Ammeter Or Volt Meter...................Which Do You Prefer?

[toobroketoretire]

I have always preferred ammeters because they tell me how many amps my alternator is putting out. Some folks prefer volt meters but it's very common for an alternator to put out 2/3 or 1/3 the amps at full voltage when the rectifier fails. To correctly diagnose a charging problem you really need both but due to space limitations the manufacturers only installed one; starting with ammeters and eventually switching to volt meters.

What is your preference and why?

 

[LLC5]

I have always preferred ammeters because they tell me how many amps my alternator is putting out. Some folks prefer volt meters but it's very common for an alternator to put out 2/3 or 1/3 the amps at full voltage when the rectifier fails. To correctly diagnose a charging problem you really need both but due to space limitations the manufacturers only installed one; starting with ammeters and eventually switching to volt meters.

What is your preference and why?

Voltmeter.

Ammeters do not tell you what the state of the charging system is in, only how much current is flowing at a given time, which is mostly irrelevant.

Voltage tells you much more about the state of the charging system. If the voltage is good for a given load, then you know the system is operating correctly. Amperage does not give you any indication if the system is operating correctly, only that amperage is being produced.

 

[toobroketoretire]

Voltmeter.

Ammeters do not tell you what the state of the charging system is in, only how much current is flowing at a given time, which is mostly irrelevant.

Voltage tells you much more about the state of the charging system. If the voltage is good for a given load, then you know the system is operating correctly. Amperage does not give you any indication if the system is operating correctly, only that amperage is being produced.

Huh?

 

[LLC5]

Huh?

Huh what?

 

[Hib Halverson]

I prefer voltmeters because they give a better idea of battery condition.

An ammeter only tells you that current is flowing.

 

[kpic]

As usual, TBTR doesn't get it.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Huh?

That CO poisoning really got you, didn't it?