Wiring a voltmeter on 26M

[bdailjr]

I would like to know how to wire a voltmeter to my perko switch, so I can monitor my batteries. I have "no" experience with wiring on a boat. I would be able to wire it with a diagram. Along with verbal comments. Two battery bank I think that is the correct term.

[March]

I'd recommend Victron 602 S; it is much more than a voltmeter. When wired to two batteries, it constantly monitors the house battery, how many amps go in and out, and calculates how long the battery charge will last under the present load before it's depleted to, say 50%. It also gives you the voltage, but the volatge without amps... especially when it comes to the house battery. The engine battery is more straightforward

You can wire it to the house battery and the engine battery. The mounting is no big deal. The meter comes with a shunt and you need to make sure you connect the negatives there correctly. The positives cables have nifty little bayonet connectors--much easier to mount than any other V or amp meter

[mastreb]

I take the other tack and recommend keeping a multimeter onboard in a waterproof case. The few times you'll actually need to check your voltage, just touch the probes to the battery terminals directly. It's right there under the steps.

Then you can use the multimeter for all the other electrical problems you'll have aboard

[Divecoz]

and yet a 3rd choice
I have a Pretty Typical 1.5" x 1.5" square, Analog DCV meter mounted in the cabin ( side of the aft dinette seat, just about 6" off the floor ) on our I have a DPDT Butterfly Switch.. Thats an On - Off - On switch. It auto returns to off and I can then easily check the voltage of either battery with no drain on the battery.. There are much better systems ( more sophisticated ) for a lot more money.. Your Choice... your call... your money

[opie]

Above from Radio Shack is what I use. Divecoz has it right. You can view 14.4 volts when running, 13+ volts when stopped. 12.7 v after a week of non-use. 15+ volts when voltage regulator fails. All easy to do with Divecoz's suggestion but not so easy without one or with a hand meter when running...

[Divecoz]

That could well be the very same meter I installed ...Its been awhile and I suffer from CRS

Above from Radio Shack is what I use. Divecoz has it right. You can view 14.4 volts when running, 13+ volts when stopped. 12.7 v after a week of non-use. 15+ volts when voltage regulator fails. All easy to do with Divecoz's suggestion but not so easy without one or with a hand meter when running...

[RobertB]

I wired a digital panel mount voltmeter with an A/B switch to monitor house and starting batteries. The digital display replaces an analog meter and is much easier to read.

[Russ]

I wired a digital voltmeter/ammeter.

The switch toggles between volts and amps. It could just as easily toggled between battery banks, but my batteries are isolated. The house batt is solely connected to the panel and starting battery only used for starting. They are combined for charging when voltages permit charging.
I like to look and see voltage levels and power consumption.



Before this, I simply used a digital meter plugged into the 12v outlet.

[Starscream]

I just installed a battery monitor this weekend. Here is the model that I used: http://www.entrepotmarine.com/fr/electr ... ie-ca70060. The total job cost less than 25$ and the wiring was simple. The meter comes with one black wire and two red wires. I installed a 5/16" ring clamp on the end of each of those wires ($3 at Canadian tire) and attached them directly to the wing-nut terminal on each battery. The single black wire goes to either of the negative terminals, since they are wired together they are the same thing. I didn't mess with the selector switch at all.

Since the batteries on my X are located under the aft seat beside the galley, I used a drill to go through the fiberglass and then a simple jigsaw to cut out the approximate shape of the back of the meter. Piece of cake. Just don't mount the meter too low and drill into the batteries! A couple of #6 stainless nuts and bolts (3$ at Home Depot) and the job was done. Took about a half an hour.

This device doesn't give a voltage reading, just a color-coded scale, but it does have a battery selector and an off position.

[RobertB]

I just installed a battery monitor this weekend. Here is the model that I used: http://www.entrepotmarine.com/fr/electr ... ie-ca70060. The total job cost less than 25$ and the wiring was simple. The meter comes with one black wire and two red wires. I installed a 5/16" ring clamp on the end of each of those wires ($3 at Canadian tire) and attached them directly to the wing-nut terminal on each battery. The single black wire goes to either of the negative terminals, since they are wired together they are the same thing. I didn't mess with the selector switch at all.

Since the batteries on my X are located under the aft seat beside the galley, I used a drill to go through the fiberglass and then a simple jigsaw to cut out the approximate shape of the back of the meter. Piece of cake. Just don't mount the meter too low and drill into the batteries! A couple of #6 stainless nuts and bolts (3$ at Home Depot) and the job was done. Took about a half an hour.

This device doesn't give a voltage reading, just a color-coded scale, but it does have a battery selector and an off position.

This is the panel I modified with a digital voltmeter. The analog meter was a piece of ........[that which makes things grow] (I have two, one a replacement from the manufacturer for the defective first one).

[Phil M]

I wired a digital panel mount voltmeter with an A/B switch to monitor house and starting batteries. The digital display replaces an analog meter and is much easier to read.

I like the idea of digital, and being able to read either battery. Can this voltmeter be turned off when not in use?

[RobertB]

Yes

[grady]

I wired a digital panel mount voltmeter with an A/B switch to monitor house and starting batteries. The digital display replaces an analog meter and is much easier to read.

I like the idea of digital, and being able to read either battery. Can this voltmeter be turned off when not in use?

And it is better if it is so when not in use you can turn it off to help reduce parasitic drain.

[hschumac]

Bdaljr, I wired a Blueseas voltmeter to my battery switch. I only care what the two batteries are reading when I am using them (switch is on), so I connected the positive lead to the common terminal on the switch, and the negative to my negative bus bar. My switch is 1 / 2 / Both. Normally I use Both for equal draw, but if I want specific readings I just change the switch to 1 or 2. And when off, no draw. My meter also has a backlight, and I wired those to the instruments switch on my new electrical panel.

[u12fly]

If you ebay search you can find a volt meter that plugs into your 12 Volt outlet (cigarette lighter) for about $3 with free shipping.... I don't know how they do it in China, lucky us. When you plug it in it will read what ever voltage you have on the selected battery (if you have a perko 1-2 switch). I used some thing like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monitor-Vehicle ... 565698caba

I'm now installing a computer monitor that measures total current draw & voltage (capacity counter)