wiring a voltmeter

[easyrider]

Hi i want to install a voltmeter but not sure where to wire it to. Ive been on google but just got more confused with some of the info on there. I thought it would just be connected directly onto the battery terminals but there was so much conflicting suggestions and technical jargon that it lost me. So i thought i would ask all you knowledgble fok on here if you could help me by telling me, in laymans terms, how this should be done. Many thanks in advance

[LondonRascal]

Does this help?

 

[dnks34]

Presuming 12v If its just a volt meter there should only be two connections positive and neutral (except an extra positive for the gauge back light if it has one which would just be a switched live or ignition live feed, the back lights usually take the neutral from the main neutral to the gauge) you could wire it back to the battery but it may be a bit of a faff and you could really just connect the gauge into your 12v circuit wherever is easiest and closest to where you a putting the gauge, make sure your connections are good tho!

[Mowjo]

This may help,,,,http://faria-instruments.com/site_manuals/IS0004f.pdf

 

Frank,,,,,

[Viking23]

The importance of a voltmeter, is to monitor what the battery terminal voltage is, so you can see when it is being discharged, charged, or it's resting voltage.

The best place for it, is across the battery terminals, but a voltmeter will take very little current from the battery, but over a few months can help to discharge it.

The best place is after any battery isolators, but it might be more convienient to wire it after any ignition switch.

I have two leisure batteries, and I have a digital voltmeter and also a digital ammeter on both, so whilst cruising I can see what each battery is doing, I can see if there is a net discharge, and also the resting voltage, even if one is off line.

We have an electric start outboard, and even the start current goes through the shunt for the ammeter, often 100 amps. As our outboard rarely gives out 10 amps, it is important to make the most of what little we have. We also have a battery charger for each, and solar panels, so we can also monitor that too.

Fitting a digital ammeter is more complex than a simple two wire voltmeter, as circulating currents in the return of the battery can greatly affect the display.

The digital ammeter also requires a totally isolated 12 volt supply for each meter, but since this thread is about volt meters, I won't go into detail.