Dash mounted volt meter

[clivehorridge]

Yesterday, I left my 80's lights on all day.

What a dumb-ass...

Dead as a dodo, so A quick phone call to my helper in work and he arrived in a flash and towed me (started on barely a roll in 2nd as I imagined it would ).

Ok, looked at the volt meter gauge thingy, and it was showing an estimated 10 volts or something, so hard to tell with the 80's hit-and-miss gauges.

So I'm thinking whether to get a voltmeter, when I suddenly remembered Chas very kindly gave me one as a pressie when he came to visit last August.

I never got round to fitting it because I couldn't see a suitable place to put it. So today, I studied the location options with added impetus.

OK, on my old European spec LHD 80, the Centre of the dash looks something like this... Jeez, these pics are fuzzy, sorry...

Theres one blank switch space but that's reserved for a double USB socket. The complete mess of 3 cigarette lighter sockets on the left is going, and not soon enough.

The voltage display is marginably bigger than the Carling apeture, and it's a neat flush mount, so nowhere in the center portion of the dash looked suitable.

So, straight ahead...?

Not many options here either. All mounded plastic, curved surfaces, nothing suitable for a flat flush mount. The last pic also shows the switch panel on the left of the steering column, that's full too, and that vertical blank will also get a double USB socket soon.

So, I thought about the door switch panel. It's not in my driving sight-line, but for a volt meter, that's not necessary.

Off with the door card, off with the switch panel and the surround, some drilling, hacksawing, filing, and in it popped. Bingo. Cleaned everything, dirty switches and that gunky stuff that gets trapped in recesses and you can't get at it, all cleaned up and looking OK IMO.

Just need to wire it up now.

Can an I connect it to anything live & earth, or do I need to run it to the battery?

I'm a total don't know when it comes to electrickery, I just know it runs round in circles and if the wires leak, smoke comes out of them. It's the work of witches and the devil to me.

Any advice or do I get Rich to come out here for a week...?

 

[uHu]

If you want it to tell you anything useful about the condition of the battery, you have to run a separate cable all the way to the battery poles, both positive and negative. The cable can be thin as there is hardly any current running through it (milliamps), and oughta be flexible for the door opening. Problem is that it will be hot all the time, and help drain the battery if parked for a (very) long time. Do you have a battery disconnect?
If you want it via the ignition switch, you can add an extra relay. Remember to put a tiny fuse on the positive cable.

 

[StarCruiser]

UHu is right Clive, it should really go to the battery otherwise you will be sensing voltage drop in the wires to whatever load you connect to. Skinny wires are ok but select some that will withstand the mechanical stresses of opening the door and routing them round. 1mm at the least really if not bigger. Also, fuse both positive AND negative at the battery as close as you can to the terminals. Why I hear you cry? Well, if the negative got crushed against a larger positive, it could get hot if shorted.

 

[chapel gate]

What double usb socket you going for clive? A job thats been on the list for ages.

 

[clivehorridge]

Thanks UhU and Rich, both very informative and I'll do exactly what you suggest, maybe the ignition live option with a relay and fuses, that way it won't be "on" 24/7.

Thanks again, another job for my jobber, wouldn't do to let all the smoke out of the batteries, would it ​

 

[clivehorridge]

What double usb socket you going for clive? A job thats been on the list for ages.

I found some on eBay CG, and bought 6 .

Theres a spare blanked switch aperture close to where I have the iPad mounted and one spare close to my phone, so 2 will fit nicely there.

I've also got 4 coin trays in the centre console that I never use so I was going to replace them with these carling sized double USBs. It seems that I've never got enough USBs available but maybe 6 doubles is overkill.

I can cable up 2 in the console and see how it goes.

I can't find the link, but I have them at the office, I'll take a photo on Monday and by then I might have found the link.

They were about €10 euros each IIRC. That have optional covers and I think they're illuminated with discrete blue lights.

If I can, I'll post again on Monday.

 

[clivehorridge]

I found some on eBay CG, and bought 6 .

Theres a spare blanked switch aperture close to where I have the iPad mounted and one spare close to my phone, so 2 will fit nicely there.

I've also got 4 coin trays in the centre console that I never use so I was going to replace them with these carling sized double USBs. It seems that I've never got enough USBs available but maybe 6 doubles is overkill.

I can cable up 2 in the console and see how it goes.

I can't find the link, but I have them at the office, I'll take a photo on Monday and by then I might have found the link.

They were about €10 euros each IIRC. That have optional covers and I think they're illuminated with discrete blue lights.

If I can, I'll post again on Monday.

Actually they look very similar to these

 

[chapel gate]

Thanks clive. Been toying with the coin holders as well. They would need the dust cover as they face upwards. Keeps the chicken legs and tobacco out..

 

[StarCruiser]

Yep, relay switched from the ignition onto the battery is perfect.

 

[clivehorridge]

I didn't forget, just can't find the link. My helper has it but he's not in work till tomorrow. Here's some pics though...

The thing on the right is a USB side by side with a cigarette lighter socket, both with rubber water-resistant caps, which I'm going to mount behind or in the grille as a power supply to my video camera. The camera battery only lasts about 40 minutes, so a permanent charge when plugged will assist.

I don't know why the photos are all over the place, they were supposed to come after this text and I don't see a way to move them or edit this...

 

[clivehorridge]

OK, I had a lazy day ahead of me on Saturday, so I put my electrician's hat on, well not mine, I had to pretend.

Post Chapter 1 - Voltmeter.

First, I wired up the Volt meter, and as my 80 is a DD, I thought I'd keep it simple and went direct to the driver's side battery. Mine's a LHD so I have no idea which one is the main battery but as they're wired in parallel, my brain tells me it should make no difference.

It worked first time (which for me is close to a miracle) and read 12.9 Volts without the engine running. Side and then dipped headlights made no difference, but when all the lights were on, + main beams & 2 light bars, it dropped to 12.4 V.

After start-up, it climbed up to, and stayed steady at, 14.3 V.

The problem with gauges is that they either give you peace of mind, or they scare the BJs out of you. I know nothing about lectricks, so I have no idea.

After a run, without engine it held at 13.3 V. Then this morning it had dropped back to 12.9 V.

Are these acceptable readings, any comments?

Post Chapter 2 - USB Chargers

Today I went for the USB chargers. The first 2 are going in the centre console replacing 2 of the 4 coin holders.

Easy-peasy, tapped a live off the very heavy run I put in for the 2 rear console cigarette lighter sockets (some time ago now) and this live is ignition controlled with an in-line 20 Amp fuse. Ran an earth to them from the existing main earth point at the front of the console.

Then it started.

Came to insert them into the apertures left after removing the coin holders and found that the body of the chargers is 2mm wider than the apertures. Bugger.

No biggie really, out came a nice sharp bastard, and they got filed out to suit. A nice fit actually, and the fascia of the units fitted perfectly into the recess of the coin slot apertures. They look pretty too, lighting up with a subtle blue when the ignition is on, easy to see in dark for using and not distracting at all.

I then checked the 2 blanked switch apertures on the dash that I wanted to use, one on the driver's side (left side for me, where the rear fog lamp and headlight washer switches are) which would be handy for my phone charger and the other on the bottom rail in front of the console (where the rear heater fan switch is) intended for the iPad.

These were too narrow as well, by the same amount. I think they will file out too, but what a pain making those USBs that little bit too wide.

Are 80 switches considered to be "standard" carling sizes? The USB chargers are sold allegedly as a standard switch aperture fitting, but I don't know what standard means.

Anyway, the remainder of Sunday became a day of rest, those 2 will have to wait a bit...

 

[StarCruiser]

Yes Clive those voltages are showing that your battery is charging and discharging/settling down. You should really take from the right hand battery via a small fuse as the left one rises above chassis earth when the start relay changes over to 24v. It may also give a slightly more accurate reading by 0.1 volt or so (who cares I know! ).

 

[clivehorridge]

Yes Clive those voltages are showing that your battery is charging and discharging/settling down. You should really take from the right hand battery via a small fuse as the left one rises above chassis earth when the start relay changes over to 24v. It may also give a slightly more accurate reading by 0.1 volt or so (who cares I know! ).

Thanks Rich.

I can easily extend the wires to the RH battery if it's worth doing.

I was worried that 14.3 V may have been a bit high, the batteries are 95 Amp/hr Vartas and I don't want to be cooking them. I've recently had a new Heavy Duty alternator fitted (whatever that means, I don't know its rating).

 

[StarCruiser]

No, that's fine Clive. You have to charge at higher voltage for charge to flow into the battery. 14.3 is fine. Anything much above 14.4 is starting to overcharge them.

 

[clivehorridge]

No, that's fine Clive. You have to charge at higher voltage for charge to flow into the battery. 14.3 is fine. Anything much above 14.4 is starting to overcharge them.

Thanks Rich, that's reassuring!

 

[clivehorridge]

Took a couple or three pics of the USB charge sockets in place and live, ignition switch in 'aux' position.

With dust-caps open

Dust-caps closed

 

[StarCruiser]

Looking good Clive. I may well do this in mine.
Nice seat too BTW.

 

[grantw]

Those look great - just bought two for myself ... to be fitted in 12 months probably!

SC - is 14.8v considered overcharging a SLA?

 

[clivehorridge]

Looking good Clive. I may well do this in mine.
Nice seat too BTW.

The seat's taken Rich, as you well know.

I must resurrect my discussions with her indoors, her leather seat is driving me nuts in the shed, and it's getting a bit dusty just sat there in the way.

And by the way, the old one is not so nice, I've the feeling that if you cut the fabric off, the cushion would spill out in a pile of dust. We'll see if I get her OK to change it, but even if I do, it wouldn't surprise me if she instructed its replacement again, with winter coming.

I'd have to get the heater in it up and running for the winter, for sure.

 

[StarCruiser]

No worries Clive I was only pulling your leg. You are probably right. I'm looking at getting a new cushion anyway so whatever happens it'll get sorted in good time.