Amp Meter Not Showing Charge

[Steves46]

On my way home this evening from a car show in my 46 Coupe ,with the headlights on the amp meter was showing a charge. However...I stopped to get gas, fired her up and noticed no charge indication as before. No issues as I drove the 7 remaining miles home. When I got home, I made a quick check of the battery voltage and it was reading 6 volts so it looks like it didn't weaken the battery. I fired her up again and with/without the lights, no movement of the amp meter. Any ideas as to what could be causing this? Pretty odd. Tomorrow morning I will put my volt meter on the baterry terminals, rev the engine and see what reading I get-hopefully 7 to 7.5 volts. Appreciate any inputs. Steve

[JSeery]

The non-running voltage of the battery should be >6v and running >7v. Hard to say much until you get a reading with it running. A fully charged battery should read close to 6.4v. If the reading was actually 6.0v that would indicate a little less than 50% charge.

[Jack E/NJ]

Shoulda been about 6.3v immediately after shutting down. About 7.2v when car has been running a minute or so without lights. Jack E/NJ

[Steves46]

Thanks for the responses-I will provide an update tomorrow.

[estout81]

This happens sometimes with these modern voltage regulators. Rev the engine and at the same time tap on regulator cover with a screwdriver handle. Most of the time this will fix it.

[Tinker]

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Originally Posted by estout81

This happens sometimes with these modern voltage regulators. Rev the engine and at the same time tap on regulator cover with a screwdriver handle. Most of the time this will fix it.

Kind of like a stuck solenoid and it does work. I'm thinking bad connections too.


but... just a bit of humor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQc9L2RbQkw






.

[Steves46]

Update: Fired her up and now showing a nice steady charge under load. All my connections are tight and clean. Must have been something momentarily stuck in the regulator.

[JSeery]

Sounds like success, at least for the present.

[Paul Bennett]

Originally Posted by Steves46

On my way home this evening from a car show in my 46 Coupe ,with the headlights on the amp meter was showing a charge. However...I stopped to get gas, fired her up and noticed no charge indication as before. No issues as I drove the 7 remaining miles home. When I got home, I made a quick check of the battery voltage and it was reading 6 volts so it looks like it didn't weaken the battery. I fired her up again and with/without the lights, no movement of the amp meter. ,,, Steve

That happened to me middle of night, into a 700 mile drive from Zion to Modesto.


A truck garage lent me a trouble light and a suggestion which got me home. Put a toothpick behind each of the generator brushes. Not having tools stimulates McGyver fixes.