Amp gauge reading low

[Flashflood]

Okay hear me out I have put one of the best batteries from oriellys in my ex and I keep having the amp gauge read way low like not even middle whats the charge circuit measure at the battery so I can see what alternators doing cause I cleaned the crowsion of the terminals when I switched batteries

 

[BKennedy]

I'm trying to understand what you are asking. Are you asking what the alternator should normally be charging? Maybe if you broke up your questions into sentences it would be easier to help. Normally alternators will produce between 13.5 and 14.5 volts at the battery. You can get your alternator tested at most auto parts chain stores.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The quality of the battery is irrelevant, as long as it’s not bad.

Is the battery light on?

It’s not an ammeter (amperage gauge) it’s a voltmeter.

 

[donalds]

Its normal !!
mine does it and trust me my charging system is perfect
I installed a real amp meter and volt meter to monitor
Ill post you a pic
but yea this is normal

Is your alternator original
I ask because some aftermarket voltage regulators have a 14.2v set point
Some 13.8v
The factory is 14.6 set point

 

[Flashflood]

I'm trying to understand what you are asking. Are you asking what the alternator should normally be charging? Maybe if you broke up your questions into sentences it would be easier to help. Normally alternators will produce between 13.5 and 14.5 volts at the battery. You can get your alternator tested at most auto parts chain stores.

Sorry, about that. Yes basically I'm asking what the alternator should charge at. It was really late when I made this post and that's why it's garbage. Also was it always a voltmeter on 2nd gens? I never realized the gauge reading like this on any of our other 2nd gens.

 

[BKennedy]

If the alternator is putting out 13 or more volts, then its working.

 

[Gary Crist]

I have not seen a REAL amp meter in a domestic vehicle (stock) since Chrysler
stopped putting them in their cars. The entire charging system ran
through the dash via the amp meter in the instrument cluster!!
As stated above by everyone it is OK.

What counts is voltage output with a full load (A/C, blower high, bright
lights etc) it should be at least 1/2 Volt above battery resting voltage or
above about (12.6 ish?).

 

[C420sailor]

If they put ammeters in cars, people would freak.

I have to explain to new flight students that you should see a positive amperage right after start, then seeing zero after a few minutes is 100% normal. They think 0=bad.

My needle tends to hang out at the lower right corner of the battery symbol, depending on what I’m running...fan, lights, etc