Ammeter

[willincalgary]

I have an ammeter in my combo gauge that has, for as long as I've known it, never measured anything. I can't remember looking the last time I had the gauge cluster out whether it was actually connected to anything, which might explain its lack of movement.
The truck was originally a positive ground. It was converted to negative ground when the Delco alternator was installed. A later model year wiring harness was also installed. Is it actually that handy to have when you're running an alternator instead of a generator? I have a voltmeter in my gauge cluster so I can tell whether the alternator is keeping up with electrical demand. I've noticed from the Green Bible that when they went to a negative earth they did not include an ammeter, which might explain why my wiring harness may not connect to the ammeter.
Is there a way to rig it up to work with a negative ground and is it worth it?

[LaneRover]

If you have a voltmeter instead of the ammeter that is a better set up from what I understand. I do not know if you could set up both or would even need to.

[Terrys]

If you have converted to negative ground, and still use a generator, all you need to do it reverse the two leads on the ammeter

[albersj51]

Working off memory here, but depending on the alt output, it could fry the ammeter since it only measures to 20 or so amps. When I put my alt in, I disconnected the ammeter. A voltmeter is better with an alt.

[SafeAirOne]

Working off memory here, but depending on the alt output, it could fry the ammeter since it only measures to 20 or so amps. When I put my alt in, I disconnected the ammeter. A voltmeter is better with an alt.


TeriAnn Explains it in the middle of this page (http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/Delco_Alternators.html).

[Terrys]

Ah, Yes, I missed the part about the conversion to an alternator. I can't remember what the current range of the original ammeter is, but it is possible to overload it if the new alternator has a greater capacity than the ammeter.