How to install digital amp guage.

[tiltrider1]

I was asked how to install these cheap digital eBay/Amazon guages. Here are a few photos.

 

[tiltrider1]

Here are some photos

 

[IWAB]

Thank you. Looks like I have another project ahead of me.

IWAB

 

[tiltrider1]

The amp pick up just slides over the power wire. I have one for Line 1 and one for Line 2. I put it after the shore/generator switch.

I connect the voltage wires to the house side of the same switch with a 1 amp fuse.

 

[Bmarler]

I did a similar install when we rewired the boat. At the shore power inlet panel we have similar, slightly larger volt/amp meters, and also a volt/ frequency meter for the generator. Now we see exactly how we’re loading each shore inlet as well as the genset load.

 

[rslifkin]

This is pushing me to upgrade the meters on my panel. I've got analog amp meters (not very accurate) for the L1 and L2 sides of the panel and a volt meter that can be selected to either side. But no easy way to see total gen load. Might be convenient to just replace them with 3x combined volt/amp displays for inlet 1, inlet 2, gen (all tapped in before the selector switch instead of after like they currently are).

 

[tiltrider1]

You can find these gauges in triple display. Hz, Amp, & volts.

NOTE - HIGH RATE OF MANUFACTURING FAILURE - ORDER TWO MORE THAN YOU NEED TO BE SAFE

Seems one in four comes out of the box defective. The ones that work seem to have good longevity.

 

[Taras]

I put one of these "amp clamp" meters on the output wire of my high output alternator and loved seeing what was going into my house bank while cruising. It was only like $20 on amazon and after several years, still working great.

 

[Turtle Blues]

Absolutely one of the best upgrades for little money. Analog meters have a finite lifespan.
Now I know exactly how low power delivery is dockside everywhere I plug in. Not always a comforting number in July and August but forewarned.

 

[Bmarler]

This is the little inlet panel I made. Like tilt rider mentions, these have a high failure rate, so get spares. Mine all worked fine, but I got spares anyway.
It’s nice to have such an easy visual to show what’s going on. Like the crappy voltage on my shore 2 inlet. Happens every winter when every boat has space heaters on.
The lower display is generator volts and frequency. When I select generator for both sources I can add the amps from the top two to see the total generator load.

 

[tiltrider1]

Bmarler,

Nice job of selecting the right size and style for your space. Looks very professional.

 

[Bmarler]

Bmarler,

Nice job of selecting the right size and style for your space. Looks very professional.

thank you, i appreciate the compliment. the old panel there was just awful, and didn't work properly. i had the advantage of working with a clean slate, so to speak.
since that picture was taken, i have added engraved labels as to the function of each item.

 

[DW1979OA]

After installing my amp meter on the 30 amp circuit I was surprised to see how much of the available power was used on initial power up. The three battery chargers alone used close to 22 amps when plugging in to shore power and would take almost 5 minutes to ramp down. Any power interruption and the cycle would begin again.
My solution was to put a time delay of 5 minutes on one of the battery chargers. It knocked the amps down to 16 on start up for battery chargers alone.
The part I wanted was available from McMaster-Carr Part no 2809T254. This is called a medium current timer relay. 1-10 minute interval.

 

[porman]

Is there a limit to how long the wire can be between the amp pickup and the gauge?

 

[tiltrider1]

Is there a limit to how long the wire can be between the amp pickup and the gauge?

I don't know. Have never needed to test that issue.

 

[READY]

Is there a limit to how long the wire can be between the amp pickup and the gauge?

Not sure but I believe that wire carries low voltage and low current so it should tolerate a reasonably long run without impacting the reading. A larger wire size would be extra insurance. You could confirm any impact by measuring the voltage at the pickup coil and at the gauge and see if there is significant drop.

 

[Turtle Blues]

I used some micro plugs and made 3' extensions. Figured the plugs were probably equal to soldiering? Didn't see any measurable difference between with or without the extension. Didn't think to test with longer.

 

[Bmarler]

Current transducers usually have a current output of 0-5 amps (with some exceptions), current signals are fairly immune to longer wire lengths messing with the output. Of course, if you need a reference grade signal, some engineering is required.
But for these inexpensive meters, you can stretch the wire lengths considerably.

 

[Osprey69]

So I found an AC and DC digital meters that will fit where 2 of the 4 current analog meters are. Is it as simple as using the voltmeter leads from the working analog voltmeters and the amp leads from the non-working analog amp meters? Sounds too simple.

 

[tiltrider1]

So I found an AC and DC digital meters that will fit where 2 of the 4 current analog meters are. Is it as simple as using the voltmeter leads from the working analog voltmeters and the amp leads from the non-working analog amp meters? Sounds too simple.

You can use the existing volt meter leads.

Old style gauges actually had the full amperage running through them. The new style uses a ring that slips over the wire and measures the changes in the magnetic field. Essentially almost too simple.

I am referring to AC amp meters. DC amp meters need a shunt.

 

[CaptTom]

Those new displays look great! But as much as the geek in me wants them, the existing (43-year-old) analog gauges that came with my boat work fine. And to be honest, the digital gauges really wouldn't look right with my existing panel.

I'd be more likely to leave the analog gauges as they are and add a remote monitoring capability, so I could see voltage and current values on my cell phone, along with other things like bilge pump run times and such.

 

[tiltrider1]

Those new displays look great! But as much as the geek in me wants them, the existing (43-year-old) analog gauges that came with my boat work fine. And to be honest, the digital gauges really wouldn't look right with my existing panel.

I'd be more likely to leave the analog gauges as they are and add a remote monitoring capability, so I could see voltage and current values on my cell phone, along with other things like bilge pump run times and such.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

In my case the gauges were only monitoring L1 and the Amp gauge was non functional. Made it easy for me to replace the dead gauge with two LED gauges that monitored both L1 and L2.