Electrical: Amp meter won't show a charge testing a 1956 Hawk amp meter

[(S)]

1956 Power Hawk. Stock 12 V Gen charging system.
New wire harness
New Gen
New Volt reg
Dash is double grounded
Gen is grounded
Eng is grounded. ( grounds were tested) even though an AMP meter does not ground, we wanted to be sure everything else was good.
Had the Batt cable off several times. Polorized the Volt Reg each time to be sure.


Car runs and Batt tests 12.6 sitting starts and runs. Batt shows 14 V when car is running. Gen shows 14 Volts running tested at the Volt reg. Volt reg has a good ground. Car seems to be charging but not a blip on the Amp meter. Tested the big stud at the Starter Sol running and it shows 14. V . Following the circut, went to the AmP meter and saw 14 V running... The Amp meter will show a discharge when you turn on lights/ fan etc.

Tested the AMp meter by putting it between a battery and a slow batt charger. The meter shows about 6 amps.

Tested the wires involved and even at each 'lug' end at the key switch, Amp meter, volt reg and Gen.

Tested the Amp meter by switching the 'input' ( Red wire) with the 'output' (2 Black) wires. As expected, it read backwards. Only showing + when you turn on lights etc.

An Amp meter is measuring the load running through it and they seem to rarely fail. When I swapped it with another one I was amazed it did the same things.

What would make an AMP meter not show readings? Not enough Amps going into it ? (charge) I have 14 Volts, but no idea how many Amps.

[Lark Hunter]

The ammeter only shows whether the battery is being charged or discharged. During normal operation, it should show a positive charge for a few minutes after you start the engine, and the generator is replenishing the juice used to crank the engine. Then it will taper down close to zero again, and stay in that area as long as the generator is able to meet electrical demands. It should show a discharge if you're idling at an intersection with the headlights and heater blower on, then swing toward charge again when you take off... then back to the middle once the battery is topped off. The more/longer you discharge the battery, the longer it will show a charge.

[r1lark]

What Lark Hunter said.

Have you done this: turn on the headlights, blower, and any other significant loads again so the amp meter shows a discharge again. Then rev up the engine and the amp meter should move from discharge to roughly zero.

Or, let the car sit without the engine running, and turn the headlights and fan on and run the battery down some (but not enough that the car won't start ). Start the car, and see if you see a positive charge on the amp meter.

[(S)]

It's fixed and working like it should now.

[Lark Hunter]

Right on

[r1lark]

It's fixed and working like it should now.

What was the final "solution"?