Gauge suggestions

TrapperAH1G · 04-27-2018, 02:46 PM

Gonna be "trippin" some this summer (does that tell you how long I've been around?), couple of short rides and one of about 3K miles total. Thinking of adding oil, water and voltage gauges. Looking for info/opinions on yes or no to do at all.....and what's best on the oil...temp or pressure?

Also, brands, mounting, etc.

Thanks

recumbentbob · 04-27-2018, 03:39 PM

IMHO more trouble than it's worth.

DragonLady58 · 04-27-2018, 03:56 PM

Yes, I love gauges, because with gauges, you have a chance of seeing a major problem before they occur....
My voltage gauge has warned me when my stators were going out. In addition to my oil pressure light, my oil gauge, I have a pressure switch that should my oil pressure fall below 5-7psi, it kills my ignition system.....
Most oil press. safety switches connect to the elect. fuel pump. On carbed cars, a engine can still run for 5 minutes, where as on a EFI engine, shutoff is almost instant.
Oil pressure is always more important than oil temp, as far as critical stuff. Your engine will live a little while with overheated oil, but will live -0- time with no oil pressure! Modern oils resist heat buildup. If it were a GPEndurance Road Racer, running 24 hours at Le Mans, then I'd have to say yes....
My gauges have saved my ass more than once, especially the coolant temp, and voltage....

redjay · 04-27-2018, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by recumbentbob

IMHO more trouble than it's worth.

I agree. If it aint broke don't fix it.

DragonLady58 · 04-27-2018, 06:21 PM

Its your bike! If you want gauges, do it, theres a bunch of us that have. Yes, its work. does the bike absolutely need it, no....it don't, but I believe its best to know.
Theres alot that travel 3000+ miles every year on 01's, that don't have gauges.It your bike, make it your.............

hammer · 05-02-2018, 01:35 AM

I have a power pod on my handlebar. It's waterproof and I use it for charging devices and it will run my tire pump, heated gear or whatever.

When not doing that I have a plug-in voltage meter. That's what alerted me to a problem with my charging system. I noticed a drop from 14.2 to 13.4 volts.
Yup my inside stator is gone.

Y'all have to decide what is important to you. A $20 meter is pretty good advance notice.

TrapperAH1G · 05-02-2018, 02:20 AM

Hammer,

I installed a power pod but never heard of a voltage meter that plugs in. Could you give me details....source, brand, etc.? That would be an easy addition!

Thanks

hammer · 05-02-2018, 05:29 PM

This is the most recent one, http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mo...-0113007p.html That's about $16 US.

I have another similar one I got from a local RV center and I have seen them at Walmart, O'Reillys and Mopar. I also have an SAE plug with with a power connector on the end to my battery charging pigtail . I can plug the monitor into that and get a reading off the battery too when the bike is not running. Of course you can use alligator leads to the monitor too.

2UpRider · 05-21-2018, 08:43 PM

Battery tender makes a meter. Plugs into hard wire lead off battery. Real handy. Also a USB adaptor.

dhuttonkc · 05-22-2018, 09:47 AM

This plug-in meter works perfectly. I leave it plugged in on the Vulcan periodically when running just to see what is going on with charging system and battery. Goes in the windshield bag for roadside trouble shooting should it be needed.

Dead on accurate.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Plug-in...-/400804981731

$3.00 including shipping

TrapperAH1G · 05-22-2018, 05:24 PM

Thanks to all for your info and comments. I've ordered two meters, one for me and one for my son.

2UpRider · 05-22-2018, 11:26 PM

I prefere Battery tender meter plug. Better quality than Hong Kong one mentioned.

DragonLady58 · 05-23-2018, 01:08 PM

Yes, volts is important, but so is temp and oil pressure. I chose to retain my idiot lights, but I also have gauges. Call me stupid or just a old foogie, my dad taught me to watch my gauges when I learned to drive back in the 70's on my old pickup truck.
Even on my Harley, I had a full set of gauges....I had head temp and oil temp, oil pressure, and volts.
I even have the old chevy vega oil press. switch.....gets below a certain point, kills my ignition. And yes, I have a green led mounted and labeled ign.power, just in case it activates, I know what caused it....

04-27-2018, 02:46 PM	#1
TrapperAH1G Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: West Central Washington Posts: 194	Gauge suggestions Gonna be "trippin" some this summer (does that tell you how long I've been around?), couple of short rides and one of about 3K miles total. Thinking of adding oil, water and voltage gauges. Looking for info/opinions on yes or no to do at all.....and what's best on the oil...temp or pressure? Also, brands, mounting, etc. Thanks Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

04-27-2018, 03:39 PM	#2
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	IMHO more trouble than it's worth. __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
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04-27-2018, 03:56 PM	#3
DragonLady58 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Somewhere South of Alaska.... Posts: 2,351	Yes, I love gauges, because with gauges, you have a chance of seeing a major problem before they occur.... My voltage gauge has warned me when my stators were going out. In addition to my oil pressure light, my oil gauge, I have a pressure switch that should my oil pressure fall below 5-7psi, it kills my ignition system..... Most oil press. safety switches connect to the elect. fuel pump. On carbed cars, a engine can still run for 5 minutes, where as on a EFI engine, shutoff is almost instant. Oil pressure is always more important than oil temp, as far as critical stuff. Your engine will live a little while with overheated oil, but will live -0- time with no oil pressure! Modern oils resist heat buildup. If it were a GPEndurance Road Racer, running 24 hours at Le Mans, then I'd have to say yes.... My gauges have saved my ass more than once, especially the coolant temp, and voltage.... __________________ --------------------- Don't start no schit, there won't be no schit.... My Sarcasm is directly proportional to the amount of Stupidity involved --------------------- VBA#03239 VROC#37400 VRA --------------------- 2014 Vaquero 2001 Nomad FI 2003 Street Glide (sold) 1500 Meanie, fresh rebuild (sold) 90s BUBF Bobber (sold) 2001 UltraCycle FatPounder (Sold) 1975 HD ElectraGlide (Sold) 1982 Kawasaki Z1 Chopper (Sold) Suck It Up & Ride!
	0

04-27-2018, 06:21 PM	#5
DragonLady58 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Somewhere South of Alaska.... Posts: 2,351	Its your bike! If you want gauges, do it, theres a bunch of us that have. Yes, its work. does the bike absolutely need it, no....it don't, but I believe its best to know. Theres alot that travel 3000+ miles every year on 01's, that don't have gauges.It your bike, make it your............. __________________ --------------------- Don't start no schit, there won't be no schit.... My Sarcasm is directly proportional to the amount of Stupidity involved --------------------- VBA#03239 VROC#37400 VRA --------------------- 2014 Vaquero 2001 Nomad FI 2003 Street Glide (sold) 1500 Meanie, fresh rebuild (sold) 90s BUBF Bobber (sold) 2001 UltraCycle FatPounder (Sold) 1975 HD ElectraGlide (Sold) 1982 Kawasaki Z1 Chopper (Sold) Suck It Up & Ride! Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

05-02-2018, 01:35 AM	#6
hammer Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,329	I have a power pod on my handlebar. It's waterproof and I use it for charging devices and it will run my tire pump, heated gear or whatever. When not doing that I have a plug-in voltage meter. That's what alerted me to a problem with my charging system. I noticed a drop from 14.2 to 13.4 volts. Yup my inside stator is gone. Y'all have to decide what is important to you. A $20 meter is pretty good advance notice. __________________ Hammer aka CrocHammer KawaNow#00988, VROC#26389, VR#2202 Abbotsford, BC, Canada 2006 Black Nomad
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05-02-2018, 02:20 AM	#7
TrapperAH1G Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: West Central Washington Posts: 194	Hammer, I installed a power pod but never heard of a voltage meter that plugs in. Could you give me details....source, brand, etc.? That would be an easy addition! Thanks
	0

05-02-2018, 05:29 PM	#8
hammer Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,329	This is the most recent one, http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mo...-0113007p.html That's about $16 US. I have another similar one I got from a local RV center and I have seen them at Walmart, O'Reillys and Mopar. I also have an SAE plug with with a power connector on the end to my battery charging pigtail . I can plug the monitor into that and get a reading off the battery too when the bike is not running. Of course you can use alligator leads to the monitor too. __________________ Hammer aka CrocHammer KawaNow#00988, VROC#26389, VR#2202 Abbotsford, BC, Canada 2006 Black Nomad
	0

05-21-2018, 08:43 PM	#9
2UpRider Jr. Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Hill Country, Texas Posts: 24	Battery tender makes a meter. Plugs into hard wire lead off battery. Real handy. Also a USB adaptor.
	0

05-22-2018, 09:47 AM	#10
dhuttonkc Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 157	This plug-in meter works perfectly. I leave it plugged in on the Vulcan periodically when running just to see what is going on with charging system and battery. Goes in the windshield bag for roadside trouble shooting should it be needed. Dead on accurate. https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Plug-in...-/400804981731 $3.00 including shipping __________________ Don H Kansas City, MO area
	0

05-22-2018, 05:24 PM	#11
TrapperAH1G Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: West Central Washington Posts: 194	Thanks to all for your info and comments. I've ordered two meters, one for me and one for my son.
	0

05-22-2018, 11:26 PM	#12
2UpRider Jr. Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Hill Country, Texas Posts: 24	I prefere Battery tender meter plug. Better quality than Hong Kong one mentioned.
	0

05-23-2018, 01:08 PM	#13
DragonLady58 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Somewhere South of Alaska.... Posts: 2,351	Yes, volts is important, but so is temp and oil pressure. I chose to retain my idiot lights, but I also have gauges. Call me stupid or just a old foogie, my dad taught me to watch my gauges when I learned to drive back in the 70's on my old pickup truck. Even on my Harley, I had a full set of gauges....I had head temp and oil temp, oil pressure, and volts. I even have the old chevy vega oil press. switch.....gets below a certain point, kills my ignition. And yes, I have a green led mounted and labeled ign.power, just in case it activates, I know what caused it.... __________________ --------------------- Don't start no schit, there won't be no schit.... My Sarcasm is directly proportional to the amount of Stupidity involved --------------------- VBA#03239 VROC#37400 VRA --------------------- 2014 Vaquero 2001 Nomad FI 2003 Street Glide (sold) 1500 Meanie, fresh rebuild (sold) 90s BUBF Bobber (sold) 2001 UltraCycle FatPounder (Sold) 1975 HD ElectraGlide (Sold) 1982 Kawasaki Z1 Chopper (Sold) Suck It Up & Ride!
	0