Digital Voltage & hour meter - Turning them on & off

[mkeough11]

Anyone have any suggestions as how to turn a 12v digital voltage gauge & a 12v hour meter on and off when the motor starts and turns off? Right now I have then hooked to a rocker switch. But I always forget to either turn it on with the motor of I leave in on when I shut down. I would like them to come on when I power up the engine and automatically turn off when the cap is removed form the DESS post. Suggestions?

 

[LouDoo]

Connect the gauge to the +12 volt wire for power to the gauges, usually purple or purple with a tracer, consult the wiring diagram in your service manual.

Lou

 

[Waterluvr]

Find the purple wire w/yellow tracer to the speedo, that powers up from the module at connector one top left #1-26 that will run those the way you want it.

 

[mkeough11]

Thanks, that is just what I was looking for. Purple and yellow at the speedo. Thanks again.

 

[Clivingston]

What's a good hour meter to get? I got a spare spot in my dash or anywhere for that matter. Looking to get one for my boat as I just put two new motors in it.

 

[Waterluvr]

There's all kinds of really nice led voltage meters available that look good installed, ebay is full of them and it's nice to know you have a battery issue before your swimming back to the ramp.

If there's a decent dual function gauge out there that does both I'm sure I don't know of one, I usually install an old school Teleflex hour meter under the dash out of sight and run it and the new voltage meter off the gauge circuit.

 

[mkeough11]

Hey Waterluvr, I already have the digital meter installed (blue readout). I installed it last year. I am using the optional opening behind the steering wheel. It works great. But I have it installed to a rocker switch that I keep forgetting to turn off. So I am trying to get it to come on with the motor. You and Lou both said to use the purple with yellow trace coming to the speedo. It does work that way, but that wire is only caring 7.8 volts. Checked with the gauge and then with my voltage meter. When the gauge is hooked to the radio power it shows 12.7 volts with the engine running at idle. Is that all the speedo requires, 7.8 volts? That would not be very comforting running the boat and just seeing 7.8 volts in the gauge. Any other options turning the gauge on with the engine, where I get 12 volts?

 

[Waterluvr]

Shut the battery switch off, go back to the module and find harness connector #1 and unplug it. Turn the battery switch on, place the key on the post and ground the test lead on the meter and probe spade connector #24 top right hand side of the plug.

That feeds the solid purple wire in the harness under the dash btw, what do you have for voltage there?