Amp guage always on after internally regulated rewire

[jayharrell]

Well i rewired my 69 CST10 for an internally regulated alternator and now my amp guage is showing amp readings even after the key is off. Looks like i might wind up with dead battery in the morning. I'm sure i missed something. Any idea's. It got dark on me before i could get the ohm meter out.

['70_402]

if it's a amp meter then it will stay on.... only volt meters shut off with key... i think... someone correct me if i am wrong.

[Palf70Step]

I think that is correct. I know when you go to the newer style alternator, they say to switch over to a volt meter as the amp meter is pretty much useless.

[jayharrell]

So the stock guage in the dash cluster i have here is a amp meter?? If so where would i gather up a volt meter??

[Longhorn Man]

where is the needle sitting in the guage?
Was your battery dead in the morning?
The amp guage always stays on... period.

[jayharrell]

its sitting straight at noon.
didn't have time to check the truck this moning, but i will when i get home.

[Longhorn Man]

that's where it is supposed to be when the engine is off and no load on the battery.

[jayharrell]

Yup, still there when i got home and battery was fine. Also no melted dash.

Seems i might of actually hooked it up right. Even a blind squarrel finds a nut every once in a while.

I'll just have to get used to amps instead of volts on the dash. So it should drop some when running everything and not head to the right more then about 1 oclock??


Thanks for the info.

[72lb4x4]

The ammeter is in the middle when the key is off and nothing is drawing current from the battery, and when not charging or discharging the battery.

If I remember correctly, it goes to the right when charging, which is fine, and to the left when discharging, which typically isn't good.

[kubsbenz]

Can Anyoneme Tell How To Wire My Up