| Author | Message | ||
     Dtaylor |
When I first got my Uly, I performed the venerable single LED voltmeter in the dash mod, using the voltmeter that I had purchased some time prior, but never got around to installing on my V-Strom. The voltage indicator I have in the dash shows yellow or red for under voltage, and green for normal. Problem is, it doesn’t indicate over voltage, like the Signal Dynamics indicator. I was thinking of installing the Signal Dynamics LED voltmeter, but I came across this inexpensive meter on eBay, and decided to replace the 12V accessory plug with it. In the four years I’ve owned the bike, I’ve never used the accessory socket (I have a USB port and my GPS hardwired). If I need to power an air compressor, I'll pop the seat. The threaded bit of the meter was maybe one or two c.h. too big for the hole, but a light touch with a round file and it slipped right in. I made a round gasket out of some bicycle inner tube, to seal between the housing and the meter. Although the product is described as waterproof, I gooped the back of the meter with some silicone sealant, just in case. I snipped the accessory wires and used posi-locks to attach the pigtails. Ideally, the power would’ve been switched but not fed by the ECU’s accessory circuit, but I’ve already got that covered by the dash volt meter. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/12V-24V-Car-Motorcycle-LED- DC-Digital-Display-Voltmeter-Waterproof-Meter-SC-/ 251787825866?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a9fb9 52ca    14.2 volts at high idle. It’s a little difficult to see in full daylight from the riding position, but it’ll do. I probably could’ve got a bright blue version, but those bright blue LEDs are hard on the eyes at night.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Clever. It would be nice to build it into a socket so when you aren't using that jack, it is a voltmeter, but when you do want to use it you can just pop the voltmeter out. | ||
| Griffmeister |
You said that the Signal Dynamic's doesn't indicate overvoltage, but I don't see where this will either. Don't get me wrong, I can see where it reads up to 33 VDC, but often when a VR fails it causes voltage spikes that can be brief where you won't see it on the display but the blown headlight will be a telltale. Not being able to see well in the daylight just makes that worse. You also have to spend too much time with your eyes on the display to see if something is happening or not. I think I'd try another light display that flashes the green during overvoltage. This you could pick up in your peripheral vision without taking your eyes off the road. | ||
| Marcbe |
Here is my mod which allow me to keep the accessory connector for my GPS:  Not for overvoltage but for weak charging system! (Message edited by Marcbe on March 29, 2015) | ||
| Dtaylor |
Reep: For a plug'n'play solution, there are plugin voltmeters out there, but I've not seen any that are waterproof or as flush mount as one would like. Griff: A good point on the reportedly spike-ey nature of VR failures. I do believe the Signal Dynamics meter does flash on over voltage, but the particular LED I have in my dash won't. This is more of a secondary meter, as I've got a Fatty LED gauge in the dash, as well. It would be nice if a voltmeter would keep a history of under/over voltages for troubleshooting intermittent problems. Perhaps Reepicheep could add that feature to the next revision of his all-singing, all-dancing heated grip controller? | ||
| Fotoguzzi |
Marcbe, can you share how you did that? | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Rattle can of red paint and a 12.5 template. | ||
| Reepicheep |
LOL.. it is actually already in the current version of the all-singing all-dancing heated grip controller. Whenever it detects an over or under voltatge condition, it goes into a burst mode measurement and plucks the highest and lowest measurement it reads every 5 seconds (looking at several thousand samples per second). | ||
| Dtaylor |
So it is, Bill. I must've missed those posts the first time around, but I google searched "Reepicheep controller" and had a good read. Nice work. You sir, are no poltroon.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Wait'll we see what I can do with the Arduino! Made more progress in 4 hours last week than I made in 4 weeks with the PIC. | ||
| Marcbe |
Fotoguzzi here is the link where I found the idea, I just did cleaner modifications with better tools but all in all it's the way to go: http://www.buellgaraz.cz/news/uprava-c-4-zabudovan i-voltmetru-do-budiku-tachometru/ | ||
| Dtaylor |
Marc, with the red LED, how do you find the visibility in the daytime? | ||
| Marcbe |
Dtaylor, I just finish the installation few days ago and here in Belgium the weather still very bad so I didn't had the opportunity to ride her for now! I will tell you what as soon as possible but the red LED are quite luminous so I think it will be good... |
