Try and answer this one ALT meter ? (1 Viewer)

[yomama]

I thought of an interesting question The alt guage on the dash, does it tell you the condition of the battery OR does it show the charging state? Does that make sense?
If your battery is low would the alt meter show high (charging) or low (battery dying)?
I am still working on my electrical issues and remembered that within the last few days before the battery died the gauge was slowely lowering

Yomama

 

[RavenTai]

it only shows voltage in thew sytem weather it be from battery or alternator, the alturnator should put out just over 14v battery just over 12V

if the voltage is over 15v the alternator is putting out to much, 14.XX is normal running, 12.XX wile running the alt is not outputting any or not enough to keep up with the load and the batt is filling in the diffrence, <12 battery is heavily discharging or dead

if the volt meter was slowly lowering for a few days before your battery died you alternator is very suspect, test it

 

[scottm]

The ALT meter on the Super 80 dash indicates ALT. Oh, and there's three of 'em.

 

[yomama]

Replaced both batteries with Red Top Optima's. I think my problem was two fold. 1. If my vehicle sat along time the battery would drain. My son likes to turn on switches and I found both a relay left on and also my CB boost was on, along with the usual stuff.
2. Because my battery would drain down, I would recharge it, here is problem two, I had two different types of batteries. I had the Marine/start as primary and the old Panasonic as the backup. I noticed a sulfer smell recently, so I think I had toasted the second battery and I think the second dead battery was trying to charge off the Marine battery. Hense I was stuck at the bus stop.....
Lessons learned....

Yomama