[Chromo]

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I always liked the AMP gauges better than Volt meters. Actually would like both.

Are there any good Amp ones, cheap, that look good and fit the 1500 well?

Volts are good to know, you know when the battery is getting a bit low or charging well, but allot they don't tell me.

Amp gauge lets you know if charging or not, just look at which side of 0 the needle points LOL
Also, get up to full charge and the needle reading close to 0 because no big load being powered, then flip on driving lights and watch needle jump. Easy way to see about how many amps the lights eat.
Flip on the heated gear with lights off, watch needle jump, tells you how much the power the gear is eating.

Volts, well about all that tells me is Alternator is putting out plenty of power to keep volts where they should be, or not enough if volts start dropping. Does nothing to really tell me how much power I am using for anything.

 

[fysty-1]

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Chromo, here is a link to the Amp gauge I have. This is a Marine gauge so they are water resistant. This company is great to deal with & pricing is not bad. Yes I know you asked about Amp gauges but I let you check out thier site. I mounted mine on a left pocket cover that I bought from Sierra. http://www.discountmarinesupplies.com/Blue_Seas_DC_Analog_Volt_Meter.html

 

[Silicon Sam]

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I did a Google search for Amp gauges, and came across plenty of them. Most are 2" in diameter, some are marine grade, which makes them water resistant, if not water proof.

But what Fysty shows is still a voltage gauge.

 

[Rudy]

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Actually, wired in amp meters are simple voltmeters measuring the drop across a small resistance but high current capable resistor or shunt. Some amp meters have the shunt built in but that means ALL measurable current must pass through the meter itself, which is fairly impractical over about 10 amps or so. There are also hall effect measuring units but they tend to be expensive.

 

[fysty-1]

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Silicon Sam wrote:

I did a Google search for Amp gauges, and came across plenty of them. Most are 2" in diameter, some are marine grade, which makes them water resistant, if not water proof.

But what Fysty shows is still a voltage gauge.

As I said in my post I just showed what I bought but would let Chromo search the site for Amp gauges. They have every kind & size of gauge a person could want. I know he was looking for an AMP guage.:?:?I really wish if a member is going to quote another mermber, they wouls read the entire post. before commenting.:yelling:

PS, Here you go Chromo--- http://www.discountmarinesupplies.com/Blue_Seas_AC_Ammeter.html

 

[Silicon Sam]

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fysty-1 wrote:

I really wish if a member is going to quote another mermber, they wouls read the entire post. before commenting.:yelling:

I noticed you edited your post AFTER I posted my comment to correct it.

 

[fysty-1]

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Silicon Sam wrote:

fysty-1 wrote:

I really wish if a member is going to quote another mermber, they wouls read the entire post. before commenting.:yelling:

I noticed you edited your post AFTER I posted my comment to correct it.

Yes I did Sam but only for spelling mistakes. This line was always there. Quote "Yes I know you asked about Amp gauges but I let you check out thier site."

 

[vtxcandyred]

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opcorn::smallpopcorn:opcorn::smallpopcorn:

 

[MichiganWing]

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Rudy wrote:

Actually, wired in amp meters are simple voltmeters measuring the drop across a small resistance but high current capable resistor or shunt. Some amp meters have the shunt built in but that means ALL measurable current must pass through the meter itself, which is fairly impractical over about 10 amps or so. There are also hall effect measuring units but they tend to be expensive.

SHHHhhhhhhh Rudy...we weren't going to tell them that . :ssshh:

 

[Chromo]

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What I was looking for would be like the older cars/trucks had before moving over to volt meters.

Amp gauge has a 0 in the middle. Turn on headlights with engine off and needle moves left showing -10amps or so letting you know the amount of drain on the battery.

Start engine and it's charging the needle moves to right + 10 amps or so to show how much charge is going into system.

I have a few amp meters, but nothing that would look good on 1500 or water proof.

I had a couple of the $5 round ones from way back, but I left one out in the weather and water got into it and messed it up, so not a good idea to use those on the wing maybe unless I can seal the glass better.

When I first moved into the woods many years ago, and at another house I leased for awhile in woods elsewhere I had no electric.
I used deep cycle batteries and power inverter for my power.
To charge the batteries I removed the mower deck from a riding mower and installed a 100amp alternator under the mower. Made a great little generator.
I'd adjust the engine speed on mower to put out the amps I wanted while watching the Amp gauge. Worked out good, but that's how I know those gauges I had are not good in rain over time.

 

[CaptainMidnight85]

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10A?

...make sure your meter is rated for the load your bike will pull.

What's the largest fuse you got on that bike?

 

[IdahoRaider]

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Summit Racing has a lot of cool Hot Rod stuff in gauges. Some of them are pretty small and could be adapted to look pretty nice if you use your imagination.

JC Whitney is a resource also, but you have to be careful there, if it is pretty cheap in price, you get crap from them. A good gauge is not cheap to begin with though.

 

[Chromo]

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I just meant 10amp as examples.
I'd expect a gauge to actually read 60-80amps or more.

Should be able to read at least the full power output of the Alternator.

 

[fysty-1]

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Do you mean like this? http://www.discountmarinesupplies.com/Faria_12822_Euro_Black_Ammeter.html

 

[Chromo]

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Yep, something more like that.

 

[DaveO430]

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An amp meter is really not going to do you any good unless you get a $200 inductive one you can attach to the + battery cable or 1 that will handle the starter amps. If you put it in line with the alternator it will show charging amps but if the alternator fails it will just read "0", not a discharge.

 

[Chromo]

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How are the ones on cars/trucks wired in?
They show + - amps in use but I never had one jump over to -60amps or so when I start the engine.

I think I am missing something here, but not sure what.

 

[fysty-1]

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Chromo wrote:

How are the ones on cars/trucks wired in?
They show + - amps in use but I never had one jump over to -60amps or so when I start the engine.

I think I am missing something here, but not sure what.

Oh! Didn'y ya know Chromo that Goldwings are fare superior that ANY car or truck out there hence ya don't need to keep taba on anything as the engines performance.:badgrin::badgrin::badgrin::badgrin::badgrin:

 

[DaveO430]

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When they used amp gauges they also had an external regulator, which your wing does not have. I don't really know how that worked but the point is a voltmeter will do what you want the amp gauge for. If it is charging it will show full voltage, 14.5v or so, add a load and it will drop until the charge catches up and if it stops charging the voltage will fall.

 

[exavid]

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Not a mystery, the starter usually isn't in the circuit with the ammeter. Since starters especially on large engines can draw some pretty impressive current to calibrate an ammeter to high enough current to handle the starter the lower current values of normal running would be so small as to be invisible or merely little vibrations in the ammeter needle. In real life once automobiles began to use alternators instead of generators the use of ammeters declined precipitately because volt meters were easier to install, could be tapped into the circuit at a convenient point and gave more useful information. Personally I can't see any real purpose in putting one on a 'Wing unless you just like lots of gaugesto look at.