[DavidG]

Your wires on the ammeter are reversed as it should show a discharge, not a charge when you activate the ignition switch. Plus with all switches off, the ammeter should not register any movement when you hook up both posts of the battery. If it does, there is a closed circuit somewhere in the electrical system where the battery is grounding out. With your ammeter wires reversed, you are getting a discharge when it reads charging so when running, it is not acting "perfectly normal"