Voltmeter Schematic???
 

Ive just recieved a voltmeter that has no instructions. Does anybody know how to hook it up?

Are there + and -- markings on the back of the meter? If you hook it up with the wrong polarity, the needle will flick backwards.

What do you want to measure: voltage, current or resistance? Each is measured a different way. I think Radio Shack has a brief reference book on how to use a meter; also check your local library. Briefly:

Voltage - connect meter leads in parallel with circuit (source voltage ON)
Current - connect meter in series with circuit (source voltage ON)
Resistance - connect meter leads to each end of circuit path or load (source voltage OFF)

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

I meant an in dash voltmeter.

"I meant an in dash voltmeter."

Oh a voltmeter. Never mind.

Another brief answer:
Connect the positive and negative leads of the gauge to the pos and neg. posts of the battery (not real convenient and it's messy wiring) or ....

....connect pos. gauge terminal to any "hot" or source wire and negative gauge terminal to ground. In this case, I'd select one of the fuse posts in the fuse box for the pos. connection and an established ground connection in the chassis.

Pick a circuit that activates with the ignition switch otherwise the voltmeter will indicate system voltage all the time.

Sherwood

An in dash voltmeter is still only going to have 2 terminals for the meter. one for the + terminal and one for the - terminal. You will need to select a power source. I would suggest the cigarette lighter as a power source for the plus terminal. It is a heavier wire and is a single load source. You can attach the - terminal to any close ground post. Now if the meter has back lighting then that would have to be wired in with the rest of the instrument cluster.

Thanx guys, I owe you!

It Works! Thanx again!