Amp Digital Voltage Gauge

[viking]

Been searching for posts/threads for those that installed voltage gauges to monitor voltage at the amps. I can't locate them so thought I'd take the easy route!

Can you post pics of your setup and chime in whether it helps you any, worth the cost/effort to have them on your amp board, how much wattage draw, ect....

Thanks!

[David Analog]

I like the idea and have done it many times.
Keep the gauge shaded from direct sunlight but yet easy to view.
Isolated by the existing battery switch, the gauge will not be a parasitic drain while in storage.
It has the advantage of giving you a more accurate reading than a dash gauge and a reading that can be isolated from the starting battery.
Allows you to monitor your battery voltage so that you know when you have reached your lowest limit of 11.8 volts.

[MLA]

If you have a helm mounted analog gauge, it can be rewired with a toggle switch to show the voltage of both batteries. Just another idea.

[BrettLee3232]

I bought 2 of these in Blue

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=131095052802

IanAshton sent me the link. I got the idea from his install. This is his setup...

[viking]

Thanks all.......exactly what I was looking for. Mainly want it for my system bank but probably do it for starting bank too. Was planning to mount in cubby but like the idea of mounting it somewhere at helm. Gonna keep running one stereo batt this summer and see how it goes before possibly changing it up to 2-6v's.

[trayson]

Last summer I installed the gauges onto my Supra. One to each battery. since I had the perko switch, it kept them isolated. I just flush mounted them into the seatbase that was below my observer seat where my amps and my batteries lived. on my XLV I'll probably choose a different location. not sure yet. It's lower on the priority list.

Here's a pic. I'd also mounted two 12v fans to cool the compartment. One was mounted as a pusher and the other as a puller, so you're seeing that in the pic too.

I used the cheap ebay 12v digital volt gauges which is I'm sure the same stuff others have used. I thought about putting them on a switch, but honestly, their draw is about the same as a stereo head unit when turned off, so I didn't even bother and kept them hooked up hot.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wmRUPLpIb7w/U_wHWto4eOI/AAAAAAAARiU/7kSznSWXVcc/s800/20140825_204205.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NPCS5Z1GVJw/U_wHkrLydgI/AAAAAAAARi0/a46biZzxgyU/s800/20140825_204054.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KtqATyKszg8/U_wHm8JD00I/AAAAAAAARi8/pYrwXOL2rHA/s800/20140825_204156.jpg

[viking]

why not connect them to the remote turn on with relay so they come on when the amps/stereo kick on via helm switch?

[trayson]

why not connect them to the remote turn on with relay so they come on when the amps/stereo kick on via helm switch?

Maybe it's just me but I'd rather have my reading from it being connected directly to the battery. I'm sure it's all the same, but the 12v from the remote turn on lead is being supplied by the head unit, right?

I suppose if you wanted to get tricky, you could by all means wire the battery gauge to the battery and buy a $5 relay to have it trigger with the remote turn on lead...




Or if you're talking about simply wiring them to the + and - of the stereo switch on the helm, I guess that would give you info only when the stereo's going. And only on the battery that was delivering power at the time...

[viking]

I suppose if you wanted to get tricky, you could by all means wire the battery gauge to the battery and buy a $5 relay to have it trigger with the remote turn on lead...


That's what I was thinking!

[jstenger]

I went with the Stinger volt meter. It has a three wire input instead of just two. Positive, negative, and turn on. The blue one is part# SVMB, and the red one is part# SVMR. I hooked the leads directly to the battery cables and turn on lead at one of the amps.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd382/Joestenger/20141223_153402.jpg (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/Joestenger/media/20141223_153402.jpg.html)

[trayson]

I have one of these gauges that I had bought for my last boat. Not sure if I should try to use it somehow or just sell it off. But for someone with space in their dash, this could be pretty cool.

http://www.tomtop.com/media/catalog/product/k/9/k974b-8-38b4.jpg

[bergermaister]

I bought 2 of these in Blue

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=131095052802

IanAshton sent me the link. I got the idea from his install. This is his setup...

Same here and they've been sitting on my workbench for over a year now. I was planning on adding a DPDT switch to toggle on and off vs relying on the amp relay or ignition but have yet to find a subtle mounting location I like.