Onboard Volt Meters - ? Do you have one ? (1983 GS850GL)

[Wingsconsin]

I like to have an on-board volt meter display on my bikes -
Usually it helps me to kinda keep track on what's going on with the charging system
In the past few years I have redone nearly the entire system on my 1983 GS850GL
New Stator in 2017 - New R & R (the 775 one) - New AGM battery - New coils plug wires caps etc.
The bike runs well right now and I want to be able to continue riding with confidence.

I have tried 2 different volt meter displays recently and both have failed with this type of error ---
I guess cheap Chinese made is not the best way to go for a handlebar mounted display...

The ones I have tried are direct connected to the battery and have an Off/On switch built in - A feature I like -
But if they fail ? What's the use ?
I presume my next one will be hooked through a relay that comes on with the accessory terminals as a trigger...

Any tried and try suggestions ? Brands - designs - Places to purchase at a reasonable price -

All suggestions are Welcome as we discuss this very tiny problem - If this is my biggest worry -- I have no issues.

 

[tom203]

I put this one on my bike 8 years ago when I was fighting charging gremlins..still working today. It was designed as a car plug in unit...I just cut plug off. Sadly,a second unit bought as backup was defective out of box.

 

[roeme]

I got a selection of very cheap chinesium ones off ebay, intended to be mounted in a custom instrument cluster (that project - to no-one's surprise - I still have to start, even.).
As my first 550 had some charging trouble even after replacing the R/R, I temporarily connected one of them to the bike, and duct-taped it to the handlebars (No surprise again, it's still on, since I parked the bike, intending to haul it over completely).

Never had the issue you have there, but some of these units have little trimpots for calibration. Maybe vibration have brought them out of whack? In which case, Re-cal and then put a dab of glue over it.

 

[Sandy]

I bought this little Kuryakyn many years ago and it actually works very well. I just stuck it on the handlebar with some velcro and for accurate readings I wired it back to the battery via a relay as you mentioned. The back had to be waterproofed with a smear of silicon but so far so good. The new price seems a little stupid, I think I paid 1/2 that probably 10 years ago.

https://www.kuryakyn.com/products/872/led-battery-gauge

 

[bwringer]

I have two versions.

This guy lurks way down in the dark inside the fairing on my V-Strom (yes, modern Suzukis have the exact same crappy charging system problems...)
http://stores.advmonster.com/waterproof-digital-voltmeter/
$25, but has been bombproof so far. And to be honest, you can probably get the same thing cheaper elsewhere. It looks like someone (the seller or manufacturer, I dunno) "waterproofed" the unit by smearing black RTV on the seams and around the cable. Sorta ugly, but seems to work OK. It's mounted with industrial Velcro.

It has three wires; ground, power, and the meter connection. All my bikes are set up with a relayed circuit that supplies accessory power to the heated grips, phone charger, etc. up front. So I have this set to turn on power to the meter when the key is on. However, I found that I got better accuracy when I hooked up the meter connection directly to the battery; otherwise you're just measuring voltage drop caused by the load on the accessory circuit. So the red wire gets power from the accessory circuit, and the blue (voltage signal) and black wires go to the battery (these wires can be very thin, so they weren't hard to run.) All fused appropriately, of course.


The type I use on my other bikes is this SAE USB charger:
https://www.amazon.com/MOTOPOWER-MP...e=UTF8&qid=1538503197&sr=8-6&keywords=sae+usb
There are several listings on the Brazilian River for what appear to be an identical device.

This little dual-purpose widget is, of course, extremely convenient. I have two or three and have had no problems in many miles of abuse and rain (they're not waterproof, but I keep them tucked away out of the water and haven't had any issues so far). However, it does show the voltage drop on the circuit, not necessarily what the battery is seeing. Keep this in mind, take some readings so you understand the difference mentally add .2 to .3 volt or so, and ride happy...

I have a USB charger testing widget, and these do deliver the rated amperage and voltage. So far my phone has been happy.

I probably should smear some RTV on the seams. And I could waterproof the USB end with a glob of tape if things look cloudy.

 

[2BRacing]

I also have a voltmeter exactly like the first one BWRinger linked - the numerals on mine are just green instead of red.

I am also very happy after using it for about a year. The 3-wire lead makes for an easy connection to a switched source without a relay.

I mounted the voltmeter on top of the gauges with Velcro.

 

[Steve]

If you simply don't care about prices and have a bit of real estate available (flat fairing panel, etc.), I prefer an analog gauge.

Mine happens to be a VDO Cockpit Series gauge from Summit Racing.

My only complaint is that, at certain engine speeds, there is a resonance that makes the needle bounce.
Sometimes it just wiggles a bit, other times it's nearly full-scale.

.

 

[Redman]

Carl,

Let me encourage you to get SOMETHING.

I got a cheap rectangular LED digital meter and mounted it into a panel on the GK fairing. Since you dont have such space I will not bother to bore you with details of my specific unit.

Yah, the red LED is hard to see in daylight, have to make shade with my hand to read it sometimes.

And having it monitor the voltage in the fairing, yah, I know is a couple or few tenths less than the battery voltage, but I know that. My main concern when looking at the meter is not so much what specific voltage it is to a tenth of volt, I mostly just want to know "Is the charging system still working?". So if the reading is above typical battery voltage and if it increases with increased rpm, then "Yes, the charging system is still working."

I installed that meter four years ago, then a couple weeks later (on way to Brown County) I noticed it reading something like 18 point something volts. I thought that could happen if lost voltage the "sense" line of the Dunnage (Honda) r/r. Pulled off at a plce where could investigate further. Found the signal fuse area of the fuse block melting. Made something of a repair and was back underway. Otherwize I probably would have rode until something else burnt out (igniter maybe).

Next year (on way home from Brown County) I was about to get on an urban interstate when I noticed the meter reading low and not increase with rpm. So, rode to a place somewhat better to investigate. Otherwize I would have got on the highway and bike would have died who-knows-where and been on side of interstate highway. (Brian and Brett rescued me. Fried stator.)

.

 

[spiritof67]

I have a Kuryakyn on five of my bikes....it's a godsend. My Guzzi was fine, then I noticed that the meter kept getting lower and lower - the green never lit. Turns out the stator was delaminating. Or, I could have been riding somewhere and...brrrrrrrr(sound of engine dying in gear). Before you start, it gives you a level so you know right then what your battery condition is. Some of the bikes light both greens. Some just one. But the thing is, when it's the same you know you're good to go. Rare that something so cheap has such good long term value.

 

[storm 64]

I have one, it's also my horn... When I sound my horn and it's a nice vibrant sound, I know I have voltage.

 

[Steve]

If I recall correctly, in some early (60s) owner's manuals, there was the instruction
"When approaching a pedestrian, tootle the horn melodiously..."

Is that what you have, Norm? :-k :-\\\

.

 

[Redman]

I have one, it's also my horn... .........................

Other stock standard equipment that can be used as a voltage indicator would be the rate the turnsignals flash.

.

 

[storm 64]

Yes, it Tootles very Melodiously... But not below 12 volts.

 

[Dogma]

Yes, it Tootles very Melodiously... But not below 12 volts. 

12V! By then it's too late!

 

[Gorminrider]

Other stock standard equipment that can be used as a voltage indicator would be the rate the turnsignals flash.

.

Hawhaw! good idea-I've had machines like that, but then ,as a battery test you can only do it at a turn or, considerately, when no other vehicles are around you. Still, it's certainly a good clue- put the brakelight, horn and hibeam on too...a "load her up and see what the system can keep up with" test

 

[Redman]

////////////QUOTE

Originally Posted by Redman
Other stock standard equipment that can be used as a voltage indicator would be the rate the turnsignals flash.

.



Hawhaw! good idea-I've had machines like that,
ENDQUOTE////////////////

Other easy check, on our GS's (whos charging system puts out about nothing at idle) some time when at idle and can see headlight, maybe stopped at light or just pulled out of garage and can see headlight shining on something:
rev engine from idle and see if headlight brightens. THen know charging system is working.

Still no substitute for an onboard volt meter, but lets you know the charging system hasnt completely failed.

.

 

[Grimly]

I've had one of the little cheap round red LED voltmeters on the GS for the past 3 or so years, and it's been reliable enough. The drawback of it is that anything brighter than a dull overcast day renders it almost unreadable, despite fitting a lens hood over it. The same voltmeter fitted down in the recess of the fairing on the XJ is perfectly readable in all conditions.
I'm fitting a different fairing to the GS soon, and that has a proper fascia panel for auxiliary gauges, so I'll be using a couple of analogue gauges for volts and oil temp. I snagged a brand new marine Volvo-branded voltmeter simply because it was dirt cheap and guaranteed to be waterproof. The oil gauge is a bit of an unknown, but supposedly IP67 and should be waterproof.
I was looking at KUS marine gauges for bike use, and taking a bit of a leap of faith that they aren't just crap, I might get a couple of them for the other bike.
The KUS gauges are reasonably priced, supposedly waterproof, and I'd hope fairly vibration resistant.

 

[Steve]

The KUS gauges are reasonably priced, supposedly waterproof, and I'd hope fairly vibration resistant.

Just looked at their line, the SeaK gauges look a lot like the VDO Cockpit series that I have on my bike.

.

 

[Gorminrider]

I've had one of the little cheap round red LED voltmeters on the GS for the past 3 or so years, and it's been reliable enough. The drawback of it is that anything brighter than a dull overcast day renders it almost unreadable, despite fitting a lens hood over it. The same voltmeter fitted down in the recess of the fairing on the XJ is perfectly readable in all conditions.

...I use a cheapo led too and yes exactly so^^^ + they can be a little annoying to night-vision...Ive tried green,blue,red...maybe the green is best and tucked under something if a body does find it unpleasant...or even covered with tape .

Really, I like having one but only really check it the first minute or so before+ after starting...Thereafter, I might look at a stoplight or if a symptom arises...
Admittedly the analogues are nicer but need more space,need to be confined to the correct scale for any accuracy, and need damping and vibration fixing as you say.