|
Presuming your H electrics are stock and working, the generator (hidden up under the hood on the right front side of the engine) recharges the battery when the engine runs. Understanding the ammeter will tell you all you pretty much all need to know about battery/generator operation: The ammeter keeps track of current flow into/out of the battery. Ammeter hand deflected to the right of 0 means the battery is being charged, and to the left of 0 means discharge. And the farther the needle moves away from 0, the higher the rate of charge or discharge. If the ammeter and generator are working properly, with the engine stopped and everything shut off the ammeter will be centered. (Meaning no current flowing to/from the battery.) With the ignition switch "on" and the engine stopped the ammeter will indicate several amps of discharge. Likewise with the engine at slow idle the ammeter will indicate several amps of discharge. This is because the generator does not provide any current at idle speed. The ignition is drawing off the battery to keep the engine running However with the engine running at speed the ammeter should indicate half scale or more on the charge side, showing the generator is charging the battery. ---- I personally wouldn't bother running the engine occasionally to charge the battery during the winter. Better simply to leave it alone (that's what I do with mine...). Or if you prefer remove the battery and stick it on a charger overnight once every couple of months.
| 
