Voltage/Battery/Cigarette Lighter Socket (mostly for Shawn).

[gmrulz4u]

This is in regards to my last few posts regarding my digital voltmeter, battery, and lighter socket.

 

So tonight I took Shawns advice and used my digital multimeter to check the voltage at the cigarette lighter socket, and sure enough, it was about 1 volt higher than what my aftermarket digital voltmeter was showing. I also check my battery at the same time with the multimeter and noticed that the cigarette lighter socket and battery were basically showing the EXACT same voltage(like you said they should) at about 12.3volts with the car shut off.

 

So I guess the $15 PowerToGo digital voltmeter really does suck...

 

But before I assume that...let me tell you exactly how this is plugged-in, first I have a triple socket adapter coming out of the ligher socket, and in those three, 2 are for interior neon lights(hardly ever use), and the other 1 is for a socket extension that goes all the way over to the left side of the dash, in which the digital voltmeter is plugged in. So obviously with all this, I thought that perhaps all this crap was affecting the voltage that the voltmeter was getting, but it's not, because I plugged the voltmeter directly into the lighter socket, and it showed the same thing. About a volt or more lower than it actually is.

 

So now I'm wondering if there's a way for me to wire my new digital voltmeter directly to either the battery, or the lighter socket?(preferable)??

 

THANKS AGAIN!)

PS...I will give the misleading PowerToGo digital voltmeter props for 1 thing, it LOOKS cool...because it's backlit, and has a red, amber and greed LED...and it looks nice when you step on the gas, and it goes from red or amber to green...)

[GnatGoSplat]

So now I'm wondering if there's a way for me to wire my new digital voltmeter directly to either the battery, or the lighter socket?(preferable)??

 

Certainly. I think you can buy cig lighter plugs at Radio Shack.

If your digital voltmeter uses banana jacks (if your voltmeter has detachable leads, it most likely uses banana jacks), then you can buy those plugs and some wire from Radio Shack. Then solder the banana plugs to one end of the wire, and the lighter plug to the other end.

 

Banana plugs at Radio Shack

 

I couldn't find the cig lighter plug at the Radio Shack site, but I seem to remember seeing them there.