Charging issue '70 Swinger

wjajr said
73AdodEE,

Gezzz, never disconnect battery with engine running, this action will kill diodes.

Unless you replaced Amp Gage with Volt meter, the stock gage is showing current or amps, passing through the bulkhead connector, and which way current is flowing in relation to battery charge level, and alternator output.

Current draw is relative, if you have a 36 amp alternator, headlight, heater fan, and recent starting of engine can be a lot draw. With a 60 amp alternator, upgrade sound system, headlights, heater fan, and electric radiator fan will be a big load at idle. The reason your relay powered headlights dont move the amp gage is because the current flowing from alternator is bypassing the gage going directly to lighting load.

By the way, using relays to operate lighting loads, electric choke, engine cooling fans, and convertible top motor is about the best wiring up grade one can do on an old Mopar. Good job there 73.

Oh one more housekeeping thing. Please help us half blind old farts out a little by using caps to start sentences, and spacing between paragraphs for easer reading and understanding of your thoughts.

LOL Sorry about the caps. When i said "draw" , I was only referring to a significant draw that would register a complete discharge, and not normal operation. I still have my factory amp gauge. I am an old fart and I get lazy shifting to caps on my keyboard. We have always tested alternators in OLDER cars by simply making sure it was charging by pulling the + side battery cable without any ill-effects. I would never tell any one to do this, only sharing what works for me. I only used the relays for the HID as per instructions and i dont use them for any other application. I was only sharing what works in my car. People start throwing meters and testers on everything and if they dont have an exact reading, they start freaking out thinking that they have a screwed up system when actually it is ok. Like the guy at checker that throws your brand new battery on a tester and it is showing 12.4 volts at idle, and then tells you the battery is no good because it should be showing 13.6 without checking anything else. :oops: