"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
et...

I believe the ammmeter is what I used to know as a "moving iron" type, and
IIRC the restoring force was supplied by some kind of permanant magnet
field, not by a mechanical spring. Am I right about that?

Nope. Still a spring.

http://www.tpub.com/content/doe/h101...h1011v4_76.htm

Moving iron vane - The moving iron vane meter operates on the
principle of magnetic repulsion between like poles. The measured current
flows through a field coil which induces a like magnetic field into
a fixed and moving vane causing the moving vane to deflect a
pointer in proportion to the current or voltage applied to the coil.