Digital Voltmeter

[Mysuzyq]

Always thought it would be cool to have a voltmeter/ammeter on the GS to see what the charging system is doing. I think this voltmeter seems the best suited...compact, multi functional & reasonably priced as well. While researching it on the net, I came across this bikers installation on a GS500.

http://www.bbburma.net/HowTo/TimeVoltageTempGauge_Install/

Tony.

[alan]

There was another thread here somewhere about this and someone was going to get one. They were $25

[Anonymous]

Those things are pretty nice. I was going to buy one from a mailorder in Ottawa but they said I couldn't go down to pick it up. :?

FYI, Canadian Tire has a very nice digital multimeter on sale for 20 bucks. I bought one even though I already own two others.

Steve

[focus frenzy]

you can get those at almost any truck stop, they sell them there, I see them in trucks (18 wheelers) on a regular basis.

[Anonymous]

I recently bought the same meter. It's nice, but it drains my battery. I emailed the company, but they said I have it wired wrong. I THINK NOT. I have it tapped into my ignition switch, with the switched and unswitched +12VDC hooked up correctly. The display is on all the time, which I think is not right, and draining my battery. I checked, and it pulls 5 amps all the time. As soon as I turn the key on, it beeps (because the battery is low) and I need to put my charger on.

My SVS may not have a big enough battery. I don't want to reset the clock after every ride either... :x

[Anonymous]

D.T.
There's no way that thing should be pulling 5 amps unless it has a bunch of electric motors in it. Is it getting really hot? It should be smoking by now, a 60 headlight pulls 5 amps! Perhaps you have goofed the wiring and are forcing the ignition power through the meter instead of in parallel. At most I think it would pull 1/4 - 1/2 of an amp with everything on the meter lit up.

Despite your problem, how is the overall quality of the meter? Does it look weather proof?

Steve

[alan]

Here's a link to the other thread:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/viewtopic.php?t=32309&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[Mysuzyq]

So, given that the weather-proofing is suspect, I suppose the best bet would be to install it witha quick-disconnect, like the GS500 guy in the link I posted.....it makes sense to have a way to switch it off when the bike is parked for extended periods anyway, to prevent battery drain......it would take all of 20 seconds to reset the clock, though ...

Do our older GS's also have the extra switched wires in the headlight bucket for hooking up accessories, like the newer GS500'S?



Tony.

[Anonymous]

I took it off today. I'm sick of it draining my battery. I got it to pull 10-20 mA and I still don't know why my battery is draining.

Anyone want to buy it? I paid $33 for it.... :P

[Anonymous]

Tony: The dash light power is run by the key.

Steve

[duaneage]

There was another thread here somewhere about this and someone was going to get one. They were $25

I got it, it is pretty cool but not really weatherproof. I sealed some of the small holes on it with silicon and decided to use a quick disconnecting plug to remove it in case it rains really hard. It is actually designed for inside a car.

I got mine from www.casporttouring.com

Great service, fast shipping, no problems

[Jackrp]

Re: Digital Voltmeter

[quote="Mysuzyq"]Always thought it would be cool to have a voltmeter/ammeter on the GS to see what the charging system is doing. I think this voltmeter seems the best suited...compact, multi functional & reasonably priced as well. While researching it on the net, I came across this bikers installation on a GS500.

http://www.bbburma.net/HowTo/TimeVoltageTempGauge_Install/

One word of warning I have had or have 4 gs's and they have killed every peice of aftermarket electronics( o.k. THE 25$ RADIO IN MY VETTER SOUND STILL WORKS, but the 150$ radio died in a week) I have ever put on them, remember vibration kills, they really kill VDO gages, I had one piece of electronics a graphic equlizer wrapped in foam in my fairing died in less than 4 hours, and that took 5 hours to wire up.But it does look like a nifty device.