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Voltmeter gage, you got?

Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill

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Has anybody permanently mounted a voltmeter gage to their bike? My '82 Yamaha 550 SECA has a small one in the gage cluster.
I would like one on my GS' but I can only find the 2in. round type, too big to fit anywhere. :confused: After some R/R and stator problems, having a permanent voltmeter gage would be nice.
 
kuryakyn makes an led gauge for 12volt systems. Costs about $35 and can be mounted most anywhere. When I get some spare cash I'm going to get one.
 
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A lot of guys have done this $25 unit. It actually works but its not very weather proof. The wire insulation is really cheap and needs to be sleeved so it wont chafe. Ive had mine for 3 years and its still clickin. When it dies Ill throw it away and get a new one.

2003.jpg
 
I'll add a second vote for the $25 unit that BonanzaDave showed. True, it's not weatherproof, but I sprayed it with a couple coats of clear polyurethane, which has helped considerably. In our case, protection is enhanced because the gauge is mounted underneath a bracket I made to suppor the GPS and XM radio, so "your mileage may vary". :D You can connect the main power wire and the ground to the accessory terminals in your fuse block. Connect the third wire (which powers the backlight) to a switched source, like the 'signal' fuse, and you will have the clock available at all times, too. It's nice to have time, voltage and temperature showing while you ride.

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Marine ones used on powerboats are vibration and weatherproof, they run about $30.00 for good quality ones. Harbor freight has one for $5.99 cheapest i have seen next to ones at a flea market or swap meets and car shows not waterproof though.
 
Volts do not charge the battery.

Amperage charges the battery. Ammeter is a better gauge to have if you suspect a fault or potential fault.

if volts were an accurate way to monitor a battery charging why do ALL battery chargers have Ammeters not volt meters as a primary gauge?


just saying volt meter will not give you accurate reading on battery charging.

besides you need to know motorcycles are NOT designed to charge a battery- just to cover the load of the circuits.
 
trippivot said:
Volts do not charge the battery.

Amperage charges the battery. Ammeter is a better gauge to have if you suspect a fault or potential fault.
Click to expand...
True enough, but I like to look at it in another light.
An ammeter will show you how fast the battery is charging or discharging.
A voltmeter tells you the state of the entire system.

If you think of this as "electrical fuel", think then of how you use your gasoline.
Would you rather know that you are using gas at the rate of 2 gallons per hour,
or that you are down to 1/4 tank?

An ammeter tells you your rate of charge or discharge, the voltmeter tells you what you have left.

Ideally, you want both. I have driven two vehicles that had both gauges, and I find that the voltmeter is by far the most practical for daily use.

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Yoshimura makes a very nice motorcycle unit - they come up from time to time on eBay, but I'm not sure anyone's selling them new in the US. The model I like has a clock, voltmeter and oil temperature display. You can set presets on the volts and temp so that if they fall below (or above) the preset limits a red warning light illuminates;

Bare007.jpg

600x397-2005120800092-2.jpg
 
pontiacstogo said:
Yoshimura makes a very nice motorcycle unit - they come up from time to time on eBay, but I'm not sure anyone's selling them new in the US. The model I like has a clock, voltmeter and oil temperature display. You can set presets on the volts and temp so that if they fall below (or above) the preset limits a red warning light illuminates;

Bare007.jpg

600x397-2005120800092-2.jpg
Click to expand...

Pretty bike.........
 
Its a honda. Too bad those yoshimura gauges dont read in fahrenheit. Only Celcius.
 
trippivot said:
Volts do not charge the battery.

Amperage charges the battery. Ammeter is a better gauge to have if you suspect a fault or potential fault.

if volts were an accurate way to monitor a battery charging why do ALL battery chargers have Ammeters not volt meters as a primary gauge?


just saying volt meter will not give you accurate reading on battery charging.

besides you need to know motorcycles are NOT designed to charge a battery- just to cover the load of the circuits.
Click to expand...

While this is true, the issue with installing ammeters on bikes is that if the ammeter fails you will need to bypass it with a high amp switch since it has to be connected in series.

Most high amp switches are ugly, big and not waterproof. I have installed ammeters in cars with bypass swicthes, but you have more room in a car.
 
Who makes that $25 LED unit with the temp, time, and volts displayed ??
And where to get it online or mail order ??

Thanks
 
Trippivot

Trippivot

trippivot said:
besides you need to know motorcycles are NOT designed to charge a battery- just to cover the load of the circuits.
Click to expand...

I referenced a statement like this before in my analysis of the GS charging system but was unsure as to who made it. It had just stuck. What is the basis for this statement If you dont mind? I have made a similar conclusion but not exactly the same.

Pos
 
VDO Voltmeter: I installed this one in 1984 directly across the battery, fits well with the GS black instrumentation but kinda pricey. What German stuff isn't though.

PS: I agree with Steve's comment, when the GS charging system ain't you will know right away.

GSNew3.jpg
 
srsupertrap said:
VDO Voltmeter: I installed this one in 1984 directly across the battery, fits well with the GS black instrumentation but kinda pricey. What German stuff isn't though.

PS: I agree with Steve's comment, when the GS charging system ain't you will know right away.

GSNew3.jpg
Click to expand...

VDO is GREAT stuff. I have a set (boost, oil temp, and oil pressure) waiting to go in my Turbo Coupe when time permits. Can't say enough about their quality! :rolleyes:
 
Dave8338 said:
VDO is GREAT stuff. I have a set (boost, oil temp, and oil pressure) waiting to go in my Turbo Coupe when time permits. Can't say enough about their quality! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I agree. I had a FULL set of gauges in my Corolla: voltmeter, ammeter, oil pressure, oil temp, air temp, boost :eek:, yes, BOOST, actually vacuum/boost.
Virtually useless, though, it only went to 15 psi.

I have two VDO gauges on my bike now. The voltmeter came with the bike from the previous owner, the air temp is the same one that was in my Corolla back in 1975. :D

IMG_0378.jpg


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srsupertrap,

Your VDO gauges looks clean. Nice set-up as I too I'm a VDO fanatic.
 
jadesystem said:
srsupertrap,

Your VDO gauges looks clean. Nice set-up as I too I'm a VDO fanatic.
Click to expand...

Thanks jadesystem, I like the VDO's because they are styled like the GS tach & sppedo. IMO they look like they belong. They are mounted with black RTV . . .
 
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