Amp meter from amazon

[Supersleeper]

Hi folks,

This may or may not be obvious, but I am looking for a wire diagram for this guy:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQHNKU2/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can't afford to mess this up working with a 10A 48V system. Thanks in advance.

 

[dogman dan]

If you didn't buy it yet don't.

I can only guess, but it looks like the less desirable voltmeters. The tiny wires will run the unit, but not on 48v. Typical for the voltmeters I've seen is less than 18v.

I'm clueless about the three big wires. Two in and two out would make sense. B-, R+ in, Y+ out?

10 amps is not much, your bike never pulls more than 10 amps? I doubt it.

 

[dogman dan]

This one is ok, but that amazon price is NOT. Get the same thing on ebay for less than 20 shipped.

http://www.amazon.com/100-Amp-DC-Watt-Meter/dp/B005534KM6/ref=sr_1_19?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1372939623&sr=1-19&keywords=amp+meter

 

[gwhy!1]

Ok, No guarantees tho...

the small red and black needs a voltage between 5 and 30v dc to power the meter..

the fat red and black goes to you main battery (48v) and the fat yellow goes to the negative into your controller..

the negative from your battery to your controller needs to be cut so the fat balck is battery side and fat yellow is controller side..

You do know that you can not power the meter directly from the 48v ?

and 10A max is not that big for a e-bike..

 

[gwhy!1]

oops you beat me to it ..

 

[gwhy!1]

This one is ok, but that amazon price is NOT. Get the same thing on ebay for less than 20 shipped.

http://www.amazon.com/100-Amp-DC-Watt-Meter/dp/B005534KM6/ref=sr_1_19?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1372939623&sr=1-19&keywords=amp+meter

I bought 5 of these from ebay around $10 each .

they are very good for the money ,, but all 5 needed adjusting to read the correct voltage and the current needed to be zeroed.. not a big problem as they have trim pots in side the meter.. big thumbs up for these very cheap meters

edit:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Digital-60V-100A-Battery-Balance-LCD-Voltage-Power-Analyzer-Watt-Meter-/171014142730?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item27d13cbb0a

 

[Supersleeper]

Yeah, I saw the test voltage and not the working voltage. Oh we'll, this won't work on my bike. Maybe I'll use it in my car.

 

[Supersleeper]

If you didn't buy it yet don't.

I can only guess, but it looks like the less desirable voltmeters.

I'm not sure what you mean by less desirable. For me, I find those hobbyist amp meters far less desirable as the LCD displays are far to dificult to read at a glance while riding the bike. Not to mention glare and backlight issues. This meter is the easiest to read. Accuracy is not as important to me as just having a general idea of how much further I can push the batteries. Oh we'll, either way, this unit won't work for 48v, but there are plenty of applications I can think of for using this elsewhere. I'll have to shop around for the right unit.

 

[gwhy!1]

If you didn't buy it yet don't.

I can only guess, but it looks like the less desirable voltmeters.

I'm not sure what you mean by less desirable. For me, I find those hobbyist amp meters far less desirable as the LCD displays are far to dificult to read at a glance while riding the bike. Not to mention glare and backlight issues. This meter is the easiest to read. Accuracy is not as important to me as just having a general idea of how much further I can push the batteries. Oh we'll, either way, this unit won't work for 48v, but there are plenty of applications I can think of for using this elsewhere. I'll have to shop around for the right unit.

To be honest I find the lcd display a bit easier to read ( during the day, as these cheapo watt meters are not back lit) the led displays are very difficult to read in sunlight but very good in darker conditions.. the best all round meter is the turnigy Watt meter as this is lcd and is back lit.

 

[dnmun]

these cheap meters are fine imo. go bid on them:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC1.X60V+100A+watt+meter.TRS0&_nkw=60V+100A+watt+meter&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[Supersleeper]

And so incredibly bulky too in comparison. Wanted something a little more inconspicuous. I find the numbers on the LCD screens a bit too small too. This one i posted is no more than an inch tall, but the display of the numbers are still larger than the more expensive units.

 

[gwhy!1]

And so incredibly bulky too in comparison. Wanted something a little more inconspicuous. I find the numbers on the LCD screens a bit too small too. This one i posted is no more than an inch tall, but the display of the numbers are still larger than the more expensive units.

when I started on the whole e-bike thing i thought it would be good having a real time current reading display but now 3 years in and the only time i use the watt meter is when I have am testing a new bike for the first time or adjust something on the controllers.. I now only use a small volt meter ( led ) but can't read this when riding but its handy to have as it go give a indication of battery SOC. something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K1BO-DC-15-to-120V-Waterproof-Red-LED-Panel-Meter-DC-Digital-Voltmeter-Two-wire-/251269401668?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item3a80d2cc44 this is a 2 wire unit that can be used from any voltage from around 14v upto 120v

 

[dogman dan]

Explaining the "less desirable", it does depend on the voltage you need to monitor. Less desirable to monitor 120v or less to be specific.

On ebay you see lots of voltmeters with more than two wires. They may work above 120v, but require a separate lower voltage input to a second set of wires to run them.

The "more desirable" ones for under 120v have just two wires to power them up. So you just connect them to pack voltage and they work. This is the one linked to above. But those are just voltmeters, that don't monitor watts. In New Mexico sun, I cant read them at all, even inside a shadow box, so I stopped using mine.

I'm still wondering how limited to just 10 amps of watt monitoring is going to be useful to you. Even fairly weak bikes often sport 15 amps controllers. But it's so cheap, you can't lose much trying it. Maybe you are using it on something pretty small, like a 100w scooter or skateboard.

I just wouldn't like it, unless my pack voltage was low enough to run the thing. I'd hate having a second set of wires cluttering up my connections.