Sounds like the Ammeter is installed incorectly.. The charging
system probably is ok .. he isn't complaining about starting :-)
Properly installed the ammeter should read + (charging) for a while
after starting then should return close to 0 for almost all other times.
It is normally is connected in series with the battery to show the current
flowing from / to the battery. The starter motor circuit draws so much
current that it is connected directly to the battery bypassing the ammeter.
Any continious current into or out of the battery will eventually result in
a failure..
Any continious reading (other than 0) indicates a problem.
With older generator equiped cars at idle the reading may go negative
(discharge) while at idle and then go positive for a short while at speed
to make up the current discharged while at idle. With the headlights off
these varations will be a small fraction of the ammeters scale..say 5 or 6
amps out of the meters +/- 30 Amp full scale.
If the generator/ alternator is inadquate for the load (too many
lights on ..) some dicharge periods will be noted but if it goes
on too long the battery will be dead :-(
A continious charge will overcharge the battery eventually boiling
all the fluid out.
My read is you have installed the ammeter backwards. Or that you have
installed it in series with the starter.
How long after you have started does it take to get back to zero?
If it goes back instantly it is probably in line with the starter..
If it goes back slowly ( 10s of seconds to a minuite) its probably just in
backwards.. ie leads reversed.
<Alpiners,
<On Mon, 26 May 1997 12:01:09 -0600 Terry McKitrick <tmckit(at)connect.ab.ca>
<writes:
<>I just installed my ammeter in my 1960 Series I. When I start the
<>car, it
<>dives straight left to -30, then comes back to centre, and stays
<>there, at
<>any r.p.m. Is it working?
<Sounds like it's working, but it also sounds like your charging system is
<not.
NO
If the ammeter was OK but the charger was not.. I would expect something other
than zero while running.
<Suspect the regulator, then the generator.
<The generator is easily tested with a voltmeter.
<The regulator is not so easy to test, but most likely can be adjusted if
<it is
<functional.
<The following will hold true only if you have a generator.
<A properly funtioning system will show a moderate discharge during
<cranking,
<and say -5 to -10 amps at 900 RPM idle. The ammeter will begin to show
<some charge at between 1200 and 1500 RPM. Just after starting, the
<battery
<will be in a state of partial discharge, so the ammeter will show a
<significant
<current flow to the battery (only if the engine is running above 1500
<RPM).
<My 1725 (with generator), will show a +30 amp charge just after startup,
<then drop down to around 3-5 amps in several minutes.
Hopefully it drops to zero in a couple more minutes.. if not and you haven't
boiled out your battery.. you may have some loads connected on the wrong side
of the ammeter.
<Alternator equipped cars will likely even charge at idle.
<The charging system on the Early alpines is pretty straight forward, so
<if you need help diagnosing your problem, just drop me a line.
<Jarrid Gross
BTW Jarrid why run a generator with the 1725 engine? I thought Roots
had gone to alternators for all the series V (1725) Alpines.
Steve F
*******************************************************************************
Steve Finberg W1GSL w1gsl(at)mit.edu
PO Box 397082 MIT Br Cambridge MA 02139-7082 617 258 3754
*******************************************************************************
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