How is an ammeter in a car protected from high amperage during start (especially in cold weather)?

[John_1]

I’ve been looking at ammeters to install in my car, I see an analog gauge by Bosch that shows -60 to +60 amps which would be great most of the time to show when my car is charging, when it’s fully charged, and how much of a drain is on the battery when the engine (and alternator) is off. But when I think about the battery and the CCA’s required for start, I wonder if this gauge would be okay? And how it protects itself if it does. There was no mention of a shunt with this gauge so I’m not sure exactly how it hooks up.
Then I’ve looked at digital screens that show volts, amps, and sometimes a few other things. These normally come with shunts rated for 100 amps or 300 amps that hook directly to the negative battery post and inline with the main negative wire, but seemed to be geared more towards solar I think. And then I wonder if those shunts could handle the high amperage of a car start over and over, and I don’t believe they will since they’re not rated at a high enough amperage.
It’d be neat to find something that shows milliamps all the way up to 1,000 amps and records peak amps. Especially with out spending a fortune.

 

[James]

most of the time, the ammeter is not connected to the starter motor cable.
so you don't have to worry about starting current.

 

[DPG]

The ammeter won't be connected in series with the starter motor feed cable.

Edit. James bet me to it.

 

[John_1]

Thanks everybody, I had just assumed it would be in between the battery and the rest of the system so that everything would go through it. That’s what I get for assuming. I’m hoping that everything else does go through it though wether or not the alternator is running.

 

[PEG]

Hi,it would go,traditionally,in series,from the battery,to the accesories,with the alternator connection beyond,so would read amplitude and direction.