Installing a voltmeter

TCMdocs944 · 06-28-2004, 05:58 AM

Just picked up a VDO voltmeter from the local salvage yard.

Where do I hook this thing up to if I want to do it right?

(wrong way to me is running a wire to the battery)

nige944 · 06-28-2004, 12:57 PM

Depends on what you want to measure the voltage of :-), I would speculate that you might want to measure the output of the alternator, but then i have no clue either.

nige944 · 06-28-2004, 01:06 PM

I've been googlin and it appears any 12v supply will do..

TCMdocs944 · 06-28-2004, 01:07 PM

Weeeelllllllll,

Aren't auto voltmeters designed to measure the voltage from the battery?

That should also measure alternator as well...ie

12 volts with the key in the acc position

13.6 volts when the alternator is charging the battery if all is well

?

Correct?

Soooooo,

I need to wire it to the fuse block at an unused terminal I guess.

I would further guess that is does NOT need to be fused??? (important question there)

bearone2 · 06-28-2004, 05:07 PM

an inline fusible link is an option in case the wires rub something and you have an unexpected grounding condition.

TCMdocs944 · 06-28-2004, 05:37 PM

I guess I could just use one of the "empty" fuses on the block?

bearone2 · 06-28-2004, 07:34 PM

run it to both terminals on the battery.

TCMdocs944 · 06-29-2004, 08:28 AM

Ahhhh Yes,

Now that I think about it the three guages that I pulled were all wired together.

Boost ------ Oil Temp -------- Voltmeter

Duuuuuhhhhhh.

Thanks Wilk

TCMdocs944 · 06-29-2004, 10:53 AM

Not sure just yet FR.

I would LIKE to put it where the a/c control is but I imagine that is not the easiest switch. Also, where would the ac go.

I am getting ready to start a whole 'update' of the dash...nothing crazy, sticking to VDO, but adding a few bells and whistles (like a stereo) and really making it look nice.

I may even do the "center speaker conversion to guage pod thingy" if I can think of a few other things to put in there.

Any ideas?

TCMdocs944 · 06-29-2004, 11:15 AM

Maybe I can take all the guages and move them up to the centerspeaker space....

Then figure out what to put in that space.

bryanthompson · bryanthompson's Garage

If anyone put those in their 944 and it looked good, i think i'd do it. I just don't want to be the guinea pig.

TCM, just shove socks in the empty hole if you move your gauges up. no biggie

TCMdocs944 · 06-29-2004, 01:58 PM

No offense to anyones preferences but....

I never have really liked digital guages in any form. Just ask anyone with an 80's corvette how much they like theirs. As for putting on of the new C-6 corvette type in with the heads up display.....that would probably cost as much as the car.

Bryan.........I have the stealth version. All my socks holding on hidden components....behind the panel a single sock holds each guage.

Thats sock technology behind there you know.

NO LIE - there is a guy down the street that bought a 84 944 for a song. I went to check up on his progress because I noticed it hadn't moved in a while.

I looked in the engine bay and his repairs were being held together with shoe strings and lamp cord! Very, very, very bad.

I just hope he doesn't ruin it before he has to sell it to me

bearone2 · 06-29-2004, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FR Wilk
Not to the battery. You will drain it in 3 days.

Where are you going to put it? Wire it to the oil pressure gauge. Every thing you need is there. You connect the voltmeter to the hot on the oil pressure gauge that connects through the ignition switch. The lamps are wired through the headlight switch and dimmer. Ground is ground, brown wire.

why do the two wires, not in the harness, drain the battery?

TCMdocs944 · 06-29-2004, 03:36 PM

Because it would always be "on" a connected circuit.

The others will be on the acc. circuit

Brando · Brando's Garage

[edit]
BALEDETED!!!

Porsche944 · 06-29-2004, 05:07 PM

Pull the center console gage cluster. You should find at least one set of spade connectors that is always hot. Then you can pull those leads up to the center speaker area and mount the meter there. Don't forget the wires for the gage lighting.

If you can't find a good hot lead you can tap into either the clock or the cigarette lighter power.

TCMdocs944 · 06-29-2004, 05:57 PM

That sound like the best so far cliff.

I will tap into the other guages methinks.

Porsche944 · 06-29-2004, 06:24 PM

That's how I installed a volt meter in my old '84 NA

singpilot · 06-29-2004, 06:58 PM

No matter how much luck you have, that POS clock will never run again. Take it out. The VDO guage fits perfectly there. Wire it as described to a fused guage hot and ground.

Buddy · 06-30-2004, 06:31 AM

Have you thought about an A-pillar gauge pod? I think that would look better than the speaker grill placement...only because I've never seen (yet) grill mounted gauges that look good. They alway look like an after thought, to put it nicely. If you add the A pillar pod, you can put in an oil temp gauge, too. They make the sensors that replace your oil pan plug so it's an easy switch. Just a thought.