P1000 Dual volt meter. Switched ground?

[bumperm]

What Scoop said ^^^. I think most wire the dual voltmeter that way. However, I've found myself switching the key on just to check voltage, so I also gonna add a miniature push button, adjacent to the meter, to apply a momentary ground to that point. I might have to use a diode to prevent my illuminated rocker buttons from lighting.

 

[Admin]

 

[Fdxjettech]

Well, phase one is complete. Dual battery system with dual volt meter. 10 socket positive distribution fuse block and grounding block. With a two port USB charging port thrown in to keep the wife happy. It took 8 hours of work ( I’m new at this). And at least twice that head scratching and waking up at night thinking about wires. Lol. But I got it all in Turned on the key and everything lit up and worked fantastically through multiple starts and a three mile text drive. Yaay me. 😉

I’d really like to thank you guys for the help on these, my first baby steps. Thanks so much. Coming soon, my BMF light bar. Stay tuned.

 

[Scoop]

Outstanding. The time you spent and the knowledge you gained will be a basis for future work.

The two-port USB 3.0 charger outlet is the ONLY thing I have hooked up directly to the (aux) battery without requiring key-on power. There will be plenty of times you want something to keep charging when the key is off, and the drain on the (aux) battery isn't diddly squat.

Even so, my USB charger outlet does have its own on/off button built right into it.

 

[Fdxjettech]

Outstanding. The time you spent and the knowledge you gained will be a basis for future work.

The two-port USB 3.0 charger outlet is the ONLY thing I have hooked up directly to the (aux) battery without requiring key-on power. There will be plenty of times you want something to keep charging when the key is off, and the drain on the (aux) battery isn't diddly squat.

Even so, my USB charger outlet does have its own on/off button built right into it.

That’s a great idea. It won’t pull voltage unless a phone is plugged in. I just got in a rythem of hooking things to the fuse block. I think I will change that when I get back home

 

[Scoop]

Mine is backlit when it's on, even without a load. Hence, the on/off button on its face.

 

[bumperm]

Though I don't have a whole lot powered by "always on", I have the following:

Winch (wireless receiver power switched always on), courtesy light (has a small rocker switch on it), backup lights (so they can be use for convenience/work lights - same with side pod lights (as all these lights take little power, the pods less than 1 amp each), compact air horn (just cause you can never tell when you might get hor- - or just need to honk your horn), radio (wired so it is either key-on or powered from small rocker switch for parked use), and lastly a cell phone holder/charger, for the reasons Scoop said.

 

[PatioDaddyo58]

I want to be able to glance at my dual voltmeter at any time during operation and know the charging state of the batteries. Hence, an inexpensive relay that provides a switched negative ground (it only grounds when the relay is energized aka when the key is on) is the way to go. The TrueAM UTV-SBI-CM isolator kit includes such a relay (that kit comes with a dual voltmeter).

My kit didn’t come with a dual voltmeter or a relay. So, I got a chicom unit from online and wired it up as per their instructions. Since it was continuously on, I decided to see how long it would take to drain the battery. It took about a week. Then I installed a push button type momentary switch from the local auto parts store. I often hunt at night and the blue lights were very distracting. I don’t use all my accessories at the same time so I mostly check my voltage when I’m just sitting on the trail listening to music. I could listen to the stereo until the sun came up which is far longer than I can last. So, I really don’t need the voltmeter very often if at all.

 

[PatioDaddyo58]

It’s not a pretty switch but it works

 

[Scoop]

My kit didn’t come with a dual voltmeter or a relay.

True AM offers both a kit with the voltmeter and relay as well as one without.

I often hunt at night and the blue lights were very distracting.

That would be a perfect reason so go with a switch instead of key-on power.

 

[bumperm]

I often hunt at night and the blue lights were very distracting.

They are way more distracting in my rear view mirror.