Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Amp guage reading backwards. Read on..

Here goes.
261 engine 12 volt.

decided to go ahead and hook up the generator Saturday and before doing this I checked the battery. I had used it a time or two and the voltage was 12.8
I hooked up the generator and checked at the battery and it indicated the generator was charging at 13.8 so all was good. However, the amp gauge reads backwards. I reverse the wires at the generator and check at the battery and it is not charging there so I switched the wires back on the generator.

What do you guys think? does the generator need polarizing? I've heard of folks doing that.

Comments please....and beware I may not be back here for a few days. I have a lot on my plate right now but will get back soon. Thanks

Alvin,

Yes, the generator needs polarizing.

The generator is good. Swap the wires at the ammeter terminals. There should be only one heavy gauge wire going from the ammeter to the battery cable connection at the starter, and all the other circuits such as the ignition switch, fuse block, headlight switch and regulator "BAT" terminal wire should attach to the other terminal. Some ammeters have one long stud made to accommodate several terminals.
Jerry

This may be a long shot and is more likely on positive ground cars.....Many years back I purchased a positive ground Ford where the ammeter read backwards. The owner said not to worry, that was just the way the gauge worked - stupidly I believed him. After some time I noticed that the battery was installed backwards! I switched the battery to the proper positive ground and the ammeter then read correctly. Oddly I never noticed any difference in the performance either way. If I hadn't experienced it I would have thought the car would not run with a backwards battery but it did.