2 gages voltage? can i ?

[ramjet gmc]

i want to have 2 volt gages on my truck i to get the battery voltage and 1 to get the voltage at the alternator


how can i do this with out getting the same reading from the same circit

as a sample with the truck off key on 1 should read 0v and the other 12v

can i do this ?

 

[BoondocK5]

I think when the Alternator is working, it would read the same at both gauges, as it almost continually charges the battery, even just a little. You would have to find a way to reset one of the gauges "zero point" to 12 volts and call that zero.

 

[ryoken]

mine are relay triggered off my marine switch... they work independent of each other unless your in the "all" position...

 

[greg mgm]

Since the battery is connected to the alt post, you'd have to run a relay to connect/ diconnect the alt and battery. The batt would go to 1 side of the relay, the alt to the 2nd post, and the ign switch to the small relay post which would connect them when the key is on. One gauge would connect to the alt side of the relay, the second gauge would go to the battery. When the vehicle isn't running, you'd get 0 volts on 1 and 12 or so volts on the other, and 14 or so on both gauges while running. The only drawback is the relay would heve to be a MUTHA...able to handle 100 amps or more.

 

[ramjet gmc]

wow this is good stuff

i will give you a one hole $1.00 if we can get some kind of parts list of stuff



and i just orderd the 2 gages from jeds -- phathom 2 5/8 in white face

 

[bailey9r]

why not have a voltometer and an amps guage? a volt guage is a really a battery condition guage anyway and a amp guage shows what the alt is putting out and they would not interfer with each other either.
Bailey

 

[k20]

with an ammeter you have to run a full battery cable into the cab. I dont think I would want to run my 00 gauge batt cables up behind my already crowded dash.

 

[Pookster]

You can get a digital ammeter, so you dont have to run the cables into the cab.

Voltage is useful for a quick "look" but really you want to know amps draw.

 

[Pookster]

Dont get this one unless you want to run the big wires. This is like 12 bucks. I cant find the ones that are more advanced that dont require you to run the wires, but I know they are out there.

 

[k20]

Other thing with the gauge pictured is you cant run an alternator bigger than 60 amps. In my case, my 140 would fry that thing, and most ammeters I have ever paid attention to only go to 60amps.

 

[gmc4cw]

dumb question time.

whats the advantage of having two gauges?

 

[noJeepshere]

dumb question time.

whats the advantage of having two gauges?

My thoughts exactly. A voltmeter and an ammeter I understand, but two voltmeters don't make sense to me.

 

[ryoken]

mine tells the condition of each battery... f*ck ammeters, there's a reason they are no longer used...