What should I get - Voltmeter or Ammeter?

Basically which one should I get? I am thinking ammeter because it tells me what the alternator is doing - correct? What are your guys running and what do you think would be good for a street car. Thanks.
-Corbin

 

i like ammeter cause its easy to see at a glance if charge or discharging.

 

A voltmeter will actually give you a better idea of what's going on with your charging system.
Also with an ammeter, every bit of electricity your alternator makes has to travel through the gauge before going to the rest of the electrical system.
If you ask me, this is both very inneficient and dangerous. That's a lot of current to be going through the dash and you can't put a fuse or circuit breaker on them.
I'd stick with a voltmeter.
Just my opinion.

 

A "Voltmeter" is the way to go!

Tom

 

Get a voltmeter. Like courier11sec said all the current for your car has to go through the ammeter, those long wires and the meter it's self can cause a voltage drop. Most ammeters only go up to 60 amps so if you want to put a bigger alternator in someday you'll have to change meters. That's why new cars use voltmeters.

 

Thanks guys - voltmeter it is! I know I can count on you when I need help!
-Corbin

 

gauges

I have both!! I have an ammeter in the dash and a volt meter mounted in the trunk by my battery, pop the trunk, hit the master switch and I can see if my battery is charged or not.

 

Corban, Consider an LED display for the purpose.
It will tell you a bad battery, bad connections when trying to start the engine, alternator charge, how fast the battery recovers after starting.
Once you learn to interpet the way the lights move and what they are reflecting, it becomes eaiser than watching a needle move.

 

hi corbin, have to agree with the others on the voltmeter. i like getting into the car and seeing instantly what condition the battery is in and you can see the battery charging too. once i flip my on switch i can check the battery without even firing the engine.

 

What do you think?

I know some people have been know to have some of their gauges in the engine compartment for quick inspection when the hood is up.

Would it be practical at all to have a ammeter in the engine compartment vs. the inside of the car for safety reasons???

Just curious . . .

 

ammeter

if you buy a good quality ammeter and use good heavy wire(10ga.) there is absolutely nothing wrong with running an ammeter inside the car I've had ammeters in everycar I've ever owned with no problems,I feel there a little easier to read then a voltmeter I think they tell you a little more of what your electrical system is doing. then a volt meter. just my $.02

 

An ammeter shows rate of charge and direction (battery charge/discharge). It doesn't show if you are overcharging or undercharging due to faulty regulator or alternator or a shorted or open battery. These conditions can all be checked by looking at the voltmeter with the engine off, then with the engine running. And you still have the 60 amp limitation of the ammeter.

 

ammeter is not a problem when installed with 10 ga wire in pass compartment. it always tells you at a glance whether charging or not. no deciding if amount shown on gauge is where it should be. is voltage showing too low? you know right then if on charge or discharge.

 

Yes, you know if it's charging or discharging but you don't know if it's the right level of charge. A voltmeter will show that. A fully charged battery will measure 12- 13.2 volts with the engine off and be considered fully charged. With the engine/alternator running you should see 13.8-15 volts, depending what type of alternator/regulator you have. Not much to decide upon. When running, if the voltage goes higher than what you normally see, you could have a high resistance cable connection, a faulty regulator, or a battery cell that's opening up. If the voltage is lower than normal it could be the regulator or a battery cell plate shorting out. And as mentioned before, if you have an 80 or 100 amp alternator you sure don't want all of that current going through your 60 amp ammeter. BTW, that 10 AWG wire is only rated for about 45 amps in an automotive application, you should step up to 8 AWG for a 60 amp ammeter.

 

yeah...digital readout volt meter...i think an ammeter is kinda overkill (which is of course your option! it is your car!)