voltage meter again - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

jag7720 · 01-10-2009, 16:16

I have been searching and reading the forum and the manuals and I can't find anything definitive on making the volt meter work in a 12 v system.

I found a thread with pictures that shows a 300 ohm resistor but my meter doesn't look like the one in the pic.

Voltmeter is not working (at all - never moves)

I have an 85 M1009 and the volt meter has two poles on the back. One has an orange wire connected and one has a black wire connected.

If I look the picture in that thread and take it literally I would assume I'd just connect the wires up normally and then put that resistor on from one pole to the other... but that is a total guess.

I have a 12v system using the right side alt. (if that matters)

Is there are write up somewhere that I missed?

Would someone help me get this meter going?

Thanks

jag7720 · 01-10-2009, 16:43

I put a meter on the back of the volt meter and I am getting just under 12v at idle.

m4A1 · 01-10-2009, 17:09

What I did when I converted my first CUCv to 12v was to connect the power wire to the other end of the resister and it read fine for 12V. The resistor is to drop the voltage down from 24 to 12 but my 12V was using both Alts making a dual 12v system with one for starting and the other isolated from the first for accessaries and winching. This way I can winch all day until the batts die and still start.

jag7720 · 01-10-2009, 17:55

Ok, I am going to try the resistor thing and like kentuckycucv I could only get 150 ohm resistors.

So, what is the point of connecting the resistor from the pos to the neg on the volt meter rather than in line on the pos side?

m4A1 · 01-10-2009, 19:06

If you are 12V you don't need the resistor.

jag7720 · 01-10-2009, 22:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4A1

If you are 12V you don't need the resistor.

Well then I guess I don't get it. Isn't is a 24v meter?

Anyway that was a complete waste of time. I did the resistor thing jumped from pos to neg and tried it in-line.... When it was in-line I tapped on the side of the meter (gently)... maybe to free it from sitting in one position for a long time... the needle jumped to the left and snapped off and a spring fell out of the hole in the back of the meter where the light goes...

So $14.99 later I have a new after market volt meter in the same hole reading the volts correclty.

eh...

m4A1 · 01-10-2009, 23:13

Sorry to here it broke. It is actually a 12V meter and the resistor is used to step down the voltage from 24V to 12V so to use it in a 12V system just bypass the resistor. Not that it does you any good now.

jag7720 · 01-10-2009, 23:15

Where is that resistor cause my after market one is working and I didn't remove anything.

IRWFO · 01-10-2009, 23:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4A1

my 12V was using both Alts making a dual 12v system with one for starting and the other isolated from the first for accessaries and winching. This way I can winch all day until the batts die and still start.

That is a great idea.

m4A1 · 01-11-2009, 01:06

The hardest part of running a dual system was mounting the third batt for the winch.