Wiring for dual voltmeters

[afitzray]

I'd like to get two voltmeters so I can have one for each battery. As far as I can tell, my yamaha gauges can't tell one battery from the other, just that there's a power supply that I control from the bilge 1/2/combined battery switches. Anyone have any examples of how they've approached this as far as the wiring to be able to test both batteries even if one isn't switched on in the bilge? I can't figure out a way to do it without hardwiring it (but maybe that's why this isn't so common). I was looking at just getting two of these cheap voltmeter/usb chargers or maybe one of the momentary switch types. If it's on a momentary switch, would you trust having a hardwired circuit? Right now I just have the one bilge pump hardwired outside of the battery switch circuit but this would be a lot longer wire to burn up in a failure so it has me a little concerned.

 

[warthog5]

You can hardwire it at the console.....Position 1 will read #1 batt voltage....Position 2 will read #2 batt voltage. Off will shut the gauge Off

FYI:...Perko switchs Suck!

 

[afitzray]

I agree the perko switches are not fun to deal with. Sounds like hardwiring at the console will give me the same info the Yamaha gauges give now.

A BEP cluster is on my short list of projects but I’ve been trying to pace myself financially on this boat over the last 9 months as I’ve tried to bring it back to life and get it on the water. But I guess if I have a BEP and feel confident that my start battery is protected from being overdrawn then I don’t have to check each battery’s voltage while under way. I don’t mind doing it with a multi meter in the bilge at the dock but I dont want to be trying to figure it out that way very often.

 

[Brent]

I would look a Victron battery bsnk guages- voltage, SOC, etc

https://marinehowto.com/installing-a-battery-monitor/