Wiring up Voltmeter + Ammeter

[eSCHEn]

What are you building it into? See if the display lights with just green and blue wires. I managed to damage one of mine with ease unfortunately, but they are cheap displays at least.

Adrian

A pedal powered pyrography machine a mate asked me to build for him. Ostensibly a pushbike mounted on two stands with the back wheel powering a kia pride alternator which then runs a 12VDC soldering iron. The display is to show system voltage and current charging rate of the pedaller. Very very annoyingly I've got the panel cut for this unit so I'm kinda stuck on getting it working.

I can get it to read voltage and display it without issue but when I introduce a simple load (5W filament lamp) I can't get any output when wired as indicated.

 

[AndyStobbs]

OP how is it wired now?

 

[eSCHEn]

OP how is it wired now?

Exactly as Mr Fuzzy details in post #12 - http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/wiring-up-voltmeter-ammeter.56026/#post-667236

The bulb lights but the meter does not.

 

[MattF]

I can get it to read voltage and display it without issue but when I introduce a simple load (5W filament lamp) I can't get any output when wired as indicated.

Show us how you have it set up both without load and with. If it's working as expected at some point and then crapping out when you add a load, that's indicative of a possible problem in your setup rather than the unit.

 

[eSCHEn]

Show us how you have it set up both without load and with. If it's working as expected at some point and then crapping out when you add a load, that's indicative of a possible problem in your setup rather than the unit.

Shall do tonight Matt. Had a very brief look at lunchtime and it's wired as per post #12, which is what I'd deduced as well. I got a couple of paperclips and fed in 12VDC into the unpopulated holes and the display lit up so tonight's plan is to solder in a couple of header pins and rig the power up to them then re-test with the same layout.

Failing that it will be a frantic search to find a replacement with the same bezel before Friday!

 

[eSCHEn]

Yeah I tried hooking up those pins but it made the smoke pixie angry, oops.

Off to order a replacement one now, thanks to all who helped

 

[MattF]

Yeah I tried hooking up those pins but it made the smoke pixie angry, oops.

I tried thinking of an eloquent way to put this, but failed dismally. You tit.

 

[eSCHEn]

*bows*

 

[the snooper]

View attachment 67806 so before the smoke pixe got angry did you connect it up like this ? you should have got a reading of around 0.41 amps at 12v

 

[the snooper]

what's happened to this ? is it dead

 

[brightspark]

what's happened to this ? is it dead

the thread or the meter

 

[the snooper]

possibly all 3

 

[eSCHEn]

Alright alright, I've been busy!

Yes it was wired like that. Yes it's dead. No I am not dead.

Replacement has arrived and works well (5 wire unit) but is wildly inaccurate. I will fettle the shunt when I get a chance.

 

[the snooper]

Alright alright, I've been busy!

Yes it was wired like that. Yes it's dead. No I am not dead.

Replacement has arrived and works well (5 wire unit) but is wildly inaccurate. I will fettle the shunt when I get a chance.

you'd have done well writing your reply if you was