I know some manufactures use idiot gauges instead of real gauges (gauge that will read dead center unless it senses a danger level, like an idiot light only with a needle) and I was wondering if our 2nd Gens do that as well?

The reason I ask is because the other night I noticed my volt meter didn't flinch when I would switch the AC from off to Max with Max fan or flip the high beams with the multi-function stalk. Now that kind of draw SHOULD elicit a movement in the needle until the voltage regulator in the alternator catches up and increases the output. Turn the key on and the needle swings like it should and then rests at dead center until you turn the key off. Now this bugs me because I don't know if I have a defective gauge or it is just an idiot gauge??? Either way, that is on my list of new gauges to get for the gauge pod (others are tranny temp and oil temp for now.)

 

no the volt meter reflects the autcual voltage, depending if you have a good bat and alt you wont see any movement, if i shut off my 2nd bat (there connected via a silonoid) and flick all my lights on at once (3 sets on the front and one on the rear) i can get a tiny flicker in the volt meter but its bareley notisable but my bats are 1000 CCA and ive got a 136 high output alt

 

Have you compared this with a calibrated volt meter? I will as soon as I can get someone in the cab to flip the stuff on and off while I use my good multi meter to find out for sure.

 

no ive never tryed calabrating it, ive never been worried about it auchually. i dont think your gonna see a big imidiate drop in voltage thow, youd half to be drawing a lot of amps to do that and even then it woud go down slowley

 

Like ryan said, there is really no "flicker" in our trucks. What amp alt do you have? mine is also the 136 so if you have the 96 (I think 96 is right) I cant be sure. But i can turn on all my running lights as well as headlights, have my fog lights on, and run blue lights and if i turn them on all at once (responding to a call at night) there is really no "flicker".

 

...waiting for someone with a winch to chime in

 

Didn't think of it til you mentioned the winch. i dont have a winch but i have the plow. when i lift the plow the guage does drop and then come back up. cant believe i didn't think of that before.[sm=icon_beat.gif][sm=oopssign.gif][sm=chairshot.gif]

 

You may be getting the volt meter confused with an ammeter. Although the gauges in production vehicles aren't as super sensitive as say a multimeter, the volt meter won't deflect like an ammeter which measures amp draw. An ammeter will show immediate amp draw and then move back to the constant position unless the amp draw excedes the output of the alternator.The electronic voltage regulators in modern alternators respond "right now" compared to their older cousins. They do this in sync. with the PCM which operates in nano-seconds. I.E. you never feel or notice that the injectors are constantly moving from rich to lean, but, they do so about 30-60 times per second depending on RPM!
Don't expect much of a change with an aftermarket gauge. Just be concerned when it registers less than 12.5 volts for any length of time.
WC

 

In a lot of Chevys they use what is called 'Real Time Gauges'.
Most manufactures don't use RTG's due to constant gauge fluctuation.
I've had an S-10 and a Caprice that when you put on the brakes hard enough you could see the fuel gauge drop a little due to fuel being forced forward, RTG.
Non RTG you can take a full tank, empty half with a drain plug and it'll take a few minutes for it to register.

Usually the only gauges that are Real Time are the Oil psi, as OE.

Does any one have an aftermarket water temp gauge? I wonder what these Magnums are really running at at idle in traffic.