LED voltmeters

[Mh434]

Well, I currently have a surface-mounted LCD voltmeter/thermometer on my GL1500 (mounted on the left side, just above the CB unit), but I'm not that happy with it. While it works, it's not particularly accurate, as it shows voltage minus all the draw from all the accessories - a true 13.5V at the battery may only show 12.6V at the display...not that useful except for relative voltage. Plus, it seems that it displays ambient temperature most of the time - usually when I really want to see the voltage.

I've looked at dozens of alternatives, most of which require finding a place to chop a few square inches of black inner fairing out for a large hole. I can't find a space that big to cut, what with the lack of available real estate from existing OEM stuff.

I also looked at multi-LED panels, but most of them only seem to offer ranges of voltage (say, all is okay from 12.4-13.4V, for example), but this doesn't offer the precision I'm looking for.

Today, I found & ordered these: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/131058582865

They're small, adjustable for accuracy, and seriously cheap (3 for $4.44USD, with free shipping). Due to their small size, they should be fairly easy to mount. I have other projects on the go, so the spares will be useful, too. They're even available in different color displays (red, blue, or green). If you have friends to share 'em with, you can even get a pack of 10 for under $20USD (free shipping, too) - http://www.ebay.ca/itm/131058550008?tfr ... lgo=origal

Just thought I'd pass this on...

[virgilmobile]

To better improve my meter reading,I attached mine to a ignition switched relay that is fed direct from the battery post.I don't measure the ACC line volts as it can vary.

[Mh434]

That's what I'm going to do, this time around...

[MikeB]

The current draw is so small that I connected my LED voltmeter direct to the battery through a fuse. It is on 24/7 and I can see it as I pass it in the garage and know instantly what the battery charge is.

[WingAdmin]

The current draw is so small that I connected my LED voltmeter direct to the battery through a fuse. It is on 24/7 and I can see it as I pass it in the garage and know instantly what the battery charge is.

LED or LCD? LED (lights up) will draw enough power that it can kill a battery in a week or two. LCD (black on grey background) draws virtually none, and can be left running 24/7.

LED:

LCD:

[MikeB]

I have LED meters on both of my wings. They draw less than 8ma. If I let the bikes set for more than three days without riding I put the battery tender on them anyway so there is little worry of battery draw down. I haven't found an LCD voltmeter that I like yet so I have yet to try them.

[wing rider 2012]

If your voltmeter draws 8 mA, then the discharge rate is very small. Given a typical motorcycle battery is normally 20 aH, it would take about 100 days to drain the battery.

[MikeB]

That is exactly why I am not concerned about the draw of the voltmeter.

If I had been able to locate an LCD meter of comparable size as the LED I am using, I would not have been able to mount it where I have the LED meter.
The LED meter is mounted under the dash on my GL1500.