Amp Gauge

From your description is sounds like the ammeter is wired wrong. Should be set up with the wire to the ungrounded battery post (the negative post in your case) to one terminal, and everything else (wire from the regulator "BAT" terminal, ignition switch supply wire and headlight switch supply wire) to the other terminal. If wired correctly it will show several amps of discharge when the ignition (unless magneto ignition) is turned on, or the lights are turned on, with the motor stopped.

An ammeter is easy to test. Simply wire it up in series with a small load (6 volt headlamp bulb or something) and the battery. When you complete the circuit it should deflect away from 0 and indicate the current being drawn. Disregard whether it indicates charge or discharge during this test - that depends on the which ammeter post is connected to the positive battery terminal for the test...

Second, after you rebuilt your generator, did you by chance re-polorize your regulator/cutout relay? Have you replaced your curout relay? Those have just as much to do with whether a system charges correctly as the generator.

Whenever a generator or regulator are removed and replaced, you must re-polorize by taking a short wire and briefly touching the "BAT" terminal to the "GEN" terminal. Make sure the ignition is off and battery is connected.

One last note...even though regulators are somewhat expensive, if the one that is there is questionable, I replace it...it costs many fewer headaches down the line.

The ammeter does not need to be grounded...if I'm not mistaken, the outer case is actually insulated from the inner workings...BB