Fitted volt meter on VTR (Pic's)
Fitted volt meter on VTR (Pic's)
I thought I would fit a volt meter to my Firestorm, so I could keep an eye on the charging system, see below
Volt meter with ignition off
Volt meter with ignition on
Volt meter with engine running (showing its charging)
Volt meter with ignition off
Volt meter with ignition on
Volt meter with engine running (showing its charging)
- tony.wilde1
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Cheers guys for your response, I'm pleased you like it
The meter is actually a second hand item from a Audi or VW car which I got for just £6.20 the hardest part was working out where to mount it, and making the mounting bracket from scratch, I had been looking at the LED type but at nearly £30 was more than I wanted to pay and seeing as all the other dials (speedo, rev counter and temp meter) are not the LED type, I felt this was the way to go.
Thats only a little bicycle computer (a cheaper version of the Sigma) it will record speeds and different things, but I have it purely for the time function only, well spotted Pete
That was the main reason I wanted one, I know replacing the rectifier with a R1 unit is probably the answer, (as in Beast's sticky) but I already had another spare Firestorm rectifier, purchased from ebay a while back and I haven't long replaced the battery, so although I can carry the spare one with me I still needed to know when the old one breaks down, before it fries my new battery, (as unfortunately in your case) so I thought fitting a volt meter would be a good idea. Plus the fact I do like gadgets.xxxrated wrote:that pretty cool i must say. make for a good early warning system on the rectifier front aswell. how much was it and where from??
The meter is actually a second hand item from a Audi or VW car which I got for just £6.20 the hardest part was working out where to mount it, and making the mounting bracket from scratch, I had been looking at the LED type but at nearly £30 was more than I wanted to pay and seeing as all the other dials (speedo, rev counter and temp meter) are not the LED type, I felt this was the way to go.
Pete.L wrote:What's the little do-hicky with the blue and yellow bottons?
Thats only a little bicycle computer (a cheaper version of the Sigma) it will record speeds and different things, but I have it purely for the time function only, well spotted Pete
Last edited by sirch345 on Mon May 08, 2006 8:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Squiffythewombat
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yes, details thanx. Nice job.Squiffythewombat wrote:That looks coooooooooooooooooooooooooool dude! I want one!!!!
And its cheap which is even better! (provided i can do the electronics)!
Could you possibly detail how you fitted it if thats not too hard???
Craig from the land of the long white cloud. Teal VTR 2001.
Cheers Squiffy.Squiffythewombat wrote:That looks coooooooooooooooooooooooooool dude! I want one!!!!
And its cheap which is even better! (provided i can do the electronics)!
Could you possibly detail how you fitted it if thats not too hard???
It's up to you where you fit it if you decide to fit one yourself, but after a lot of head scratching I decided it would fit the best where I have it. Note it doesn't fit flush (not enough room) with the other clocks, it sits just above them but imo I think looks OK.
Once you have your volt meter the next thing I did (once decided on the mounting position) was to fabricate a mounting bracket, I cut it out of an old wall tie I had lying around, (approx size width 20mm X thickness 2mm) any mild steel would do, see pic:-
You should end up with a bracket which is more or less L shaped. Once I had the bracket as I needed it to be with the two holes drilled in it to suite the volt meter, I then fixed it to the sub-frame arm (which carries the fairing) with a hose clip, to do that you will need to remove the mirrors and screen. I took my power supply (+) from the front brake light switch (the terminal nearest the front of the bike which is only live when the ignition is on, so that's ideal) which allowed me to solder a wire onto the connector. I also fitted a 1amp in-line fuse just to be on the safe side. The earth (-) wire, again I used the steel sub-frame, I actually used one of the speedo consol mounting bolts after soldering a suitable size eyelet onto the end of the earth (-) wire.
If you wish to know anymore just ask
- Squiffythewombat
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NICE ONE!!!!
Thanks, that all looks pretty straight forward, the only part that would pose a problem is fabricating the new bracket but i think, like you say, finding an old wall bracket or something might work perfectly!...im going to check every local bootfair for a cool looking dial now!
Now all ive got to do is get the bike running, lol!
Toby
Thanks, that all looks pretty straight forward, the only part that would pose a problem is fabricating the new bracket but i think, like you say, finding an old wall bracket or something might work perfectly!...im going to check every local bootfair for a cool looking dial now!
Now all ive got to do is get the bike running, lol!
Toby
Squiffy_The_Wombat
Eagles may soar but wombats dont get sucked into jet engines!!
Eagles may soar but wombats dont get sucked into jet engines!!
Cheers Beast, as I said before your R1 rectifier conversion is probably the better solution, but as I already had a spare rectifier which I now carry with me (on the bike that is) I thought the volt meter a good idea Didn't you mention something about building a LED volt meter a while backBeast wrote:Well done Sirch, great mod and beat me too it. ;)
- Squiffythewombat
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