Installing a voltmeter - Page 2

Stan944 · 06-30-2004, 07:18 AM

Here's where I installed the voltmeter and the ammeter.

Stan

TCMdocs944 · 06-30-2004, 07:21 AM

That looks pretty good stan.

BTW- my clock has always worked perfectly (don't hate me)

I am thinking of fabricating a special insert for the speaker grill instead of going through the grate. I will let you guys know if I go through with it.

Good scan FR

jd944 · 06-30-2004, 09:22 AM

If you are willing to give up or relocate your lighter, you can relocate the AC switch to the lighter location fairly easily. You can then mount the voltmeter in the AC switch location. I did this on my 84 and it allowed me to keep my clock. I also mounted a 12v receptacle in the glove box.

TCMdocs944 · 06-30-2004, 09:52 AM

Now THAT I like.

The lighter is very useless to most of us unless you are running accessories from it. Honestly I would probably just instal an inverter somewhere if I really wanted to run a dvd or other.

HHmmmmm, lots of good Ideas guys!!

jd944 · 06-30-2004, 10:35 AM

BTW, I wired mine to the oil pressure switch as shown above.

bryanthompson · bryanthompson's Garage

Cup holders? We dont' need no stinkin' cup holders!

TCMdocs944 · 06-30-2004, 06:10 PM

Never noticed that.

You are wrong though Bryan.....That is a motorized can crusher.

Buddy · 07-01-2004, 02:49 AM

I still prefer the A pillar pod. It's difficult to get an accurate reading on the gauges in the center because their not in a good line of sight. Maybe if they were angled towards the driver a little......circa 240Z.

TCMdocs944 · 07-01-2004, 06:02 AM

A pillar are a little too "please give me a ticket officer" for me.

I am going for subtle. I may angle a few guages though. I had 260z back in the day and thought it was well setup.

I am considering installing the oil temperature guage I picked up. (I am a freak about running temps).
Any thoughts?

Buddy · 07-01-2004, 06:19 AM

I guess I don't get the correlation between tickets and gauge pods. You mean a little to "boy-racer" set up? Or are you thinking it would be obstructing your view, according to the local law?

I would think if you angled them in the speaker cover, they'd be more readable at a glance.

Let us know how the oil temp gauge thing works for you. I'm considering the same but looking for a white face gauge to match my other white face ones.

TCMdocs944 · 07-01-2004, 08:01 AM

Maybe a little boy racerish but also

cops down here in Fl always love to stop the tuner guys. They just look for a reason. I am not a really big speeder but I do know that apillar pods catch the fuzzes attention.

I have several cop friends that tell me the same thing.

I have the lenses off the guages now and am considering a slight altering. I actually saw a set that had been done with a transparent computer printout and looked really good....Never would have noticed it wasn't origional

bearone2 · 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TCMdocs944
Because it would always be "on" a connected circuit.

The others will be on the acc. circuit

so what, all that's being done is measuring voltage at the battery.

i guess you could monitor battery drain from something else, but running wires directly to the battery isn't/wasn't ever a problem, didn't drain the battery when i've done it over the years, unless there was something else pulling the batt down.

TCMdocs944 · 07-01-2004, 02:26 PM

I can understand that too.

I just don't like too much going to the battery ---looks bad.

Depends on how much the accessory draws yes?

bearone2 · 07-01-2004, 04:33 PM

i want to know what the batt is doing and if it's run thru the clock/oil pressure gage, to the bat cave and back, it's not an accurate reading.

i ran both a vm and an amp meter(pos on the batt/b+/the big one, on the alternator at various times without any problems.

when so many things are tied together electrically in these cars, it's no real surprize at the maze of electrical problems that come up.

TCMdocs944 · 07-01-2004, 05:33 PM

So.......

You think running it to an unused portion of the fuse block (origional idea) might be a better idea? You should get pretty unadulterated volts there.

Yes?

Or, does it really matter? Most of the factory instals are in series..?

bearone2 · 07-01-2004, 06:52 PM

assuming no corrosion and is a good connection.

a vm is in parallel, an amp meter is in series like xmas tree lites like the alternator lite.

jd944 · 07-02-2004, 04:39 AM

I don't think it really matters but if you want to read directly from the battery, run a fused wire form the battery to a relay that is closed with a switched 12V power source, and then to the voltmeter. BTW, mine works fine connected to the oil pressure gauge.