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LED volt meter for fairng mount

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by mcdean58, Apr 9, 2017.

  1. mcdean58

    mcdean58 New Member

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    Hi all, I just bought a little LED volt meter and want to mount it on my fairing. Do you think it will kill my battery if I go direct? I'm going to see if I can find a way to connect to a "hot" when key is on only. They sell these 1.5"round LED on Amazon. Dean
     
  2. PilotSmack

    PilotSmack Active Member

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    I did this. Check your wiring diagram, mine was on a 550, but I wired in into the blue wire coming off the ignition switch, so whenever the key was turned to ON or P(ark), the voltmeter would turn on.
     
  3. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    Wire it to the horn. There's less voltage loss there, and you'll get a truer reading since the horn is an intermitant use item.
     
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  4. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    leds should not draw much current when on but it is best to hook it up to a switched wire. you do not want to drain the battery at all if it can be avoided.
    the horn as Kmoe suggested would be best and it would be less invasive to your harness to just replace 1 quick disconnect for the hot lead.
    for the ground a ring terminal to the coil mounting bolt would be good too.
     
  5. Stumplifter

    Stumplifter Well-Known Member

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    I do not understand (me and 'lectricity :oops:)​
    So it will show the condition of your charging system?
     
  6. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    It will measure voltage just as if you had a meter hooked up to the battery terminals.
    I had a similar setup on my scooter, and could monitor if my accessories were drawing the battery voltage down while riding. It was really useful to have on a machine with a teeny alternator.
     
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  7. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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  8. mcdean58

    mcdean58 New Member

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    Thanks guys for the input I think I will go to the horn wire as suggested. I'll try to post after
     
  9. Wintersdark

    Wintersdark Well-Known Member

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    ... but won't wiring it to the horn mean you can only check voltage while honking?

    ... Oh. No, wire it in before the switch, then to a ground. Of course. Silly me.
     
  10. bensalf

    bensalf Well-Known Member

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    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ... Oh. No, wire it in before the switch, then to a ground. Of course. Silly me.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    er... no , horn brown wire should be a permanent live , horn is switched via ground "usually pink" wire.
    stu
     
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  11. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    no not before the switch but at the quick disconnect at the horn, then to a close by ground point I would suggest the coil pack mounting bolt or possibly the horn bracket bolt.

    in the switch for the horn it is the last step before ground
    and just waiting for the button to be depressed making the connection to ground , as in when key is on horn wire is hot.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2017
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  12. Wintersdark

    Wintersdark Well-Known Member

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    Ah gotcha. Figured it was switch - horn - ground. That'll teach me to talk before looking at the schematic.

    Well, learned something new, so there's that!
     
  13. mcdean58

    mcdean58 New Member

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    IMG_20170414_150533.jpg here's the gage installed. On the other side is my 12v socket. Looks great at night.
     
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  14. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    The gauge looks a lot like a pair of sunglasses.
     
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  15. mcdean58

    mcdean58 New Member

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    Those are not sunglasses they are my mirrors for doing my hair while stopped at a light.........Gage update ........ I am liking it! Reads 12V at idle and 14 to 14.1v cruising down the road. Now I want a clock and temp gauge like it to mount. What a geek!
     
  16. Tim O

    Tim O Active Member

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    I see the 12V outlet on the other side... would be cool if someone made a volt meter like the one you installed thet just fit into that for when you wanted to check things... (I like the one you did too)

    oops... just noticed they do sell them on that same site
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2017
  17. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    did you check it against a real meter?
     
  18. mcdean58

    mcdean58 New Member

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    I probably should check it against one I have an old analog style. Been meaning to get a nice digital sometime but being a cheap old b%$@# I was waiting for it to die and it just won't.
     

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