A 'Smarter' Battery Charging Indicator Light

[Blue Chips 387]

The original battery charging indicator light on my 522xi is still working fine, so it doesn't 'need' to be fixed, but that doesn't mean that it can't be improved upon. 

 

I found an indicator light on eBay that is 'smarter' than an ordinary idiot light, since its tri-color LED provides voltage range information via different colors and flashing patterns. Some of you may already be familiar with this product, but it's new to me. It's made by Gammatronix in the UK, and I think they call this version the Model E. I plan to install it on my 522xi or possibly on my Case 480E...or I might order a second light and do both. It's very compact and fits in a 14mm hole. It does NOT require a separate electronic module to control it, since it has its own built-in electronics, making it super easy to wire up, and it comes with clear instructions.

 

 

The indicator has two selectable operating modes:

 

• If you remove the jumper, it functions as a battery charging indicator light, which is what I would use it for.
• If you leave the jumper in place, it can be used as a battery level indicator light.

 

Since I would be replacing the existing battery charging indicator light with this gadget, I will remove the jumper.

 

I made the following chart with Adobe InDesign, showing the battery charging voltage ranges that correspond to the LED colors/patterns. I'll insert a copy of this chart in the owner's manual.

 

 

The maker said that it doesn't need potting, as they have been used on motorcycles for many years without issues from water ingress, but I think I might over-engineer a bit and put a dab or two of electronics-grade silicone on it anyway, not just to keep water out, but as a strain relief for the wires.

 

(I recently replaced the non-functioning battery charging indicator light on my GT18 with a digital voltmeter (see post), which is another improvement option, and it's working great so far.)

 

 

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Blue Chips

[WHX?? 53,231]

Might be the choice for a mid sixties custom in place of the Gen light. 

Decent price to boot. 

Edited 10 hours ago by WHX??

[8ntruck 8,324]

I wonder if that light might act like a diode in an 8n 12v conversion to prevent run on due to back feeding of the alternator to the ignition?

[Handy Don 15,088]

22 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

I wonder if that light might act like a diode in an 8n 12v conversion to prevent run on due to back feeding of the alternator to the ignition?

I’d bet your robotics team has a junk box with a 100 PIV, 30w diode in it that you could easily install with a couple of solder seal connectors and shrink tube! 

[Bar Nuthin 1,782]

2 hours ago, Blue Chips said:

it doesn't 'need' to be fixed, but that doesn't mean that it can't be improved upon

 

If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is! 

[Blue Chips 387]

1 hour ago, Bar Nuthin said:

If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is! 

 

That has been my modus operandi for decades. 

[8ntruck 8,324]

4 hours ago, Handy Don said:

I’d bet your robotics team has a junk box with a 100 PIV, 30w diode in it that you could easily install with a couple of solder seal connectors and shrink tube! 

Probably.  But my mechanical mind went to a dpst toggle switch that disconnects the offending wire from the alternator to insure the engine shuts off.  

 

I want to swap out that toggle switch for a key switch in the not too distant future, so I'll dig around once the electronics box once build season starts.