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LED Voltage Display for 940

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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 02:00   #1
baggy798
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Default LED Voltage Display for 940

Well after having some problems with the charging circuit on my 940, I thought it would be a good idea to fit something to monitor the system voltage so it doesn't leave me stranded again!

There really isn't any room for a traditional 52mm volt gauge and the type that plug in to the cigarette lighter stick out a mile and take up the socket, but there is a nice little place under the fuel gauge that is usually reserved for the outside temperature gauge. I don't think Volvo made any other optional extras for this space.

So I purchased one of these 0.28" Mini DC Volt Meter displays. I picked green as the cluster gauges have a slight green tint.

Making the hole in the plastic blank and spacing out the display was easy enough (2x M5 nuts).





I tried it like this in the car but it was freakin' blinding so bought a 5% window tint sample and stuck that over it.



For the wiring I piggybacked on to the fuel gauge. The black wire goes to B3 (ground at the fuel level sensor) and the red wire is attached to A2 (power supply +15).





Here's some pictures with the cluster refitted.





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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 02:45   #2
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Oops double post

Last edited by TonyS9; Nov 16th, 2014 at 02:58.
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 02:56   #3
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Nice job, neater than mine. I've just been today working on a time/temp/voltage module and ended up with a similar design, I used a old set top box tinted polycarb front as the filter. I did ask the supplier if there was a brightness control but they said no.

I will wire the voltage sense direct to the battery via a fuse, as this is a more useful figure. I did get the voltage only module as well and may attach this to the alternator via a test button.

Wiring through the bulkhead is hateful, mine needs a lot more wiring with a 3 wire temp sensor and the voltage sense. Power will come from ignition 12v.

I'm also looking at a mini mpg display that fits in the same spot. Volvo originally used a LCD temperature display in there.

What we really need is a 3d printed bracket.
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 14:07   #4
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Nice job

You also have a nice watertemp meter
Does it work better than the oem one!
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 18:25   #5
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You need fuel

Also if you were getting 13.5V at the battery you still are going to have slow charging, but its probably lost a few 100mV on the way to the panel.
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 19:04   #6
Pete940
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Great little mod. Gonna give it a shot with a red display in the hope that it's less blinding.
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 20:40   #7
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Really smart looking.
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 21:06   #8
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Volvo_Utrecht, yeah it seems to be accurate although for some reason it 'sticks' at 150° with the (hot) engine off, but starts fine from '00' when cold.

TonyS9, it usually displays 13.6v but I've just put some LED bulbs in the cluster and it reads 13.7v now. I checked the voltages today with a multimeter:

At battery: 13.99v
Cigarette lighter in boot: 13.98v
Cigarette lighter in dash: 13.79v

Soooo, I dunno. It's not the display under-reading as I checked the back of the fuel gauge with the multimeter.

Pete940, that's a recipe for an all over body tan.. right through your clothes.
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Old Nov 17th, 2014, 00:09   #9
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13.99 at the battery is good but it needs to be tested under load eg headlights. If the battery is charged the drop can be acceptable in a faulty system. It will work but take twice as long to charge, leading to more likelyhood of a flat battery.

The weak link can be the crimp that goes to the starter and alternator from the battery terminal on both terminals. Traditionally this was lead moulded but now a mechanical crimp is used to attach the cable and the copper can corrode.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2014, 16:28   #10
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I finally got my .28" led voltage/time/temperature module installed, now the rain has stopped.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4004616846...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

It seems to work well, has an accurate pulse width temp sensor, a back up battery for the clock and a 2 button key pad. TBH I don't need the clock so the battery and extra button are not needed, however maybe I could scrap the big clock for the unsightly mpg meter. Anyway it was only £4!

On the down side there is no brightness control, and the switches are slow to respond. It tends to use too many digits, so I'm seeing resolution to 2 decimal places on temp and voltage, just because it has a clock! A "v" would have been handy. Less is more!

I had to extend most of the wiring but the ignition 12v signal identified above was useful for "on power". I still had to wire the gnd and voltage sense wires directly to battery to get the error <0.1v, although this is not permanent until I get a suitable in-line fuse.
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Last edited by TonyS9; Nov 23rd, 2014 at 16:34.
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