LED Battery Gauge

With the concerns of dying R/R's I was currious if anyone had tried one of these to monitor the charge of the battery.

http://www.bikerhiway.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=144&products_id=215

Just wondering if it's worth the time to buy and hook up, or if it's just going to look pretty and do nothing. Will this even warn me of a failing R/R??

 

Harbor Freight sells ( $5) a 7-led "alternator testor" that works great, and i have one mounted on my '86 VFR.
IT is very sensitive and will easily, accurately warn you of charging problems.

 

Hmm, sounds like a good investment, have a pic? I'm actually headed in the area of HF later today.

EDIT:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92571 ?

 

i have the kuryakyn one and i have had no trouble with it. it seems to work good. it should warn you if ther/r is going dead, thats what i bought it for. the wires are pretty small gauge so be careful if you need to strip them to mount it. i dont know what year you got but mine is a 97 and i just tapped in to the fuse box in the front. if you get it make sure you hook into a switched power source( i used the headlight fuse). if you go to the battery direct it would be on alll the time. its easy to mount, comes with double stick tape. hope that helps.

 

Get one from Kuryakun. They are about $20 I think, but worth the money. I need to buy one for my R6S. I also tapped into the fuse box for the (+) wire, but chose to ground it to the battery. I used the ignition fuse. I never had a problem with mine either and it did it's job very well.

 

Thanks, I'll add it to my list of things to add this spring.

 

Stopped by Harbor Freight a while ago. I'm copycating Squirrel Man's idea.

I haven't opened it up yet, but I'm thinking of drilling holes in my fuse box cover and soldering on some extensions on the LED leads. That way, it'll be easy for me to wire to something like the headlight fuse (vfr750rider) and it'll be a nice easy readout.

Cost 10 bucks, I saw on their website it was 7 something, but the guy had a big line and looked like he was having a bad day, so I didn't say anything.

OK, done stealing from you guys for today. Thanks.

 

Download and read the user manual. This may not be what you want.

 

The model "alternator testor" i referred to above has 2 wires leading out and is not like the plug-in model V.F.R shows. It measures about 4 1/2" long by 2' wide.......i don't have photo, sorry.

 

Good thread, I've been looking around for one that doesn't , well not look so after market. would really like it to also be more a actual number read out too. not so much a bunch of lights lining up on a bar. I came across this one look says it's only .31 display height so it's small, wonder how it would read in the sun? Hmm,



http://www.martelmeters.com/products.php?cat=3&action=detail&id=15

 

Have you seen the one by Signal Dynamics? The main unit could be hid anyway, the only thing'd be visible would be a single remote mounted tri-color LED. I'm getting one if no one reports anything negative...

 

If you are looking for a small digital voltmeter you can check out one of these:

I just got one and I am in the process of having a machine shop fabricate an aluminum bracket so that I don't have to cut my fairing panels.

Here is the web address:

http://www.digitalmeter.com/cgi-bin/webshop.cgi?config=configspc.txt

 

It functions just the same. I knew you didn't have the same model because you said yours was a 7 LED.

 

The meter inside the mirror install on that site is the cats ass!

Says it came froma VFR website. Hasn't crossed my path here, so maybe it's VFRD.
I don't think I'd go through the trouble, but it is great looking!

 

Found some LCD displays too. You can get this type with backlighting and visibility issues go away.

:smile: :smile: :smile:
Look to Martel Meters for your options here:
[DLMURL]http://www.martelmeters.com/index.php[/DLMURL]
They even have a panel mount NEMA 4 LCD. That'd be the last one you'd ever need.

 

If I'm not mistaken that was done by a guy on the FJR Forum......But I've been wrong plenty of times before. :biggrin:

 

There are no visibility issues with the DigitalMeter - I spoke with them and they said it is easy to read in direct Arizona sunlight from 15 feet away..... The backlighting I think would be a bit much at night, but that's just my lame opinion :tongue:

 

the led setup is WAY cooler than digital volts numbers b ecaUse you got a LIGHT SHOW in multiple colors going on, baby!!!
the unit is so sensitive it flashes when the turn signals are activated or horn button is pressed........

"Very fun ride," that will work good; now find a good spot to mount it up!!

 

http://www.digitalmeter.com/cgi-bin/webshop.cgi?config=configspc.txt

This is what I have on my 5th gen.

 

Oh yeah! Did a test run with it today (really shouldn't have considering I still haven't found my idle prob), connected direct to bat with a simple switch on the neg lead. I think I'm just going drill out holes in my fuse box and fit the LEDs through, the thing's so light I'm probably just going to end up taping it to the underside.

I checked its readings with that of my multimeter simultaneously, it's indicator color patterns and chart match up perfectly with my digi multimeter. Thanks for the idea.