My ammeter installation

P-Dogg · Post by **P-Dogg** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:02 pm

My 1985 tricabin left the factory without any ammeters installed, something I find incredulous, since I think that there should be some way of indicating how much power you are drawing other than blown breaker method. Wanting to know how much load I as actually drawing from my shore power lines (and my generator as well, when it is in use), I undertook the minor task of replacing the analog volt meters in my panel with digital LCD units that measure and display volts and amps simultaneously. For those of you who may be tempted to do the same, here is my story.

From Ebay, I bought 5 of these meters for $75:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300722663809?ss ... .jpg[/img]

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:56 pm

Looks nice . You did a great job.

kevin babineau · Post by **kevin babineau** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:56 pm

wow great job!

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 6:12 pm

nice work!!

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 6:25 pm

Great job executing this project! Looks great, You can come install on my boat and we can use two of the 3 left over gauges you have!

Let me know if you want to sell two of them.

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 6:33 pm

Would you divulge the URL for the source, might want to make a purchase. Although I bet I can obtain similiary from my family that sells for a high tech control company, US, but probably made where you got yours.

P-Dogg · Post by **P-Dogg** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:27 pm

Aw shucks guys, thanks. I'm not sure why it didn't show-up as a hot link, but the ebay link is .http://www.ebay.com/itm/300722663809?ss ... 1497.l2649

I bought 5 because I was afraid that they might be POSs. I figured that if I had a spare, at least I would have another meter to put in the new hole I cut in my panel if one went bad. Not shown is the installation of the meter for the generator -- same thing different panel, so I'm down to two spares (but I'm thinking about adding them to my whole-house stand-by generator, so I know how much I can turn on in the house). These meters are sold as buy-it-now or best offer. I offered $75 for 5 because that was the price (each) of the meters that I was finding from commercial sources, who it was suggested, might also get their stuff from China. $75 barely rounds-up to $1 boat dollar, so I figured why not?

I bothered to take the time to document the install with photos because installation of ammeters is something that I think is a). neccessary, and b)., something most people could do, but might be a little intimidated by if they are not used to working with electricity. The only trick is to know where to put the pick-up coil -- it goes on the big wire leading from the breaker that does not go to the volt meter.

If you're not up to doing it yourself, I'd be happy to travel anywhere in CONUS and install a meter for just $10 boat dollars (international and non-CONUS is $15 boat dollars/meter)! Of course, if you're local to the Chesapeake, I might be persuaded to do an install in exchange for a decent striper fishing trip (and all the pale ale I can drink).

My next electrical project -- at least in the panel -- is installation of battery condition meters. I also have a windlass and spotlight on hand to install. Of course, a new bow pulpit is in order, because I don't want to just plop my windlass on the deck and have it look like a hodge-podge of crap up there. I've got a good lead on some teak in Key Largo.....

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:33 pm

me next, me next!!! i'd like to apply for the 'guy going thru cancer treatment' discount. one tri cabin owner to another.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:30 pm

here you go

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300722663809?ss ... 1497.l2649

P-Dogg · Post by **P-Dogg** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:45 pm

SHOW OFF! How did you do that?

Hint: Clicking the URL tag and pasting the link after it doesn't work!

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:49 pm

Remove the [url] from it after pasting it before and after the link .

When I did a copy and paste the "url " was not there .Why ?? I don't have a clue

I am not computer smart or computer friendly

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:21 pm

Good addition and great looking installation.

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:32 pm

k9th wrote:Good addition and great looking installation.

+1 ill add this site to my goofy little library, there are several good places for these including where I bought my battery gauge for the inverter system, it was so called cheap but a great tool to follow your battery bank for 130$ LED digital as well

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:18 pm

P-dog will you be hooking up a 3rd meter for the gen-set ?

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:23 pm

thats my understanding as well.