Topic: Battery Bug, who has them?

[Duanob]

I just put a Battery Bug on my bike. It's a voltmeter that tells the condition of your battery and charging system. Anybody else have one? So far so good, although the audible alarm might be a bit embarassing if it starts going off because the battery is low. It says to attach to your battery terminals but I didn't want to mess with them if I need to charge or take out my battery so I attached the red to the other end of the + battery cable at the solenoid and the black to the frame. Seems to work fine. I get the same readings from it that I do at the battery with my multimeter.

I got this one for $45:

http://www.argusanalyzers.com/battery-monitors/products/bb-sbm12ps-battery-bug-battery-monitor-argus-analyzers.html

[brianzenk]

I use one and it's been a great meter to have to see what the battery is doing. As long as it can see the battery voltage all the time it probably does not matter where you connect it. If I have not ridden the bike it will beep once every ten min to remind me to get out and ride or charge up the battery. For real time testing its a great meter to have on board. 

[mrrch]

I have the small LED type that flashes and lights up different colours according to voltage.
Luckily I'm always in the green.

[dave500]

i have a vdo analouge voltmeter.

[Nortstudio]

I have the small LED type that flashes and lights up different colours according to voltage.
Luckily I'm always in the green.

I have been looking at this LED switch color type. Where did you end up hooking into the power.

Duanob, where did you mount this one?  I'm assuming there is no draw on the power when the battery is off??? 

[TwoTired]

I bought one of these on a whim:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WJPK2C
I haven't installed it yet.  It's still in my tool box.  House projects keep getting in the way. 

Cheers,

[Nortstudio]

This is the one I was looking at:
http://signaldynamics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=56&category_id=14&keyword=Heads+up&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=77

Where do you plan on tapping into the power TT?  After the house projects of course

[TwoTired]

Where do you plan on tapping into the power TT?  After the house projects of course

The black wire off the key switch is the obvious pick.  However, you can get voltage sag with load changes, as that line powers everything.
For an accurate actual battery V read, a relay between meter and direct battery connection, activated by the black wire would be better.
The meter/monitor itself should have very tiny loads, so the reading will be far more accurate for actual battery V as long as the relay contacts are in good shape.

Kinda depends on if you want battery V or system V monitoring.

Cheers,

[Duanob]

So far so good, it doesn't seem to draw any extra power or battery drain. I mounted it next to the speedo on the bars with a bicycle computor mount and velcro. I really like knowing what's going on with the bike. An oil pressure gauge would be a good addition too.

Brianzenk is da man who talked me into getting one.

[Nortstudio]

I like the one you got duanob, if it's working without drain.  The one I got turned onto (also here) is perfect for me, since I would be able to mount it in my aftermarket indicator light panel.  That would be work well too.

Agreed, nice to know what's happening, especially on a longer trip.

I'd rather have a straight battery monitor, so sounds like the relay is the way to go.

More research....

[mrrch]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-LED-Battery-Monitor-voltage-and-charge-indicator-/150479033981?pt=UK_AudioElectronicsVideo_Video_TelevisionSetTopBoxes

I just wired it into the headlight bucket, turns off when the key is off.
I don't remember exactly what I connected to.

[Nortstudio]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-LED-Battery-Monitor-voltage-and-charge-indicator-/150479033981?pt=UK_AudioElectronicsVideo_Video_TelevisionSetTopBoxes

I just wired it into the headlight bucket, turns off when the key is off.
I don't remember exactly what I connected to.

If you see what you connected it to next time you're in there - let me know. But I think TT is right when he talks relay and battery connection will show the most accurate results.

[Duanob]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-LED-Battery-Monitor-voltage-and-charge-indicator-/150479033981?pt=UK_AudioElectronicsVideo_Video_TelevisionSetTopBoxes

I just wired it into the headlight bucket, turns off when the key is off.
I don't remember exactly what I connected to.

Funny, when mine gets disconnected it starts beeping. That's what it's supposed to do.

[tlbranth]

You're supposed to leave it connected all the time. Disconnecting it resets the starting history. I have one on my Goldwing and it helped out tremendously when my alternator faile on the way home from Alaska last month. I swapped batteries every hour or so with the fellow I was travelling with and kept track of battery condition. Made almost 500 miles that way.

[bollingball]

Maybe I am old school or just old but I like numbers either LED at night LCD with bright back light or analog. Allthough LED only is nice for a quick look.
Like TT said what do you want to moitor why not both load or straight batt with a toggle sw.

[Duanob]

Maybe I am old school or just old but I like numbers either LED at night LCD with bright back light or analog. Allthough LED only is nice for a quick look.
Like TT said what do you want to moitor why not both load or straight batt with a toggle sw.

Backlights would probably drain your battery. The Argus does monitor the battery and the charging system. Even keeps track of your charging system at start up with electric start.

[bollingball]

Doesn't the argus or (bb) have a back light (lcd) how do you see it at night

[TwoTired]

The argus is almost certainly self powered with its own internal battery (if it truly drains nothing from the host battery.)
I wonder how long that internal battery lasts?  I speculate the same as a watch battery.  Can you access that for replacement?

If those leads attach directly to the battery posts, it certainly has the capability to be accurate.  But, I haven't seen tests, or specs for that.
I'm either lazy, or too involved in house projects. 

Cheers,

Maybe I am old school or just old but I like numbers either LED at night LCD with bright back light or analog.

If you were truly old school, you wouldn't be happy unless there was a D'Arsonval movement swinging a needle on a mirrored scale.
jk

[brianzenk]

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3/13/123/8115/ITEM/Kuryakyn-LED-Battery-Gauge.aspx

I also have a Kuryakyn LED battery gauge that's wired into the power connections in the
front headlight area thats on when the bike starts.  I like the little colored LEDs because it reminds me of Christmas lights. I was not getting enough information from the Kuryakyn to keep my inner geek happy. But for accuracy I like seeing the battery bug with a real time voltage reading and the amount of cranking amps available with the flashing bar.
Even with the bike off I can see what the battery is doing because its monitoring the condition of the battery 24/7. Currently the battery reads 59% and the cranking amps are full. I watched the % drop from 100% down to 59% where its leveled out for a few months.  When it hits 12 V it starts to beep telling me to RIDE !

[bollingball]

TT is that why I love my 260 Simpson think I got it in 72
So that is what that mirror is for hell I have been trying to shave with it and that needle is allways in the way have to keep looking around it Then all I see is two needles

[Duanob]

Doesn't the argus or (bb) have a back light (lcd) how do you see it at night

I guess you don't. It does have an audible alarm to make up for lack of light. I don't ride much at night anyway.

[tlbranth]

TT, the battery bug has no internal power source. It's current draw is too low to worry about and it has no backlighting.