Voltmeter Install

If you installed a voltmeter, how did you wire it? Thinking I'll hook it directly to the battery with a toggle switch in-line. Curious to see others doings as I prepare to mount my digital Ebay special.

 

I wired mine through a Blue Sea switched fuse box, triggered by the tail light wire.

 

I like those fuse boxes. What kind of voltmeter are you using? Are you getting a true reading? The reason I thought of the battery direct was so I can monitor the status of the r/r and stator charging process at static and speed respectively.

 

Just a cheapo voltmeter from Datel. I've checked the voltage directly at the battery to compare it
to the voltmeter and it is within 1-2 tenths of a volt. Close enough for me.

 

Datel has a cheap one? Ha. I have collected a few samples from China and will decide which to mount. I like direct wiring w/switch so I can see battery resting voltage with no other influences. Have a fuse panel on my other bike with unswitched power, so went to that. May do same to the Viffer.

 

I assumed the Datel was cheap, because I'm a cheap SOB, but it was about 12 years ago, so I could be wrong.

 

Datels back in the day were the best in the game and reasonable (~$12??)... new ones are ~$30+. I still consider them the best and most readable... get a knock-off (it's still a Datel) from CycleMax Ohio or one of the Goldwing suppliers like WingStuff or such.

 

I installed the meter just below the fuel gauge with 3M double sided tape. Ran the wires directly to the battery with a small toggle switch in-line on the positive wire just under the fuse box on the inside plastic cover. For now I tapped into the 7.5 fuse of my battery tender wire. Verified the reading with my multimeter and it's pretty spot on.


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I actually just did the wiring on mine last night.
Found a double USB outlet that also has a voltmeter. Wired it to a manual on/off button though a relay, hooked to the headlight.

 

I tapped into the headlight, and then the line on my camera system and wasn't getting true readings; about 11V. Thus, going directly to the battery.

 

I like the LCD over the LED, but the LCD I tried lasted until the first rainshower. So I ended up with LED.

 

Mine seems fine. The built in voltmeter on the USB outlet is of by 0.13V but it's consistent so that's not a big deal.
To be fair, I have only tried it with the bike off, as it is currently in my living room. Could be a different story when it is running, so I will keep your input in mind and check when I get it back on the road after winter.

 

You really should go to a more direct power source. I have used a combo USB/voltmeter that has a switch on it, reasonably accurate, hardwired direct to my aux. fuse panel (or you could use a fuse tap). If you wire direct, best have a switch you can shut it off with.

 

That would be the preferred method. That's what I did.

 

Just wondering what the perceived benefit is to wiring direct? All you're really interested in is
what the voltage is doing, not what the exact voltage is, closer than a tenth or two. You want to
know that the voltage increases with RPM, to a certain point, and it is remaining constant over time.

OTOH I think it would take quite a while for the draw from an LED?LCD voltmeter to run the
battery too far down. But I don't actually know myself. But I do prefer having the voltmeter on a
switched circuit.

 

It's useful to know the state of battery charge, ignition off and no headlights on..... certainly OK to have it switched if you're just monitoring charge voltage. Personal preference. You could temporarily wire it live and see how long it takes to drop battery voltage to say 12.4-12.5 (50% charge per Yuasa). With just an LED, it will be a few days.

 

Here is my Voltmeter location. Scrap piece of ABS plastic - with a 90* angle. I used a short section of automotive two sided adhesive tape for external trim to attach it to the front side of the triple tree.
The power is coming from a relay switched on by the tail-light, connectd directly to the battery.
The read out on the voltmeter (a cheap ebay unit) is spot on with my multimeter.

 

Here's where I installed the toggle switch, on the inside panel behind the fuse box. Works like a charm. In retrospect, I should have got a voltmeter that was LCD; may still do that. The red LED is hard to see in direct daylight.

 

I've had several... those round ones are what I call medium brightness. Datel's the brightest, but there are some others.... unfortunately, it's trial and error. Maybe blue or green easier to read? I'll be experimenting.
Latest one I got, seemed a little brighter, small format, waterproof..... and cheap.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32966013250.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.77fc4c4d6yE0KN