Add a Charge Meter? By ellpee (Read 1,320 times)

[ellpee]

Having just gone through a big goatrope related to R/R failure, which included being stranded with a dead battery on two occasions, I'm wondering how expensive and difficult it might be to add a gauge showing whether or not my battery is being charged at any given moment. Every car nowadays has something like that, just wondering how such a gizmo would have to be wired to work on my 2011 Roketa 250.

[bhinch]

It's me again..... I installed a small rectangular volt meter with red numbers, to fit in with the red instrument lights. I connected mine to the instrument lights, which may not be the correct place. But it works and was easy to hook up. It still tells me when the R/R is working and it reads a consistent voltage with the new part. I placed mine where the original sound panel was at on the dash. With the HID's and all the lights on, it reads 13.4 volts. Since you will have the plastic off, you can install yours on the ignition switch. Life is good....

[cruiser]

Adding a DC voltmeter to monitor charging voltage is a good idea. Many people like to use the LCD type which can be read in direct sunlight and has an automatic back light for night use. Here is the one I have on my VIP50:



I just cut the correct size hole where I wanted to locate it. Hook one wire to ground and the other to an ignition key switched 12 volt source. The reading you get will probably be a little lower than the actual battery voltage because of losses in the scooter wiring. Mine is about .7 volts low so I if the meter reads 12.8 volts, then I know the actual battery reading is 13.5 volts.

I bought my voltmeter on eBay.

[dragonsparks]

That's a very good idea After I get everything else done to my scoot this is next. Well if it ever stops raining.

Dave

[ellpee]

Sounds simple enough. Cruiser, I see yours just shows volts, not a charge/discharge indicator. What kind of reading on a meter like yours would say "Uh oh, R/R trouble"? I'm sure if it ever drops below 12 that's bad news, but right now, even with a dead R/R, my battery still shows 12.7 or so -- for awhile. After experiencing dead-on-road twice recently, I'm looking for all the early warning I can get, so I can head for the barn the minute I see signs of trouble.

[damin69]

I have a volt Meter on every one of our Scooters. Very worth While to be able to monitor how the scooters are charging.

[ellpee]

Saw one that plugs into a cigarette lighter, shows volts plus green/yellow/red for "battery condition," whatever that means, and also a battery "icon" showing charge level. Anybody have any experience with that one? I'm thinking I could install a cigarette lighter type socket and use it for that and other purposes.

.walmart.com/ip/Equus-Innova-3721-Battery-and-Charging-System-Monitor/15137663" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.walmart.com/ip/Equus-Innova-3721-Battery-and-Charging-System-Monitor/15137663

Disregard all that, went out just now and bought a normal, analog voltmeter to install somewhere on my dash. Tempting to take out the so-called "music system," as it's a piece of junk anyway and who can hear it while riding?

I do have a question though for any electrical whiz. Voltmeter connection is simple enough, switched 12v and ground. But since my concern is whether the R/R is actually CHARGING the battery, if I hook one side of the voltmeter to the output of the R/R (or contact #87 on the relay) and the other to ground, will it give me what I want? To my simple brain it seems like when the R/R is working I should get a reading somewhere in the 13-14 volt range, and if the R/R dies like it recently did, I should get zero.

[cruiser]

The Walmart unit looks like the best of all worlds. Just remember to take it with you when you leave your scoot unattended.

I like the digital volt meter because it tells you at all times what is happening with the battery. A healthy charging system should show a reading of at least 13.0 volts to a max of about 14.0 volts with the engine running assuming the battery has a full charge to start with. Different electrical loads will affect the voltage reading. Just by looking at the meter while driving down the road, I can tell when my cooling fan is running and I can see if something is loading down the system too much or possibly the charging system is dying.

[bhinch]

My install with it showing battery voltage with just the key on and the HID's.

[ellpee]

OK, I'm gonna go with just the standard hookup then, black to ground and white to some ignition-switched 12v wire, both with "easy to get to next time" as my #1 criterion. After some consideration I'm putting it in that round area just below where you have yours; the other side, where the laughable Roketa "music system" is located, has more crud in the way, right side is easier to get at from underneath. Now just hoping the mailman brings my R/R today.

[Barnie]

Ellpee, I bought a 2" dia voltmeter at harbor frt for $7.00 included light kit with is. I just cut a round hole in my dash on right side and wired in under front fairing. easy to wire up, only 2 terminals a pos and neg. Just wire ground to good location and tap posi wire in to any hot wire that works with key in on position. Hook lite wire to any dash light wire. I have also installed a 2" hour meter on mine as well that I got from northern tool. it wires same way. I did put an inline fuse on both of them. Barnie

[Barnie]

Ellpee, as far as the factory radio system goes, I agree with u, not very good however I went to best buys and bought a sony Walkman and plugged the mp3 cord on scoot into where headphones go on Walkman and u would not believe the great sound, better than my trk radio. all u do is turn on Walkman,then scoot radio and then hit scoot mp3 button. adjust vol and stations then on Walkman. Barnie

[ellpee]

Got the meter matter all squared away, same as you, Barnie -- a few bucks at AutoZone, I think it was, ten minutes cutting a hole and running a wire, and I can now see the battery charging enroute, although over time it does drop. Comforting feeling in any case to know I'm not going to get ambushed by a dead battery somewhere out in the middle of the Sonoran desert.

I bought a little MP3 player too and use it the way you describe; it's a little cumbersome having to open and close the glove compartment to turn it on and off, though. Have considered mounting the player on the dash somewhere too, maybe just with velcro, and drilling another hole for the MP3 cord, but other things have taken priority up to now. So many projects, so little time ....

[jeepsteve92xj]

I have one like this installed inside the speedometer housing.
.ebay.com/itm/DC-0-100V-Digital-Voltmeter-Panel-Meter-LED-Blue-Car-Auto-Motor-Power-Monitor-/140968799441" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.ebay.com/itm/DC-0-100V-Digital-Voltmeter-Panel-Meter-LED-Blue-Car-Auto-Motor-Power-Monitor-/140968799441

you can see it here @ 1:11 for a moment.
s235.photobucket.com/user/jeepsteve92xj/media/scooter/XingyueExhaust/VIDEO0003_zps20eab68d.mp4.html

[ellpee]

I'm now 400 miles away from my Roketa for the summer, but still thinking about what I'm seeing with the new voltmeter. At start and for the first little while it's up around 13v, highest I've ever seen it was maybe 13.2 at 45-50 mph,, and after I've been scooting for a few miles it just hovers around 12 while underway, and drops below 12 at idle -- how far below depends on how long I've been scooting. Lowest so far has been near 11v after a run of ~50 miles/3 hours with several stops along the way. Has always started just fine so far. I do realize that the lights, gauges, and at some point the fan are all sucking juice, but I thought the R/R was supposed to deal with that and keep things at or above 12v. Not liking that gradual voltage drop -- now that I finally got my new R/R installed and functioning, I'd like to see it never below 12 when the engine is running, even at idle. Am I expecting too much?