Amp Meter

[sail]

Stock generator. Amp meter was reading +5 or 10 when running and bounced around 0, + or - when at idle. Suddenly still same at idle but when running needle is buried to the positive. I have been cleaning all grounds. Also there was some moisture in the glass (like the rest of the state) which could affect it. Am I worried?

 

[angelfj1]

The "ammeter" should not bounce around like that. A high positive reading generally means that your battery is very low. Try isolating the battery and put it on a charger at a low setting a few amps amps or less , overnight. In the morning , use a hygrometer and check the specific gravity of each cell of the battery (unless it is a sealed unit). or take it to an auto store where they will test it for free. If the battery checks out good, start the car and your ammeter should indicate either a very low + or zero. If it swings wildly and indicates a high + (which means it is charging) , you may have a fried regulator (control box).

good luck

 

[Adrio]

Horses and Zebra. I had the same thing and being an electrical engineer I went looking for the Zebra (that is I started to trouble shoot all the electrical options that would make that happen. I should say this was on a TR3A.

THE ANSWER WAS (a horse) It was a loose fan belt!

 

[TR3driver]

but when running needle is buried to the positive.
Am I worried?

You should be ! Generating that much current will cause the generator to overheat, and burn itself up in relatively short order. Anything more than 2/3 to positive with a stock (21 amp) generator is cause for serious concern and immediate action, IMO.

Try pulling the brown/green wire (I think it is) off of the 'F' terminal on the control box. If the ammeter drops back to zero or discharge, the problem is inside the control box. If not, the problem is in the wires to the generator, or possibly inside the generator itself (short between D and F terminals).

 

[sail]

well finally i got in the garage this afternoon and
the "ammeter" still buries after checking the battery, charged overnight anyway, looked for horses and zebras, belt was fine, pulled the yes brown green wire off F with same result and checked all the wires with a jumper and cleaned everything again to be sure. so this must be an omen to blow off the generator since my headlights looked like candles anyway.

for the alternator looks like a delco 10si that several here already figured out, keep wide belt pulley and wire with masters vtr instructions

or if the smaller denso will work with the wide belt

or if someone here suggests something else, thanks for the help