I want to replace my anolog voltage meter with a LED meter that I can easily
read accurately at a glance.

I see them in the catalogs but don't notice any spec on the amount of
current they draw if I leave it on all or most of the time.

The way my power panel is set up (OEM), you have to push a momentary switch
to activate the anolog meter.. I never considered that this meter would draw
enough current to be of concern.

Presently, for accurate digital volt readings, I use my Fluke muli-meter but
if I leave that hooked up the 9 volt battery will run down.

Any thoughts??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

The meter itself doesn't usually draw much power, just a few mils. But
if it is an actual LED meter the the LEDs are generally pretty large and
do draw a fair amount. LCD meters are pretty low current and it is the
backlighting that draws most of the power. A better solution is an
energy monitor link the Link 10 or eMeter. It is made to draw little
power and the display goes blank to save power after a minute of so.
Also monitors currrent, amp-hours, etc. The one I have (Ample
Power ESP) hardly draws anything and I leave it on all the time.
Actually no way to turn it off. Goes into a low power mode
automatically.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I want to replace my anolog voltage meter with a LED meter that I can
easily
read accurately at a glance.

I see them in the catalogs but don't notice any spec on the amount of
current they draw if I leave it on all or most of the time.

The way my power panel is set up (OEM), you have to push a momentary
switch
to activate the anolog meter.. I never considered that this meter would
draw
enough current to be of concern.

Presently, for accurate digital volt readings, I use my Fluke muli-meter
but
if I leave that hooked up the 9 volt battery will run down.

Any thoughts??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Just buy a Guest battery switch with the voltmeter built in.
S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
"No shirt, no skirt, full service"

My own Fluke 77 (ca. 1985) and the later models I have in the lab turn themselves
off if left on. You have to turn them off and back on to bring them back to life.
They are great meters (if a bit big).

That analog meter consumes enough power to be a concern if the boat is shutdown
for an extended period of time.

--
Chuck Tribolet

http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/triblet

Silicon Valley: STILL the best day job in the world.


"Steve" wrote in message ...
I want to replace my anolog voltage meter with a LED meter that I can easily
read accurately at a glance.

I see them in the catalogs but don't notice any spec on the amount of
current they draw if I leave it on all or most of the time.

The way my power panel is set up (OEM), you have to push a momentary switch
to activate the anolog meter.. I never considered that this meter would draw
enough current to be of concern.

Presently, for accurate digital volt readings, I use my Fluke muli-meter but
if I leave that hooked up the 9 volt battery will run down.

Any thoughts??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

I have a Link 10 and think its a great meter. Real handy for determining
how many amps your battery charger or alternator are putting out not to
mention current draw and voltage measurement.
I have heard they are on sale at Steveston Marine for $279 Cdn.
You might want to call them Phone (604) 733-7031
'Course you have to buy the hookup cable which is a bit pricey.........

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I want to replace my anolog voltage meter with a LED meter that I can
easily
read accurately at a glance.

I see them in the catalogs but don't notice any spec on the amount of
current they draw if I leave it on all or most of the time.

The way my power panel is set up (OEM), you have to push a momentary
switch
to activate the anolog meter.. I never considered that this meter would
draw
enough current to be of concern.

Presently, for accurate digital volt readings, I use my Fluke muli-meter
but
if I leave that hooked up the 9 volt battery will run down.

Any thoughts??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve, have a look at the RS site, http://rswww.com and do a search on
2212845.

This is a 3.5 digit LED voltage meter and claims 3mA rms, there is more info
on the site.

I am thinking of getting these myself and I suppose could always be linked
to the battery via a relay switched through the ignition circuit to prevent
battery drain when the motor is not running.

Cheers, Brian

On Wed, 05 May 2004 17:23:20 GMT, "Gordon Wedman"
wrote:

I have a Link 10 and think its a great meter. Real handy for determining
how many amps your battery charger or alternator are putting out not to
mention current draw and voltage measurement.
I have heard they are on sale at Steveston Marine for $279 Cdn.
You might want to call them Phone (604) 733-7031
'Course you have to buy the hookup cable which is a bit pricey.........

Nonsense - all you need is some generic four pair #22 or 24 cable -
actually, three pair, or three separate twisted pair cables, will do,
if you don't need the optional temperature sensor. I used some scrap
cable I found at work (but I do realise some people won't have access
to piles of scrap cable :-) )

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

Shhh....geez, if anyone finds out I told you this the Marine Dealer Gestapo
is gonna have me shot!

Drop by any Autozone store and go to the battery charger/cables display by
the battery rack. There, you'll find this neat little LCD DVM with some
status LEDs that swivel off the end of a cigarette lighter plug you can
plug in anywhere. The LCD even has a light for night viewing. Reads out
to 1/10th of a volt, which is kinda overkill but sells well. It's about
$10 and requires no mounting other than a 12v Cig jack to plug it into.
There's one running 24/7 in the stepvan on my desk to show the house
battery conditions. It was reading 13.2V when I locked up, tonight....

But, PLEASE, don't tell Boat/US I ruined that $96 sale, ok? How can
anybody sleep at night screwing a fellow boater out of a hundred dollars
for some cheapassed Chinese voltmeter in a plastic case?

Larry
Any auto parts store should have them. I got one in every vehicle.

"Steve" wrote in
:

I want to replace my anolog voltage meter with a LED meter that I can
easily read accurately at a glance.

I see them in the catalogs but don't notice any spec on the amount of
current they draw if I leave it on all or most of the time.

The way my power panel is set up (OEM), you have to push a momentary
switch to activate the anolog meter.. I never considered that this
meter would draw enough current to be of concern.

Presently, for accurate digital volt readings, I use my Fluke
muli-meter but if I leave that hooked up the 9 volt battery will run
down.

Any thoughts??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

"Peter Bennett" wrote in message

(but I do realise some people won't have access
to piles of scrap cable :-) )

And some of us don't like to fill our boats up with scrap.

news.com...
On Wed, 05 May 2004 17:23:20 GMT, "Gordon Wedman"
wrote:

I have a Link 10 and think its a great meter. Real handy for determining
how many amps your battery charger or alternator are putting out not to
mention current draw and voltage measurement.
I have heard they are on sale at Steveston Marine for $279 Cdn.
You might want to call them Phone (604) 733-7031
'Course you have to buy the hookup cable which is a bit pricey.........

Nonsense - all you need is some generic four pair #22 or 24 cable -
actually, three pair, or three separate twisted pair cables, will do,
if you don't need the optional temperature sensor. I used some scrap
cable I found at work (but I do realise some people won't have access
to piles of scrap cable :-) )

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

On Thu, 06 May 2004 21:01:03 GMT, "Gordon Wedman"
wrote:


"Peter Bennett" wrote in message

(but I do realise some people won't have access
to piles of scrap cable :-) )

And some of us don't like to fill our boats up with scrap.


I believe the "scrap" in question was new, unused, cable left over
from a job (I have access to similar "scrap" stainless steel too - now
if I could only convince the physicists that teak would make wonderful
experimental chambers....)



--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca