Volt meter recommendations

[koolaid_kid]

Dale, I understand your aversion to the Show Chrome. Its lack of waterproofing would make it useless for anyone riding with me. Saturday morning at RRR is typical for any rally I attend. The one I showed would also come in digital format by various vendors (most don't actually make them, they are repackaged), but would still be in a can and large (2 1/16") like the ones pos uses.
I found this one interesting, although it does not display any actual values: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=163546

Just a thought.

 

[bwringer]

I've read in many places that the tiny multicolor LED is the cat's ass (that means it's good) for this particular use. It's easy to hide, obviously, and from what I've heard you quickly learn to track the fluctuations in color almost subconsciously, and a decline in performance will be quickly evident.

You don't need the numbers blinking at you day-to-day. If the indicator stays red when it shouldn't, break out your multimeter to get numbers.

 

[koolaid_kid]

From the urban dictionary: cat's ass: The very best. The finest. The epitome. Most excellent.
LMFAO.

 

[Dogma]

Dale, I understand your aversion to the Show Chrome. Its lack of waterproofing would make it useless for anyone riding with me. Saturday morning at RRR is typical for any rally I attend. The one I showed would also come in digital format by various vendors (most don't actually make them, they are repackaged), but would still be in a can and large (2 1/16") like the ones pos uses.
I found this one interesting, although it does not display any actual values: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=163546

Just a thought.

OK, I had another poke around and found the digital one. A bit pricey in that brand, George. More than I wanted to spend.

Brian, I don't trust myself with color changes. I'm a bit red-green color blind, and the issue seems to have more to do with the wiring than the sensors. Good point about the numbers blinking. They would probably grab my attention every time the voltage changed, which I wouldn't want.

Now then, if I expand with George's search of non-bike-specific volt meters, I find several options. I didn't see before. For example, this for about $40:

I know, I've been harping on getting a digital display, but this is the first voltage clock that has the range of values I'm actually interested in. Everything else I've seen goes from 8-18V, which usually means the graduations a too close together to read a precise value. Most likely, ist's still an 8-18V, just with fewer markings. You can see where the needle rests is a bit below where 8V might be. The misalignment of the graduations to the needle pivot makes me a little leery of quality though. And it would bug me.

I kept looking at automotive gauges, and discovered the term "full-sweep". OK, these buggers are all near $100 too. Until I found this:

About $55, ?52 mm, also available with amber back-lighting (LED). (They have a $75 version driven by stepper motors, implying some precise digital circuitry instead of the magnetic coil and spring variety.) This would give me what I really wanted from the digital, which was precision. On this, you can see 0.1V, and it looks approximately period correct.

Pos, I'm guessing your VDO isn't naturally waterproof. Did you just seal the joints and openings with silicone? I see Summit Racing offers mounting cups, perhaps they would be helpful.

Thanks for the input folks, I think you've got me shoved in the right direction now.

 

[koolaid_kid]

Autometer is probably the most expensive brand around, and not what I would put on my bike. Keep in mind my TransAm is a very expensive Bird. I just used that as an example.
If you want a digital canned voltmeter, I can help you find one at a reasonable price.
Any car-based instrument I would put on a bike, I would waterproof. Easy to do, easy to remove.

 

[srsupertrap]

VDO: Last time my charging system failed I knew immediately, turned around and headed for home.

 

[Steve]

I've read in many places that the tiny multicolor LED is the cat's ass (that means it's good) for this particular use. ... You don't need the numbers blinking at you day-to-day. If the indicator stays red when it shouldn't, break out your multimeter to get numbers.

Brian, I don't trust myself with color changes. I'm a bit red-green color blind, and the issue seems to have more to do with the wiring than the sensors.

Too bad you have that color-blindness problem.
There is a nice little unit from Electrical Connection that is a single 1/4" LED that changes colors based on voltage range.
Can't say I fully agree with their settings, but the concept is good and the price is right.

This would give me what I really wanted from the digital, which was precision.

One thing that is MUCH better than precision is accuracy.

I have had digital gauges and analog gauges. For most things automotive especially if you need to read them and interpret the readings while driving), analog works better. To be able to see the difference between 13.9 volts and 13.8 volts while going down the road really doesn't mean squat. By the time you drop more than a couple tenths of a volt, you will have moved at least a needle width on the gauge, so it will be noticeable.

I have seen digital gauges that had the 0.1 volt precision that did not agree with what I thought should be there, so I got out my calibrated Fluke multimeter and found that the "precise" voltmeter was off by about 0.7 volts. Yes, it was precise, but it was not accurate.

.

 

[koolaid_kid]

You bring up a good point, Steve. When is the number important? I will swear that when I am 100 turns into the Dragon, that number will not matter to me nor do I want to see it. But when I am on the slab headed to a destination, I will check it out. How do you make it stand out when it should be seen, and disappear when it should not be seen?
On my TransAm, the gauges I care about are in the glove box. When I care, it is open. When I do not, it is closed. Not sure how to do that with a bike.

 

[Steve]

On my Wing, my voltmeter and thermometer are both analog.

They are mounted below the main gauge panel.

Below the main line of sight, but readily visible when desired.

.

 

[Dogma]

...

One thing that is MUCH better than precision is accuracy.

...

Steve,

Um, yes. I only really care about relative accuracy though. I don't care so much if the needle points to the right number within 0.5 V, but I want a 0.5V change to show as a 0.5V change on the gauge. However, it would be nice if the gauge and the multimeter agree.

 

[posplayr]

A little busy but entertaining on long ride

The 90 degree sweep VDO volt meter is pretty boring though when properly charging

 

[Dogma]

Are you trying to show up Steve's 'Wing? If you ever wanted to mount a GPS, you'd need another handlebar.

Interesting solution to the Show Chrome's primary limitation.

 

[Steve]

I don't care so much if the needle points to the right number within 0.5 V, but I want a 0.5V change to show as a 0.5V change on the gauge.

Take a look at posplayr's gauge. It's showing a solid 12.5 volts. (Might be 12.4, can't really tell.) Look at the distance to either 12 or 13, that's a good two needle widths over, you should be able to tell that easily enough.

No there won't be any bells or whistles to draw your attention to the change, but occasional glances at the gauge when riding will show you that it's not pointing right at or slightly above the 14.

.

 

[posplayr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1-awyhBuwI

this a pretty cool video showing a 270 degree autometer

 

[Dogma]

Neat. I like it.

Now then, is it normal for voltage to drop coming off idle on some bikes, or does he have dirty connections?

 

[posplayr]

I dont know if anybody noticed this one for about $20 and less than 2" in diameter it would do with the classic round gauges better.

http://www.amazon.com/XScorpion-Red-Digital-Voltage-Monitor/dp/tech-data/B001RS1ERC/ref=de_a_smtd

 

[Dogma]

A little busy but entertaining on long ride

The 90 degree sweep VDO volt meter is pretty boring though when properly charging

OK, Jim, I give up. I've been scouring the 'net trying to find gauge mounts similar to those and came up with diddly-squat. Are those clamps really just mounting brackets for a Vista Cruise throttle lock? They look like the chrome one actually on your throttle. Did you have these laying around, or did you get them as spares from Vista Cruise?

 

[posplayr]

OK, Jim, I give up. I've been scouring the 'net trying to find gauge mounts similar to those and came up with diddly-squat. Are those clamps actually mounting brackets for a Vista Cruise throttle lock?

Yes ; i said in my original; post "......don't try this at home"

You may not need to do the same but,

• I formed the brass ring from solid brass stock
• cut down the metal housing to reduce the depth
• wrapped teh metal cans with "ProGrip".
• used Vista Cruiser mounts

did you see this one; kinda nice for an GS.
http://www.amazon.com/XScorpion-Red-Digital-Voltage-Monitor/dp/tech-data/B001RS1ERC/ref=de_a_smtd

 

[Dogma]

OK, thanks. I finally found the replacement clamps at JC Whitey. I had to explicitly tell Google not to show me results including the word "cruiser". Ugh.
A lot of the gage mounting cups I've seen have a strap very similar to what you fabbed, so I think I could skip that step.

I spent a couple hours tonight looking through all the gage mounting options I could find, and nothing looked as flexible as your combination. You can either replace the whole cluster on a sport bike, or you can clamp big, ugly chrome onto your HD. Nothing in between for bikes. I still may not go this route, but it's currently the top of the list. Just ahead of bending some steel strap to reach down to the cluster mount bolts. I need to go ahead and get a gage so I can try different positions before I commit to how to mount it.

What I really want to do it cut metal to make something just right. I need a mill.

 

[posplayr]

These are a nice quality cup that I used.

I cut the cups down using a small dremel mounted with a cutting disk.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Gaug...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I did not use the included mounts. If you improvise you could use a hoseclamp to mount to a handlebar. The mount is 90 degrees to the way it needs to be for a handlebar. It is made for for a roll bar.

Mine was pretty tight quarters but not many angles that would work so am able to get the angles to where I need.