Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
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- Posts: 27
- Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2020 5:17 pm
- Location: Kaslo, BC, Caada
- Motorcycle: 1995 Aspencade SE
Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
When I purchased my 95 Aspencade last October I knew going in that I would be installing a voltmeter. I had seen the Voltmeter install how to on the 1500 How to Articles, but being lazy and not wanting to pull apart the dash I decided to look for an easier elegant solution.
What I came up with will work on any Goldwing or other brand of bike.
First off I located the smallest possible voltmeter I could find which also proved to be the cheapest at $13.69 Cdn - Bonus! Not only that but for that price you get four voltmeters, one each with Green, Red, Yellow and Blue displays.
The ones I used came from Amazon.ca and can he found at amazon
If your in the US they can be found on amazon.com for the grand sum of $7.89
https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-Voltmete ... ref=sr_1_2
After much head scratching and hours of staring at the dash I finally came up with a really simple, unobtrusive install.
I first coated the back of the voltmeter with hot glue to weatherproof it. When that dried I sprayed some contact cement into a container and brushed cement onto the top and back of the voltmeter. I next brushed contact cement onto the fairing just below the right hand speaker on the underside of the speaker housing and on the back vertical face. When Tacky I pushed the voltmeter into place and held with a bit of pressure for about 20 Seconds. I wired it to the accessory terminal on the fuse block. As previously observed it reads about a half volt below actual battery voltage as measured with a voltmeter, but knowing that I can compute actual battery voltage very easily and now have a handle on what the alternator is doing.
End result is almost unnoticeable when off, reasonably out of the rain, very readable and below the line of sight when riding such that it will not interfere with vision at night.
Photos below show both on and off look.
What I came up with will work on any Goldwing or other brand of bike.
First off I located the smallest possible voltmeter I could find which also proved to be the cheapest at $13.69 Cdn - Bonus! Not only that but for that price you get four voltmeters, one each with Green, Red, Yellow and Blue displays.
The ones I used came from Amazon.ca and can he found at amazon
If your in the US they can be found on amazon.com for the grand sum of $7.89
https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-Voltmete ... ref=sr_1_2
After much head scratching and hours of staring at the dash I finally came up with a really simple, unobtrusive install.
I first coated the back of the voltmeter with hot glue to weatherproof it. When that dried I sprayed some contact cement into a container and brushed cement onto the top and back of the voltmeter. I next brushed contact cement onto the fairing just below the right hand speaker on the underside of the speaker housing and on the back vertical face. When Tacky I pushed the voltmeter into place and held with a bit of pressure for about 20 Seconds. I wired it to the accessory terminal on the fuse block. As previously observed it reads about a half volt below actual battery voltage as measured with a voltmeter, but knowing that I can compute actual battery voltage very easily and now have a handle on what the alternator is doing.
End result is almost unnoticeable when off, reasonably out of the rain, very readable and below the line of sight when riding such that it will not interfere with vision at night.
Photos below show both on and off look.
- wing rider 2012
- Posts: 259
- Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 4:49 pm
- Location: Medford, Oregon
- Motorcycle: 2012 GL1800 Level I Blue/Silver
1998 GL1500 Aspy
1985 Venture Royal 1300
1979 GL1000
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
Great job, looks really nice in that location, easy to read and out of eye shot.
Vietnam Veteran
9th ID, Jan 69 - Oct 70
Member: Military Order of the Purple Heart
Member: Vietnam Veterans of America
Member: GWTA. Chapter A, Grants Pass, Oregon
9th ID, Jan 69 - Oct 70
Member: Military Order of the Purple Heart
Member: Vietnam Veterans of America
Member: GWTA. Chapter A, Grants Pass, Oregon
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- Posts: 27
- Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2020 5:17 pm
- Location: Kaslo, BC, Caada
- Motorcycle: 1995 Aspencade SE
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
Thanks. Pretty happy with how it turned out. It remains to be seen if the contact cement stands the test of time. If not i will use shoe-goo which will for sure hold and is removable.
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- Posts: 71
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:20 pm
- Location: United States
- Motorcycle: 96 GL1500SE & 03 VTX1800r
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
Great looking install. I just added them to my Amazon cart. 

- dingdong
- Posts: 4183
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:35 am
- Location: Oklahoma City
- Motorcycle: 1976 gl1000
1993 gl1500A
2004 NRX1800 Rune SOLD
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
How accurate is it? Yours is showing only 11.9 volts. Lol.
- flash2002
- Posts: 203
- Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:38 pm
- Location: Montreal, Canada
- Motorcycle: gold wing 1800
2003
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
I installed these ones on my bikes from E-Bay, they are not expensive water proof and work well.
- AZgl1800
- Posts: 2932
- Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:46 pm
- Location: Lake Oologah Indian Territory USA
- Motorcycle: 2009 Piaggio MP3 250cc https://imgur.com/foGDjgv
'02 GL1800 lives in Dawsonville, GA now.
My son is going to enjoy it for many years to come.
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
I went ANALOG,
much easier to see with just a quick glance
much easier to see with just a quick glance
- 77Goldwing
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:57 pm
- Location: Holland MI
- Motorcycle: 1977 GL1000
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
If you google, you can find inexpensive ($2-5) voltimeters that slip into your "cigar" lighter. I purchased a handful for my cars and keep one in the lighter of the Vetter fairing most of the time. They are not elegant but can be used for quick troubleshooting if you do not want to go to the trouble of installing a permanent voltimeter. Most also come with USB slots for charging other devices.
1977 Goldwing GL1000
Vetter SS fairing/lowers; custom saddle seat
Purchased 6/30/1978, 1585 miles
1973 CB450/K6 (sold) (1976-Schenectady NY to Guadalajara MX and back)
1972 CB100 (sold)
Vetter SS fairing/lowers; custom saddle seat
Purchased 6/30/1978, 1585 miles
1973 CB450/K6 (sold) (1976-Schenectady NY to Guadalajara MX and back)
1972 CB100 (sold)
- pidjones
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2012 2:14 pm
- Location: Clinton, Tennessee
- Motorcycle: 2006 GL1800A
1978 GL1000 w/'75 engine (project)
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
I've mounted a digital in place of the analog on both my '79 summer rider and '78 show bike. The Hunley will also be getting LED bar graph fuel level and LED digital temperature gauges some time this Winter/Spring.
- Wildwilly018
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:26 am
- Location: Woodstock, Ontario Canada
- Motorcycle: 1988 Honda Goldwing GL1500
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
Nice. I put one of these on my GL1500 last winter after being stranded on way to work at 5:30 am in the morning when my alt calved and I had no warning. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010HM43RQ/?tag=goldwingdocs-20 ... 70_TE_item Since mine isn't an SE and I don't have the adjustment knob on right side, I used that space to put this in. Works great and I can see it well.
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- Posts: 10
- Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2013 2:10 pm
- Location: Cordova, TN
- Motorcycle: 2008 GL1800 Comfort, Nav, ABS
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
I had trouble trying to decide where to mount a voltmeter on my 2008 Wing. I finally decided to install it in the left speaker grill. There is plenty of room behind it. I also added a switch on the left side of the Nav screen bezel. This switch allows me to turn the voltmeter On without starting the bike. This allows me to check the battery voltage and the Battery Tender voltage.
- Wildwilly018
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:26 am
- Location: Woodstock, Ontario Canada
- Motorcycle: 1988 Honda Goldwing GL1500
Re: Alternate (Simple) Voltmeter Installation
As I put above mine isn't an SE so knob on right side below speaker so room for my little gauge. Looks good. Fit well and can see it from seat.