voltage gauge install pics

[rchuff]

the only way of being accurate is going from battery with alittle on off switch to gauge. All other ways is basically going threw fuse box

 

[snrusnak]

How are volt meter's set up on cars from the factory? I know they don't go straight from the battery...

 

[go cytocis]

With the bike running it was showing between 13.9 and 14.3 depending on rpm.

That's good to know, and it's also a sign that you are getting a reasonably accurate reading of post-regulator output from the alternator. You're in the range one would expect to see from a properly functioning charging system.
Now you're able to detect immediately, by watching for readings outside that range while the bike's running, if you have a fault.
I know from experience that you can ride a good distance before a malfunctioning charging system actually causes the bike to stop running.

 

[rchuff]

I believe it comes of the altenater snrusnak so it only reads when it is running .On our bikes you could probably go off the voltage regulater it will only read when bike is running. you just have to find the right wire. By the way our bikes at idle should be putting out 14.3 to14.7 volts. (manual)

 

[go cytocis]

By the way our bikes at idle should  be putting out 14.3 to14.7 volts. (manual)

Very true, however, I am not sure about neil's gauge, but the one I purchased has a stated accuracy of +/-0.3V, meaning that even 13.9V, at idle, measured at a bulb in the gauge cluster, is probably still a good sign.

 

[neilrl79]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkfU5hpqw2Q

I can't figure out how to get the YouTube embed to work[mad]

I hooked up my extra gauge straight to the battery and the difference in voltage while the bike was running stayed at about 0.1v, that seems pretty reliable to me....

Im guessing this was when the bike was off? Youll still read the 12 when the bike it on but the battery will be fluctuating with the stator charging while moving. The gauge will supply a constant voltage to the gauge components while the battery voltage varies with charging.

This is a very nice mod but with the way it is hooked up it is not going to be very reliable. I would start probing the wires coming into the cluster for a hot line, then test that line with the bike running, then solder to that pin. That would give some more accuracy without running the wires out of the cluster.

 

[neilrl79]

Also a couple of pics...

 

[go cytocis]

I hooked up my extra gauge straight to the battery and the difference in voltage while the bike was running stayed at about 0.1v, that seems pretty reliable to me....

Neil, any sense of what happens to the reading when the electrical system is fully loaded up with highbeam, brake, horn and other accessories?

 

[oh9bolt]

Make sure and get some gas on your next ride, or you will be testing your walking shoes.

 

[neilrl79]

Neil, any sense of what happens to the reading when the electrical system is fully loaded up with highbeam, brake, horn and other accessories?

I didn't really fool around with the horn and high beam while testing the gauge.

Make sure and get some gas on your next ride, or you will be testing your walking shoes.

Once this damn weather breaks... all I need is forecasted high of 50 degrees and I'm on it.

 

[oh9bolt]

Once this damn weather breaks... all I need is forecasted high of 50 degrees and I'm on it.

Agreed!

 

[snrusnak]

Your gas cap is on backwards.

 

[go cytocis]

all I need is forecasted high of 50 degrees

C'mon guys! You're not representing us Buellers as the hard riders we are!
I am up in Canada and still ride down below 0C (~30F). Granted, I use heated grips (hence my curiosity of how low the voltage drops when the system's loaded up).

 

[neilrl79]

Your gas cap is on backwards.

C'mon guys! You're not representing us Buellers as the hard riders we are!
I am up in Canada and still ride down below 0C (~30F). Granted, I use heated grips (hence my curiosity of how low the voltage drops when the system's loaded up).

I rode it when it was 26F once... hopefully it'll be the only time.

 

[Griffo]

Thats awesome , great job .

 

[yool]

Thanks for posting this!!! I fitted an external gauge after problems with the dreaded 77 connector left me stranded on the side of the road.
I did your mod on the weekend, and can confirm that it is simple to do, and looks fantastic, and the reading at those connection points rises from 12 volts without the bike running, to 13.6 at 1100rpm, with both headlights on and heated grips running. It will definitely give early warning of charging problems. I LOVE it...... looks factory.....

http://buellersdownunder.com/album.php?albumid=85&pictureid=4430oltmeter

 

[neilrl79]

I'm glad so many people enjoyed this thread/mod. I'm not the first to come up with the idea of putting the gauge in the dash like that, others have done it also. I just decided to show how mine was installed, I don't think anyone else had posted a " how to" before.

 

[yool]

quote..... "I'm not the first to come up with the idea of putting the gauge in the dash like that, others have done it also. I just decided to show how mine was installed, "......

Ah........ too late.... I'm in Australia, and everyone here is thanking you for this........ no matter, we can thank you for bringing it to our attention!!!!!!

It is a very elegant solution to a problem we all face.

 

[go cytocis]

Hi Neil,

Thanks again for the great idea! My gauge just arrived in the mail from China yesterday and it was snowing so I decided to grab a beer and get to work!

The best deal I found on eBay shipping to Canada was actually a unit meant to plug into a lighter socket. I figured I'd just rip it open and remove the gauge:

My install involved a bit more friggin around than yours because the PC board on mine was quite a bit bigger than the one you bought:

It necessitated cutting a pretty big chunk out of the idiot light block to get it to fit:

I also wired mine slightly differently. I was concerned about distorting the plastic bulb holder by soldering directly to it so I just scraped away some of the finish from the PC board to expose pos & neg circuits and then soldered directly to them:

Then used some super glue to hold the gauge in place:

The glue dried a little crusty and white so I touched it up with a permanent black marker:

I have not run the bike yet (it's still snowing!) but with the ignition on I show 11.6V with lowbeam on, and 11.2V with highbeam on. When I connected the gauge directly to the battery with the ignition off, I got 12.4V.

Thanks again for sharing your idea; I look forward to seeing how it works when the charging system is engaged!

 

[neilrl79]

Cool. I didn't trust my soldering skills enough for something like that.