wireing a voltmeter

[rusty bolts]

hello/ volt meter was replaced with a hour meter / how would i wire a new volt meter gauge on a 1987 omc 460 grady white thanks to all on this fourm it great jd

 

[Bondo]

Re: wireing a voltmeter

Ayuh,... Same 2 wires will work, Just Fine...

 

[Apollo75]

Re: wireing a voltmeter

I do not recommend a volt meter that far from the battery ---- loss of voltage due to wire resistance --- however, if you run nice sized wires #10 up there the meter draws little current so the voltage should be real close.

Either way it will be close enough to let you know if the charging system is working.

There should be a positive wire going to the instrument cluster and a negative --- hook up there --- if there is a ammeter ---> hook to the feed side not the load side

OFM

 

[bruceb58]

Re: wireing a voltmeter

I do not recommend a volt meter that far from the battery ---- loss of voltage due to wire resistance --- however, if you run nice sized wires #10 up there the meter draws little current so the voltage should be real close.

Either way it will be close enough to let you know if the charging system is working.

There should be a positive wire going to the instrument cluster and a negative --- hook up there --- if there is a ammeter ---> hook to the feed side not the load side

OFM

Huh!!! A voltage meter doesn't draw but a few milliamps of current.

If you are talking about the instruments and the ignition drawing too much current and you are measuring the voltage drop due to those devices, then you may have a very small drop but nothing that would make you not want to install a voltmeter there.

 

[Apollo75]

Re: wireing a voltmeter

Lets see --- The wiring that supplies my ammeter goes from the rear of the boat to the front of the boat ---> through the ammeter and then supplies all the accessories including ignition.

There is no voltage drop in the 15-foot of primary wire ?


I think so.

OFM

 

[bruceb58]

Re: wireing a voltmeter

I do not recommend a volt meter...

He was talking about a voltmeter not an ammeter. Nobody uses an ammeter anymore. Maybe in the 70s but not anymore.

 

[Apollo75]

Re: wireing a voltmeter

So where is he going to put this volt meter --- on the engine cover or at the helm at the end of 15-foot of wire ?

You still going to say there is no voltage drop at the helm ?


OFM

 

[bruceb58]

Re: wireing a voltmeter

Not enough to matter. The helm typically has a large wire feeding the fuse box. Even if he had 0.5V drop, the gauge will still indicate if his alternator is charging or not and that is what the purpose of it is. Underway, during the day, the only thing drawing any current will be the ignition which is very low. You only get a voltage drop through a wire if there is a current flowing through it.

These gauges are also notoriusly innacurate.

Why would you want a gauge near the engine. If you are driving the boat, how are you supposed to see it?