Knackered volt meter

[silverseal]

My 32 year old Watermota has a volt meter fitted to the system and it has just given up. Anybody any idea where to get either a moving coil voltmeter, or possibly a digital one now that we are in the 21st century?

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[TrueBlue]

Try ASAP - might even be able to match the hole

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Stop what you're doing and wait my signal

 

[brianrunyard]

Halfords?

<hr width=100% size=1>Brian
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/brunyard

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

you might still be able to get an avo 8 from MOD surplus!

They took all our away, now we have to read some LCD display, waste of time if you're fault finding and just looking for a needle swing in the corner of your eye.

They took our analogue vector analysers too, that really was a disgrace!

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>

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[TrueBlue]

C'mon guys - if I read his post right all that's wanted is a battery charge indicator, not a high precision AmpsVolts&Ohms meter; anyway that beautiful need will swing aroung a lot when at sea.

Lovely bit of British precision engineering, but has seen its day - that's why the radio hams jumble sales are full of them.

Anybody want a R1155 or T1154.....

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Stop what you're doing and wait my signal

 

[FullCircle]

Radio Spares or Maplin Electronics - Other than that any Motor Spares shop....


Jim

<hr width=100% size=1>Our engine will never wear out - it only runs for 5 mins before packing it in again.

 

[Anthony]

Maplins sells digital multimeters for 4.99, they often have them buy one get one free, £2.50 for a digital multimeter, if only they sold more boat stuff!!

Easy to wire one into the system, and then also have a spare for testing. They have other digital voltmeters to.

Anthony



<hr width=100% size=1>The difference between men and boys, is just the price of their toys...

 

[Spuddy]

educational suppliers still have needle voltmeters because physics depts in schools use them.
I just use the Rapid electronics mail order service now - usually cheaper than RS or Maplin, although Rapid can't match that digital multimeter offer of maplins.
Anyway, there's 0 - 15V meters at £5.80 from rapid , plus packing; for bench mounting so make your own teak or brass surround.
regards, spuddy.

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[William_H]

Hello Spuddy reminds me of a trick we used to do by fitting a 9 volt zener diode in series with the meter and setting the meter up for 0to5 volts it becomes an expanded scale 9 to 14 volt meter which is very usefull. ( or 2x9volt zeners in series on a 10 volt meter to become a 18 to 28 volt meter.) You have to open the meter up and pen in the new numbers however. regards will

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[oldharry]

Most Chandleries carrying electronic gear also supply old style analog volt meters which may fit - but at a price! They have largely disappeared from the Car shops, and you might do better at a Caravan shop. (Good source for many other domestic fittings - caravanners are more canny about being ripped off than we yotties!)

Read the post guys - the feller wants a panel mounted car type voltmeter - not an Avo, or Digital wotsit - because it needs to fit in the hole on his dash.

A volt meter on the dash is a pretty fair waste of time, other than confirming that alternator is working. Voltage readings vary with the load imposed by other electrical gadgets, and only give a 'true' reading of the battery state when the battery has been disconnected and has stood for at least 10 minutes.

But the guy has a hole in his instrument panel which needs something put in it....!

...anf no wisecracks!

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[AIDY]

Would agree about rapid, great quick service. I bought one last week from them. Only 14squid. which also had a audible continuity tester on it, which I wanted. hence not buying a cheaper one.

I bought the 318

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk/rkmain.asp?PAGEID=80010&CTL_CAT_CODE=30481&STK_PROD_CODE=M31050&XPAGENO=1> rapid here </A>

<hr width=100% size=1>/forums/images/icons/wink.gif <font color=blue> Regards Andy </font color=blue>

 

[silverseal]

Thanks for all your advice. By chance I bought a digital multimeter from Maplin in May, for £4.95, lragely for it continuity tester... now pressed into service to check the battery (x3) states. It looks like a caravan shop, boat jumble, auto jumble or may be a crow bar to get one from the boy racers on Lee on Solent seafront.

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[Bodach na mara]

I second Antony's idea about the Maplin digital voltmeters and providing terminals to plug one in. My own voltmeter has never worked as long as I have had the boat. Funny thing is it only goes up to 15 volts. A bit useless for a 24 volt system!

<hr width=100% size=1>Ken Johnson