JD's Winter Projects: Battery Voltage Monitor

[WannaTriple]

Next up on this installment is the Battery Voltage Monitor that I bought from Signal Dynamics.

I really like this little unit. It works great, is simple, easy to install and is very nice to have for peace of mind's sake. The "brain" is accurate to within 200 milivolts so the package says, and the LED indicator is small, but very bright. And dims after 6 or 7 seconds if the condition goes green. If it's anything other than green, it stays bright so you'll notice it.

One disclaimer. The information on the packaging that I received was incorrect. I installed it, and then tested it (Double dumbass on me!) and thought based on the table listed on the product guide, that the voltage reading was off by 2 volts. So this morning I called them about sending the unit back to them and getting a replacement. The customer service was excellent. But as I was discussing things with them, I was reading their website for the unit and noticed that the table on the website was different than the table on the product guide. It seems that table on the website is the latest model, and they've changed all their monitors to this table, but the literature that came with my unit was the old stuff. Too bad that I had already cut the wires and removed the unit from the bike! DOH! But I was able to splice the wires and had just enough to get it re-wired back in.

Anyways, just beware if you buy this product, verify you have the right information to correspond to the LED colors. The correct table is as follows:

Flashing Green: Above 15.25 vdc (over charging condition)
Steady Green: Above 12.9 vdc (less than 15.25 obviously)
Steady Amber: Above 12.6, Below 12.9
Steady Red: Above 12.1 below 12.6
Flashing Read: Below 12.1 (charge me cuz I aint gonna do shit!)

So you may be wondering... Why do I need this on my bike?? Well it's convenient snap shot of your battery's condition. But while the bike is running, it's telling you how your charging system is running also.

I have read in my internet travels in regards to Voltage monitors that there were guys that noticed there status change while riding and realize very quickly that there stator was dying on double time! The only indication you would get of this without a monitor is your bike shutting down on you because you had been running on battery alone for as long as the battery would take you. If you pulled over for gas, the bike wouldnt start, but either way, you're stranded.

So if you're riding and you see the light go from green to amber, then amber to red, to flashing red.. you know to get the bike home and STAT... or pull over and call AAA!

Here's some pics of my install. I mounted it with Crazy Nasty double sided 3M VHB tape... That ****er isnt going ANYWHERE! Where you goin?! ****in NO WHERE!

The electrical tape is just for cable management, they gave me way more wire than I needed for the LED.



Here's a shot of the LED, everything is completely concealed with the bikini fairing, which also provides a nice shroud to help see the LED. Sorry I forgot take a pic of it in action, I'll snap one tomorrow.




This is a pic of the little harness (just power and ground) that I routed with the other harnesses under the hold down bracket and into the bike just passed the neck where the other harnesses run in. I have the ground tied into the headlight ground wires that I had already installed from my headlight wiring upgrade. And the power wire will be attached to the hot side of the headlight relay (since I'll be running the new wires there anyway, might as well crimp the power wire to the voltage monitor in there with it) once I get the new relay terminals that I ordered to finish up my headlight wiring upgrade.

[Chewie.]

Now you're just showing off JD

[WannaTriple]

Hey hey! Im just showing you guys the work I did so if you like it, it's that much easier for you to do it later! And ridicule is all I get in return! DAMN YOU Legman! Damn you Speed Triple forums!







































yeah, Im showing off a little, so what?!

[AdvCole]

Great upgrade!

I've always wanted to install something like this:
http://www.digitalmeter.com/cgi-bin/...nfig=ent-datel

It gives an actual number. But it's a difficult unit to hide on a bike without fairings.

Be sure to let us know how she works long term!



When are you gonna install a fused junction box to power all of these accessories?

[WannaTriple]

Those are nice too! I went with the LED because it was the smallest. But you could totally fit that on the speed triple as long as you put the fly screen on your bike (which I notice you dont have though).

I actually debated a long time about the fused junction box. And bought the stuff to do it. But in the end decided I didnt need it. I used an inline fuse for the regulator, but I didnt need to do that, because factory wiring doesnt have a fuse between the regulator and the battery.

For the Voltage monitor, it's such a minor pull on the bike, I decided that hooking it up to a fused circuit on the bike was good enough for me.

Painless has a 4 fuse panel that's somewhat similar style to the factory (the wires go up through the bottom, cheap ones have plug in terminals on the sides). It comes with the relay terminals so you can wire it up yourself. Painless also has a relay plug with terminals that you can wire up. I was really close to installing the auxiliary fuse block and relay to run all this stuff. And it really wouldnt have been that much extra work. But like I said, in the end, I just didnt feel that my mods needed that much extra equipment. And I wanted to be able to fit a pair of gloves in the trunk if I need to! With that extra stuff, I'd be luck to fit to pieces of gum!

But Adv, if you decide to put a fly screen on your speedy, you could definitely find room on your dash trim piece for the digital battery meter.