Voltmeter or Ampmeter

[KLINDWW]

Re: Voltmeter or Ampmeter

I love these kinds of threads, where everyone is actually correct but yet there is still heated discussion. No an ammeter will not tell you the same thing as a volt meter and yes the only true way of checking the condition of a battery is to load test it. Problem is that I have never seen one in a boat or a car. But an ammeter will tell you nothing about your battery, hell you can take the battery out and it will read zero. So if you are looking for the best one to install on you boat to tell you what the condition of the battery is it would have to be the volt meter. So if you are looking for votes on which one should be installed I have to vote for the volt.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Voltmeter or Ampmeter

I have a shunt tester for my battery. I never use it, but I do us my dual meters thought (amp/volt). Your right most people like volt meters. They tell system voltage.

I'm just a gauge guy though. It comes with turning a wrench when I was a kid. In those days computers were held in huge secret buildings and not under the hood of a car. At that time the electrical/charging system was the number one problem you faced on your car, followed by vacuum leaks, burnt points and stuck carb floats.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Voltmeter or Ampmeter

I have a shunt tester for my battery. I never use it, but I do us my dual meters thought (amp/volt). Your right most people like volt meters. They tell system voltage.

I'm just a gauge guy though. It comes with turning a wrench when I was a kid. In those days computers were held in huge secret buildings and not under the hood of a car. At that time the electrical/charging system was the number one problem you faced on your car, followed by vacuum leaks, burnt points and stuck carb floats.

Sound's like you an I went to the same school. Mom sent me off to Military Academy because I was cutting class and enticing classmates to come over and work on their cars. The Prinicipal told me if I kept it up he was going to shut down the Auto Shop at school and make my parents foot the bill. I built my first engine at age 13, a 318 pontiac. The first boat I built was a Glenn L mini Hydro in summer school wood shop at Santa Rosa High.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Voltmeter or Ampmeter

Sound's like you an I went to the same school. Mom sent me off to Military Academy because I was cutting class and enticing classmates to come over and work on their cars. The Prinicipal told me if I kept it up he was going to shut down the Auto Shop at school and make my parents foot the bill. I built my first engine at age 13, a 318 pontiac. The first boat I built was a Glenn L mini Hydro in summer school wood shop at Santa Rosa High.

My mom and my kids were and are products of SRHS (go panthers). I was a product of San Marin HS, Novato......but like you I took auto shop, worked on a 383 dodge, mini cycles, motorcycle and cox engines.......along with anything else I could play with.