Digital voltmeter

[SvenglishTommy]

I'm trying to find a digital volt meter for permenant installation, but I cant find one anywhere.

I bought one of these...

but it is useless. It reads just in the green when the battery is at 13.5 volts, I would say that is a very very full battery. There must be a similar device that is gives a digital reading, but all I cand find is rediculously expensive battery monitors that measure amps via shunts as well, which I dont really need.

It's easy to buy a hand held volt/amp/ohm meter for about £10, I would have thought you could get a built in volt meter for a similar price.

Anyone got any ideas where I could get one?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[jonathankent]

You are correct. There are digital voltmeters in use - Bavaria have them built in their yachts anyway. As for where you can buy one or how much, sorry I can't help. Good luck in your search!

 

[michael_w]

Try Blue Sea electrics, you can buy their stuff from West Marine. Alas, is not cheap, you pays your money and you takes your choice.

Fitted one of their digital ammeters on my last boat. Brilliant bit of kit. Fitting another will be the first item on the next boat's job list. Though this time it will be a combined voltmeter/ammeter.

 

[Vara]

Try HERE

Part no 130230-62 in search,sorry couldn't post direct link.

 

[pete]

Hi SvenglishTommy

Had one of these in my boat for the last 3 years, best thing since sliced bread and not to expensive.

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=939948&N=401

Pete

 

[Aeolus_IV]

I have the round one of these Cruz Pro V30, which is now surplus to requirements. Three banks can be connected, low voltage alarm or/and (can't remember which), NMEA output of voltage.

I found it very good - Its only surplus because I am installing "bells and whistles" volts, amps and amp/hours monitor box. No point in having two built in voltmeters.

Regards, Jeff.

 

[damo]

There is a voltage reading on my fishfinder - I appreciate that it may not be the actual battery voltage but with a bit of experience it tells me if I have a full charge, and the low-volts alarm feature tells me when to start the engine

 

[roger]

For a really cheap job buy a digital multimeter at about 5 quid, set it permanently to the required range and add a push button switch to the internal battery to turn it on when you need it.
I looked up DVMs recently and found that some of them need a separate independent power supply - they wouldnt work measuring the voltage that powered them. That can be a pain to organise hence my cheap and inelegant suggestion.

 

[William_H]

yes I concur with Roger some of the older DVM chips required an isolated power supply ie battery with separate earth from that you are measuring so if you aree buying a DVM module make sure it will work with common earth -ve to the power supply. You can get them in LED style or LCD. The LED are bright but use much more current than LCD which can stay on all the time without much battery drain. Try any electronics chain. good ;uck olewill

 

[Jean]

Have you considered “calibrating” the one that you have? Has it perhaps got an “offset/zero” adjustment on the meter to assist? Worth applying a few different voltages to see where pointer settles for each, and you may then find it is at least as useful as a cheap digital meter.
Just another thought (a long shot perhaps), have you got the polarity the right way round (as you say “just in the green”, but don’t mention from what side the pointer deflects)?

 

[eebygum]

Jeff,
Sent you a PM if your interested in getting rid of the surplus voltmeter.

Cheers

 

[oilyrag]

Not quite what you are looking for perhaps, but I am thinking about one of these new gizmos from Nasa :
http://www.seamarknunn.co.uk/catalog/items/item16310.htm

 

[Guest]

Idea .... Take a £10 pound multi-meter and with thin ply etc. build a small panel to fit .... allowing screen and switch to be accessed ..... leads could be permamently wired with push to make contacts for each battery etc. Or even leave it on volts setting and use the push to make switches ?

Just a thought !

 

[muckypup]

What does the "100A Shunt" do in installations like these?

Steve

 

[SvenglishTommy]

Thanks for the links,

The one from Farnell looks like exactly what I'm after. I know I could use a normal handheld multimeter, but I'd really like something designed to be permenantly attached. I dont want to spend the money on the Cuz Pro or the Nasa one, my needs are very simple, and the budget for my electrical overhaul has been doubled and doubled again already.

Steve, the shunts are for measuring amps, which requires the measurement to be taken in the actual wire the current is running through. To avoid having to bring heavy wires up to the measuring instrument, the reading is taken with the shunt, and then passed back up to the meter.

 

[nash1]

I got a digital volt meter for my boat off e bay.It is a auto gauge led digital volt meter.

 

[sparkie]

Hi Pete, this Farnell voltmeter seems to be just what I'm looking for too, really compact. Is it the type that doesn't need an independent power supply?

Cheers

Safe sailing

Sparkie

 

[oldharry]

At risk of being shouted down, go to your local car shop and buy an LED 'alternator and battery checker. For around a tenner does everything the voltmeter doesnt do. Best ones from Maplins with 6 LEDs, but others have 4 or 5, and give an instant check on the current state of affairs in your electrics.

Better still non techno members of your crew can give advance warning when you are doingsomething else: i.e. "if the LED shows anything other than green, give me a shout!"

But many members of this forum seem to think they are too simple to be useful on a boat .... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[philip_stevens]

Sparkie,
the data given in the data sheet http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/6114.pdf indicates that it is self powered with only two connections.

I'm going to buy one as well.

 

[sparkie]

Many thanks for the info Phillip, and Old Harry I'll certainly look into our local Maplins branch as well. Idiot proof sounds ok for the skipper too..........................!

Safe sailing

Sparkie