voltmeter is a much better indication of system condition
normal?? Normal is a cycle on a washing machine [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] benbrook, Texas
 
Posted by jimmothershead  -  08/15/2007 09:47 AM
Hey, Jerry.........about 25 years ago, the Street Rodders trashed amp meters for volt meters. As our desire for more creature comforts increased, power windows, doors, amps, AC, fans, the feeds for some dumb reason were connected to the amp meter stud = fire !!

The volt meter tells you better what is going on in the alternator. 14.3 is a healthy volt meter reading, no loads other than the ignition.

Not problems, no fun with cars. Jim
Jim [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Huntingtown, Maryland
 
Posted by brian41chevy  -  08/15/2007 10:01 AM
Jim nailed it. Amp meters became fire hazards.
There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] New Lenox, Illinois Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by REBORN55  -  08/15/2007 10:05 AM
Voltmeters hooked to the battery will tell you what the battery is geting from the alternator and also tell you what you are losing at the battery as you turn your accessories. Will help in gauging condition of alternator and charging system. Much easier to hook up.
Ken [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] De soto, Illinois
 
Posted by orphans2  -  08/15/2007 12:10 PM
I have one of each. Ammeter in the 57, been there for 20 years with no problems. Voltmeter in the 34, came with it and will keep it. If I may one day replace the ammeter in the 57 with a voltmeter, but that would require replacing all four guages to keep it uniform. Might be difficult to pick up just a S-W voltmeter to match the existing set.
orphans2 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Stewartstown, Pennsylvannia Charter Member since November 2001
 
Posted by sach  -  08/15/2007 03:54 PM
Talk about fire ! Many years ago, a friend of mine purchased a new 1962 Chevy Nova converible ( 3 spd, stick on the cloumn and in line six.) He installed a set of Stewart Warner gauges under the dash, amp, oil press and coolant temp. While out cruising with him one summer night, he started complaing about the way the engine was running and soon after, the engine quit and we could smell something burning. We opened the hood to investigate the smell ( and now, smoke ) coming from under the hood. Low and behold, every wire in the wiring harness, both sides of the fenders, was glowing red. What a sight to see in the middle of the night and out in the middle of nowhere. With no tools to work with, we were able to use a shirt as an "ov-glove", to grasp the battery cable at the battery and rip it off the post. After checking out what caused the problem, we found out that where he drilled the holes through firewall to hook up the amp gauge, he neglected to insulate the wires and they chaffed through enough to cause a direct short to ground and you know the rest of the story.

Sach
sach [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Cana, Virginia
 
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