Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 18:37:41 -0700
Reply-To: Rocket J Squirrel <j.michael.elliott@ADELPHIA.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rocket J Squirrel <j.michael.elliott@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: Re: Monitoring aux battery charging?
In-Reply-To: <6.0.3.0.0.20041010200703.0375d210@buncombe.main.nc.us>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
The Radio Shack indoor/outdoor thermometer, digital clock, battery
monitor gadget takes a couple of AAA batteries. This lets the clock keep
time and permits operation of the thermometer. There is also a green
backlighting for the display that comes on when you push a button.
However, if you connect the DC-in connector to your cigar lighter with
the included cord (or wire it to your batteries) the internal lamp comes
on and stays on as long as external power is applied.
As for auto-ranging digital ammeter solutions . . . my personal
experience is that of the dozen or so DVMs that I own or have owned,
from Flukes to Radio Shacks, not one has a functioning ammeter section.
I've fried them one way or the other. Nossir -- a rugged
electromechanical ammeter is what I want here. I'm not real interested
in watching milliamps, I reckon I can keep an eye on battery voltage
(Optima says do not let their Yellow Top drop below 10.5V). Then run the
engine; the voltage regulator on the alternator keeps the voltage at a
fixed level, quite a bit higher than the battery level, so current flows
into the battery initially at several amps. As the battery charges up
this current decreases.
Re-winding this Pep Boys ammeter may be beyond my skill level but no
reason not to open it up to see.
--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westphalia: "Mellow Yellow (The Electrical Banana)"
KG6RCR
Edward Maglott wrote:
> Keep us posted on the ammeter solution.
>
> I want one of those in/out temp/voltmeter things too. And I was going to
> do the same thing with the toggle switch. I was planning to put it over
> the driver's door so I could see both while driving and camping. Are you
> saying the internal light is on all the time when it is measuring
> voltage?
>
> Edward
>
> At 07:49 PM 10/10/2004, you wrote:
>
>> I did mount a voltmeter next to the water level/ battery monitor panel,
>> using one of those Radio Shack indoor/outdoor thermometers with built-in
>> battery voltmeter-monitors and digital clock. A SPDT toggle switch
>> lets me
>> switch the input of the voltmeter between the aux and engine battery. I
>> used a center-off on-off-on switch so that I could set it to center
>> position to monitor neither battery. Doing so causes the readout display
>> light to shut off at night. I mounted the "outdoor" thermal sensor in
>> the
>> refrigerator. Now I have means to monitor the voltage of the two
>> batteries, the cabin temp, the reefer temp, and the time o' day.
>>
>> --
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>> 84 Westphalia: "Mellow Yellow (The Electrical Banana)"
>> KG6RCR
>
>
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