Battery Gauge (voltmeter?)

[4Sport]

I've been reading this forum for a while now, though haven't done any posting. I figured I'm past due!

Tailgating season is just around the corner, and I'm wondering what the best type of gauge would be for monitoring the remaining juice in my battery as I run all sorts of electronics with the engine off. Would I want a voltmeter or an ampmeter (sp? ammeter?).

Also, have any of you guys installed these types of electrical gauges? Where did you put em? And what do they connect to? I'm guessing they would connect to a hot and a ground wire, but just checking.

Thanks in advance!
- Mark

 

[4Sport]

Don't all respond at once or anything... hehe.
Really, anyone have any experience with battery gauges or voltmeters? Thanks,
Mark

 

[greasefingers]

If I where going to monitor battery voltage, for your purpose, I would not install a dashboard type gage. I would want better accuracy than a dashboard gage would offer. Plus I would not want to bother to turn the ignition key every time to find out. I might think about tapping off of the rear power adaptor with two permanently mounted banana plugs. Don

 

[Koz]

Get yourself a Optima yellow top battery.

Koz

 

[4Sport]

Thanks for the responeses guys.
What I had in mind was a cheap dashboard type guage, installed in the rear of the truck by that outlet near the storage cubby, spliced into the power outlets wires from behind. Haven't figured the logistics of how to get behind there for the install yet though.
Greasefingers - I'll need to have my ignition on acc. anyway for my stereo & power outlets to run. Are the dashboard type guages really less accurate? I really just want to be able to tell when it's time to start up the engine and let it charge for a few minutes as we tailgate.
I'll probably get a yellow top if my oem battery ever dies. They drop right in, right?

 

[Koz]

Also, there is a device that you can install between the bat and cable (easy install) that will only allow the bat to be used until there is only enough power left to start the engine.

Koz