Volt meter

[Woodnaut]

Re: Volt meter

Short answer - wire the voltmeter to the ignition switch as already mentioned.

Some analog voltmeters (i.e., traditional looking gauge with a needle that moves) can pull more current than you might imagine. We have a lot of mobile equipment where I work. (High pressure pummping equipment for the oilfield.) One of the guys designed a heavy duty analog voltmeter directly across the battery terminals. Good intentions, but it was enough to kill the battery dead in less than a week if the equipment was not started. (I'm referring to a large truck battery here.) Nevertheless, we fixed the problem simply by moving the voltmeter downline of the battery disconnect switch.

By the way, your voltmeter might have an internal lamp for night time illumination. If you have a 3-position navagation lights switch, you could wire it to the bow light circuit. In this fashion it would be illuminated when your running lights were on (specifically the bow light) and not on when just your anchor light was on (white stern light). Hope I explained that clearly enough.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Volt meter

I read most of the posts and does any one use a knight switch on there boat.
I installed one on my boat right in the battery box. Simple to do and no need for any special wiring. One flick of the switch all of your power is shut off with no draws what so ever. The only thing that would be hard wired to the battery would be the auto bulge pump if you had one.

I like my volt gauge to come on when I switch on my knight switch so i know if I have a battery problem before i turn on the key.

PS in my opinion an volt gauge would take about a month or more to kill the battery.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Volt meter

Gregg -- Even if the gauges are wired to the ignition switch as most are (the "A" or accessory terminal) pushing a separate button wired to the gauge(s) would not back feed anything since the "A" terminal feeds only accessories and has no bearing on the ignition. The ignition on a two stroke outboard is a magneto system and is open circuit for the engine to run. The circuit is grounded to kill the engine. As for hot wiring an engine one does not need to be anywhere the front of the boat to hot wire it. But I won't explain the process. Suffice it to say I can have your outboard in about 30 seconds without getting under the console and I don't have to cut or damage anythng to do it.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Volt meter

Gregg -- Suffice it to say I can have your outboard in about 30 seconds without getting under the console and I don't have to cut or damage anythng to do it.

Been there, done that but just for testing purposes..

 

[gregg g]

Re: Volt meter

Gregg -- Even if the gauges are wired to the ignition switch as most are (the "A" or accessory terminal) pushing a separate button wired to the gauge(s) would not back feed anything since the "A" terminal feeds only accessories and has no bearing on the ignition. The ignition on a two stroke outboard is a magneto system and is open circuit for the engine to run. The circuit is grounded to kill the engine. As for hot wiring an engine one does not need to be anywhere the front of the boat to hot wire it. But I won't explain the process. Suffice it to say I can have your outboard in about 30 seconds without getting under the console and I don't have to cut or damage anythng to do it.

I had a car once that the previous owner had installed a digital clock, wiring the clock illumination to the ignition terminal (as I clearly stated in my previous post about the voltmeter) then adding a pushbutton to light up the clock without turning on the key. If you held the button while turning off the key, the engine would keep running until you let go of the button.

Oh, and I don't care what it is, I can hot wire it if necessary.