[keener]

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Silly question time...

I've been told by several 'Wing riders that having a voltmeter on my 1984 GL1200A is a must. What exactly does such a gaugetell me?

 

[exavid]

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keener wrote:

Silly question time...

I've been told by several 'Wing riders that having a voltmeter on my 1984 GL1200A is a must. What exactly does such a gaugetell me?

That your stator hasn't failed. But then your bike has run okay for 21 years without a voltmeter. I'm a bit of an instrument freak, been fighting the urge to put a voltmeter and an oil pressure gauge on my bike. So far I've been able to resist the pressure. I suppose a volt meter might let you know that your battery is failing and the bike will quit soon if you watch it continuously, but odds are it will still quit in an inconvenient place anyway.

:waving::15red::waving:

 

[Graham B]

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So long as it keeps above 14volts while you are riding, it tells you that your alternator is stillworking and you can keep riding. :clapper:

If it drops to 12volts (or less) and stays there it meansyou only have the juice in your battery to get you home and you need to take your engine out when (if) you get there:gunhead:

 

[Goldwinger]

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Volt meter is a great idea, tells you, if you have a lot of electrical acc. and it starts to drop, it's time to turn some of them off, before you get into trouble. Remember it's not unusual for it to go to 12volts or a little bit lower during idle, but should be between 13 and about 14.5 during higher rpm operation.

 

[rcmatt007]

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just make sure that all the connectors (three yellow wires) from the stator are in good shape, or hard wire them. While you are it make sure the connectors at the starter selemoid are cleaned as well

 

[JOHNO]

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I fitted a voltmeter (smiths instrument)to my '84 GL1200I from an old car after my stator failed. I can now see when the electrical load is a bit heavy, especially at idle, and take action like turning off lights etc. Before any damage is done. Hopefully this will help my new stator last a lot longer.

A voltmeter is an overlooked essential in my opinion, especially on older bikes with older wireing, it's easy to wire in at any convenient point and would help you stop any electrical problems before a drastic failure. unlike an ammeter which carries high currents and needs heavy duty wire to cope with the loads and only tells you if the battery is charging or not.

 

[Blackhat]

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Gents,

I am interested in putting a Voltmeter on my 1500, only because my altenator failed and I got stranded. Can someone recommend a good meter and where I should install it. The meter is not much good if it cannot be seen while underway.

Blackhatn

 

[eddycurrent]

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Hi:

I am getting one of these to install on my 1200 goldwing it is also for the 1500 it is small enough to go just about anywhere. I am putting it where the lighter socket would go. Check it out.

http://www.wingthings-texas.com/KuryakynLEDBatteryGaugeChrome1500.htm

 

[RedWinger]

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Here is a Voltmeter,nice size too....And being Red LED lit,it can be seen easily at night!

http://www.digitalmeter.com/cgi-bin/webshop.cgi?config=configspc.txt&uid=idakbwid111352385669&command=link--bikemeter

 

[exavid]

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Mr.1200 wrote:

Here is a Voltmeter,nice size too....And being Red LED lit,it can be seen easily at night!

http://www.digitalmeter.com/cgi-bin/webshop.cgi?config=configspc.txt&uid=idakbwid111352385669&command=link--bikemeter

If you go digital I'd sure recomment 0.1V resolution, 0.01 tends to drive one nuts with it's digits flickering and hundredths of a volt are meaningless anyway in this application.