Has anybody else just ditched their "normal" round gauges for digital ones because wiring is too difficult? I can't get my voltmeter to work (I think it's toast); it either goes to 16 volts, stays at 0, or blows fuses. I am now going to have a big hole in my dash or a non-functioning gauge which would not look good come inspection time: "so what else doesn't work on this car?"

How much easier is wiring a digidash? I really don't care about cost right now. I want a car!!

Volt meters are (almost) impossible to damage electrically, so the chances are it is working OK
If the voltmeter goes to 16 volts then the first thing to do is check the charging voltage with another voltmeter ---- sounds like the alternator is overcharging.

Exact charging voltages varies depending on alternator and battery load but over 14.9 volts generally indicates over charging.

[Edited on 3/7/09 by britishtrident]

One other possibility which is a very common fault is you may need a small unit called a voltage regulator - I am not well 'up' on this but I'm sure there will be someone on here who will give you a clearer answer soon.

HTH Steve.

A number of guages (fuel, temp, pressure) need a 10v feed. This used to be done with a bimetalic switch thing, but you can get electronic ones for small money. eBay is your friend

This is a bimetalic one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LANDROVER-SERIES-2-2A-3-VOLTAGE-REGULATOR-FOR-GAUGES_W0QQitemZ270419707278QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?h ash=item3ef645458e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1683|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

I assume that your voltmeter has got 3 wires coming from it? Normally, these will be positive, negative, and illumination. How have you got it wired up?

I've got the Koso digital gauges in my Mojo (click) and these were fairly simple to connect and give all the required functions in 2 52mm dials. You can get them from digital-speedos.co.uk and they're the 'Digi dark' series.

Click 45x80[ekm].jpg]here for a data sheet.

What make/model is your voltmeter?

Ed.

RK. Where in BC/QC are you. I didn't have any trouble getting my voltage gauge to work.

It's one of those Aurora gauges from the Hoffman Group in Oregon, US.

There is the light circuit, separate from the rest, and a tab for sender, tab for (+), and a tab for earth. No combination gets voltage to 6, 12 or normal expected range. I've tested it with C batteries in series to get 6 volts. Nothing but the above reactions from the gauge.

Normal automotive battery voltage isn't 12 volt, a fully charged battery in modern car would be expected to show just below 13 volts if the battery is overcharged it could quite easily be over 15 volts. --- these voltages vary with temperature.

Check your battery voltage with engine both off and on with a DMM

Summers on Vanc Isle, winters near Ottawa. Guess which one is better? Hint: it's not the one beginning with O.

This problem has nothing to do with car battery voltage. It is a gauge wiring or gauge problem. Hooking it to C cells in series does not indicate the 6 volts it should, and does, on a multimeter.

No combination of connection on the gauge indicates 6 volts when hooked up to C cells. I conclude that I have a gauge problem.

i am puzzled by the 3 tabs:

+, S and one n body would be earth.

the tow on top are +/- for lamp.

so with the 3, can we guess that + is power and S is sense, and 0 v via body?

if so, then there may be powered electronics inside the voltmeter.

how are you wiring to those 3 tabs?

what do instructions instruct?

usually there are 2 contacts that feed the voltmer coil.

The instructions say to connect the (-) to switched power (+), and the S and + to earth. This fries any fuse and makes the wire very hot, so I assume that isn't actually correct. The Hoffman people were nice, but not helpful.

NO combination results in 12 or 14 volts. I have tried several batteries, with and without fuses.