Average Amperage Reading?

[Timbo]

What is an average amperage reading while driving normal speeds with nothing turned on? I am getting a reading well over +30 amps (my vdo gauge only goes to +30amps could be more) when first starting the car and then drops down to about +3-4 amps when on the road? Is this normal?.... At a stand still with everything off, My battary reads about 12.6 volts and at cranking over the engine it reads 9.8volts and after it starts and is running at an idle it reads almost 13 volts.... Thanks in advance!

[Bob Putnam]

What is an average amperage reading while driving normal speeds with nothing turned on? I am getting a reading well over +30 amps (my vdo gauge only goes to +30amps could be more) when first starting the car and then drops down to about +3-4 amps when on the road?

That's about right. In the beginning, the battery is being recharged. Eventually, the reading should go to near zero as the battery becomes fully charged. Since it's likely that you have an alternator that's rated much higher than 30A, I would be wary of frying the ammeter. 50A-60A would be an adequate range with a stock alternator, or you can install a shunt across the gage's connections to reduce the load on the gage - at the expense of an accurate reading.

At a stand still with everything off, My battary reads about 12.6 volts and at cranking over the engine it reads 9.8volts and after it starts and is running at an idle it reads almost 13 volts.

Again, within normal limits, although the cranking voltage is a bit low. This may be a result of a tight engine or a bad starter.