 Amp meter vs Volt meter, Which one to use? |
|
|
|
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.
This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way. Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. |
|
|
| nola914 |
 Jun 28 2007, 10:26 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Member  Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 19-January 06 From: New Orleans, LA Member No.: 5,440  |
I'm close to starting up my 2.0L out-of-body. I'm going to plug in a few basic guages to keep an eye on what's going on. In my parts bin I have an old Amp meter (old - but never been used). But I got to thinking... the 914's use a volt meter, as do newer cars. I suppose that there is a reason for that.
Seems to me, and this is a very simplified way of looking at it, the amp meter is providing info about the alternator's operating efficency, while a voltmeter is showing the battery's condition. Am I thinking correctly? In my case, with a new battery, but an old alternator that hasn't been turned in 4 years, to get a reading on the system, should I use the amp meter or look around for a volt meter? Or both? |
   |
 
|
  |
Replies
| Joe Owensby |
Jun 29 2007, 09:46 AM
Post
#2
|
|
JoeO Group: Members Posts: 527 Joined: 7-January 06 From: Spartanburg, SC Member No.: 5,385 Region Association: South East States |
The voltmeter is by far the better instrument. It tells you several things: the current charge state of your battery, as well as how much voltage your alternator is putting out (which is an indication of both the condition of your alternater as well as the voltage regulator). You should be able to watch the voltage reading and know immediately if your charging system is working properly. For instance, if the voltage regulator is malfunctioning, it could output too much voltage and overcharge the battery- with resulting leakage of battery fluids, etc.
Joe |
|
|
|
| Air_Cooled_Nut |
Jun 30 2007, 08:27 PM
Post
#3
|
|
914 Ronin - 914 owner who lost his 914club.com Group: Members Posts: 1,748 Joined: 19-April 03 From: Beaverton, Oregon Member No.: 584 Region Association: None |
QUOTE(Joe Owensby @ Jun 29 2007, 08:46 AM)  The voltmeter is by far the better instrument. It tells you several things: the current charge state of your battery, as well as how much voltage your alternator is putting out (which is an indication of both the condition of your alternater as well as the voltage regulator). You should be able to watch the voltage reading and know immediately if your charging system is working properly. For instance, if the voltage regulator is malfunctioning, it could output too much voltage and overcharge the battery- with resulting leakage of battery fluids, etc. Joe (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I run a volt meter in my VW. Amp meter doesn't return as much info IMO. |
|
|
|
Posts in this topic
nola914 Amp meter vs Volt meter Jun 28 2007, 10:26 PM
SirAndy if you use the amp meter, make sure you use the bi... Jun 28 2007, 10:35 PM chris914 A battery always has a voltage difference that can... Jun 29 2007, 01:53 AM Dave_Darling I think Chris may be overstating things, but he is... Jun 29 2007, 02:35 AM
914-8
The voltmeter gives you an indication of the cur... Jun 29 2007, 10:14 AM ruddyboys Not to steal this thread, should my volt meter be ... Jun 29 2007, 10:11 AM marks914 I prefer the voltmeter, but I would get one of the... Jun 29 2007, 10:33 AM skips You can use an ammeter "shunt" to use an... Jun 29 2007, 09:25 PM Bartlett 914
You can use an ammeter "shunt" to use a... Jun 30 2007, 10:05 AM nola914 Thanks for all of the replys. I was away from the... Jul 2 2007, 08:51 PM |
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 9th June 2024 - 10:07 AM |
Invision Power Board
v9.1.4 © 2024 IPS, Inc.