Dual battery Voltmeter

[PAKM4N]

Hello All
This might seem very noobish.

I just finished installing my dual battery system. I’ve tied the main battery to turn on when ignition is on but any idea where to tie the aux line to turn on and off when the ignition is on and off when the ignition is off?

I’ve searched on google and this forum but doesn’t show how others are doing. Maybe I’m just searching for the wrong things? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


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[RAD4Runner]

Isn't your dual-battery system controller supposed to that already?
Ignition switch off or engine off?
Do you mean disconnect your aux battery from the circuits it supplies (fridge, inverters, awning lights etc) when ignition is off? You may have to install a separate relay controlled by output from ignition switch.

 

[PAKM4N]

Isn't your dual-battery system controller supposed to that already?
Ignition switch off or engine off?
Do you mean disconnect your aux battery from the circuits it supplies (fridge, inverters, awning lights etc) when ignition is off? You may have to install a separate relay controlled by output from ignition switch.

So basically what's going on is my AUX voltmeter stays lit even when the ignition is completely off because it is connected directly to the AUX battery. The main battery is connected to my cigarette lighter and turns on and shows voltage and 0s when the ignition is off key out.

Is there any way for me to connect the dual voltmeter AUX read to turn on and off like the main battery voltage display? I might be using the incorrect terms. Sorry for the confusion

 

[RAD4Runner]

...Is there any way for me to connect the dual voltmeter AUX read to turn on and off like the main battery voltage display? ...

It would help if you shared with us what dual-battery controller system you have, and schematic / documentation for it so we can see if it has a relay that disconnects AUX battery from circuits it supplies when ignition is off.

The digital volt-meter is very low-draw, anyway.

 

[nglayton]

any idea where to tie the aux line to turn on and off when the ignition is on and off when the ignition is off?

I just leave mine on all the time. It doesn't draw that much and I've left it for 7-8 days at time with no issues.

The easiest way to shut it on or off is to put the ground wire on a separate switch. When you disconnect the ground, the meter goes off, reconnect the ground, meter is back on.

 

[PAKM4N]

It would help if you shared with us what dual-battery controller system you have, and schematic / documentation for it so we can see if it has a relay that disconnects AUX battery from circuits it supplies when ignition is off.

The digital volt-meter is very low-draw, anyway.

I have a blue sea Ml ACR.

 

[HerT4R]

I have a blue sea Ml ACR.

Like others have said, you can run it off a relay that will not turn it on unless the ignition hot is on via tapping into an ignition hot source (one that is only on when the key is in the ignition and turned 'ON'). it is not hard to do and it is a smart way to wire things to protect circuits. You can also run a switch inline in the ground wire and actuate it when you want to view the voltage. Personally i like the relay option better, but YMMV.

i have a relay in the rear of my 4runner that runs to a voltage readout where my fridge wiring goes so I can always check the voltage when im at the back of the truck.

I wouldnt recommend leaving a readout, even an LED one, on all the time because i had a cheap LED readout die on me after about 3 months of continuously being on (see above). this was before i wired it up correctly with a relay and a switch to turn it the readout on and off.

If you need more help send a PM or stumble around [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] 's build thread. i cannot tell you how many times ive gone to his foglight anytime mod to review how to properly wire a relay.

:hippie:

 

[slvrblt]

I have the Solidkit dual voltmeters and I wired the grounds to both to only be connected when the instrument guages are on by using an add a fuse off of the internal fuse block. I used the wiring diagram on this site for connecting the relay: https://www.the12volt.com/relays/page1.asp


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[Antman]

Hello All
This might seem very noobish.

I just finished installing my dual battery system. I’ve tied the main battery to turn on when ignition is on but any idea where to tie the aux line to turn on and off when the ignition is on and off when the ignition is off?

I’ve searched on google and this forum but doesn’t show how others are doing. Maybe I’m just searching for the wrong things? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kinda like what [MENTION=67802]nglayton[/MENTION] said, BUT

It would be easy to switch both grounds with a relay using the cigarette lighter power source to power the relay (connecting the ground wires and lighting both voltmeter displays).

It would be also easier if we knew your exact setup- wiring diagram.

This is what my setup looks like and I have 5mm battery status indicators for each battery from Gammatronix that are on all the time. They draw such a tiny amount I never have had an issue...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/92013-antmans-thread-57.html#post1591642