Volt meters installed on dash today

[2manytoyz]

I bought both meters on eBay. About $15 each. The upper meter is rated for 30-70V. Available in different colors. The lower meter is rated for 8.5-50V. I compared the accuracy to a calibrated Fluke meter. Close enough!

[bigstik40]

Nice installation !! How is the blue for readability in the sun ?? I selected red for mine and I'm dissapointed in the readability of the red in the sun. (It just dissappears) RAY

[Ronboy1]

I done the same thing, bought from eBay. Except I used 1 meter with a DPDT Switch to toggle between 36v pack and 12v aux. battery. The V meter was within .2v of my fluke. I think the one I got was $17 w/free shipping 8.5-50v. I'm pleased with it.

[2manytoyz]

That blue is fairly good in the daylight. But in full sun, it is hard to read, especially if I'm driving, and the numbers are changing while accelerating or braking. LCD probably would have been a better choice, but even that doesn't play well with my polarized sunglasses.

[sportcoupe]

Originally Posted by 2manytoyz

LCD probably would have been a better choice, but even that doesn't play well with my polarized sunglasses.

The gauge pictures you attached are LCD (liquid crystal display). Do you mean LED? If so I've never seen a LED voltmeter.

[Knothead]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

The gauge pictures you attached are LCD (liquid crystal display). Do you mean LED? If so I've never seen a LED voltmeter.

So ScottyB (& the 1000's of eBay sellers) are falsely advertising their products?!

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

The gauge pictures you attached are LCD (liquid crystal display). Do you mean LED? If so I've never seen a LED voltmeter.

The DVMs in the picture have seven segment displays, which can use LEDs, or Cold Cathode Gas Discharge, or Electroluminescence, or Incandescence as a light source.

Since the illuminated segments are blue in color, they are probably cold cathode gas or electroluminescent.

LCDs tend to be blank panels without visible segments unless the segments are activated. They either pass/reflect ambient light, or pass/block light from a back-lighting source.

The early LED displays were power hogs, but they have improved considerably since then.

I'm pretty sure the seven segment displays in the DVM battery meters Scotty sells, use red LEDs as a light source, but I have to tear one apart to be 100% sure.

[Volt_Ampere]

LED voltmeters used to be popular back in the 70's and 80's before LCD's. I even had an LED watch. It ate batteries! I still have some LED voltmeters from projects back then. You would never see them outside in the sun though.

[Springlake]

Here is my Scottyb meter. All my glasses are polarized and the wife and I drive the buggy in the early evenings. I have never had any problem reading it. Have yet to drive it at night though. I expect it to be bright!!

[mazdawg(Mikey)]

I've installed those style meters in vehicles and I found it helpful to give them a light coat of taillight lens tint paint to darken them up so they won't be as bright and it also helps them being visible during the day