GL1200, installing voltmeter
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I just use a voltmeter on my 80 GL1100 that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Works well.
Nightrider1
I just use a voltmeter on my 80 GL1100 that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Works well.
Nightrider1
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for an accurate reading use the diagram posted by Snorebaby
for an accurate reading use the diagram posted by Snorebaby
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Well, I agree the best place to hook one up is at the battery most accurate..but any clean hot lead will do. I hooked an old 1000's meter up on my 1100..judt picked a hot lead in the right side faring by the radio and ground too..it reads about 1/2 v short.but I can add Ok so it works...it says 13 I know 13.5..only hot when key on..
Well, I agree the best place to hook one up is at the battery most accurate..but any clean hot lead will do. I hooked an old 1000's meter up on my 1100..judt picked a hot lead in the right side faring by the radio and ground too..it reads about 1/2 v short.but I can add Ok so it works...it says 13 I know 13.5..only hot when key on..
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A very clever person in this forum, fiqured out the difference between wiring the voltmeter to the acc terminals and through a relay to the battery, is 0.02volts.
wiring it directly through the acc terminals, or through a relay switched to the acc terminals, will ensure it only comes on when ignition is on.
good luck,
A very clever person in this forum, fiqured out the difference between wiring the voltmeter to the acc terminals and through a relay to the battery, is 0.02volts.
wiring it directly through the acc terminals, or through a relay switched to the acc terminals, will ensure it only comes on when ignition is on.
good luck,
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oldishwinger wrote:
The actual measurement is not important if the load is constant. All you really need to know is what is the difference between the battery terminal voltage and the aux terminal voltage (whatever that may be). That can be determined one time by measuring at both terminals while the bike is running.
Once you know you the difference, every other measurement read at the aux terminals is relative to the battery voltage (again assuming a constant load on the aux terminal circuit).
This isn't a science lab. You don't need to measure absolute voltages and you don't need to worry about 1/10th of a volt. The meters that offer this are just providing a gimmick and add unnecessary interpretive confusion to the rider. Battery voltages monitored in the nearest 1/2 volt are plenty to determine charge system electrical health.
What is more important is to learn the pattern of charge cycles in when the system is healthy and new so you know when that patter changes.
Even SmartLight can provide that and it does it with a single sample reference point.
Does it hurt to add the relay? Other than cost and hassle, no. Does it hurt to go direct to the aux terminals? Not if the load on the aux power circuits is constant (from the other items attached to it) and you know what the difference between the battery terminal voltage is vs the aux terminal voltage measured under identical conditions. And that would only matter under extreme differences between them. If that were the case some investigation would probably be needed to identify why there was such a difference.
The voltage measurement point for the sake of this discussion is a tempest in a teapot, IMO.
oldishwinger wrote:
That would only be true for a specific load already on the aux terminal circuit and then only for a load that was constant, and not fluctuating.
The actual measurement is not important if the load is constant. All you really need to know is what is the difference between the battery terminal voltage and the aux terminal voltage (whatever that may be). That can be determined one time by measuring at both terminals while the bike is running.
Once you know you the difference, every other measurement read at the aux terminals is relative to the battery voltage (again assuming a constant load on the aux terminal circuit).
This isn't a science lab. You don't need to measure absolute voltages and you don't need to worry about 1/10th of a volt. The meters that offer this are just providing a gimmick and add unnecessary interpretive confusion to the rider. Battery voltages monitored in the nearest 1/2 volt are plenty to determine charge system electrical health.
What is more important is to learn the pattern of charge cycles in when the system is healthy and new so you know when that patter changes.
Even SmartLight can provide that and it does it with a single sample reference point.
Does it hurt to add the relay? Other than cost and hassle, no. Does it hurt to go direct to the aux terminals? Not if the load on the aux power circuits is constant (from the other items attached to it) and you know what the difference between the battery terminal voltage is vs the aux terminal voltage measured under identical conditions. And that would only matter under extreme differences between them. If that were the case some investigation would probably be needed to identify why there was such a difference.
The voltage measurement point for the sake of this discussion is a tempest in a teapot, IMO.
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What Rudy said. That is why the led guages work. Green is great red is rotten.
What Rudy said. That is why the led guages work. Green is great red is rotten.
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i installed one on my 1200 just ran to the aux. side of the fuse box thats ontop of the air cleaner
i installed one on my 1200 just ran to the aux. side of the fuse box thats ontop of the air cleaner
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I prefer to monitor both amperage and voltage. I have been using an Amp-U-Tron digital meter for 15 years.
My Amp-U-Tron just showed me something that a volt meter would not show. On a recent trip, my trailer lights quit working and I knew immediately due to the change in amperage.
Reason, I know what my Amp meter reads with and without the trailer lights.
I prefer to monitor both amperage and voltage. I have been using an Amp-U-Tron digital meter for 15 years.
My Amp-U-Tron just showed me something that a volt meter would not show. On a recent trip, my trailer lights quit working and I knew immediately due to the change in amperage.
Reason, I know what my Amp meter reads with and without the trailer lights.
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