After changing my stator out last month (thanks for the help on here!), I'm wanting to wire up a voltmeter that will sit on my master cylinder by the right grip.

I don't want it to be on all the time, just when the ignition switch is on. I've found a couple spots to tap into, but on my handheld meter those leads all measure around .2v lower than directly on the battery terminal.

What's best? Just tap into one of those and call it a day? Or wire directly to the battery with a relay switch in between?

 

This^^

 

The most important voltage is what is at the battery, certainly. However, the complexity of adding a relay just for the volt meter is a drawback. If it were me, I would connect to a switched wire somewhere and call it good. Then you really look for differences from "normal." That's how the bikes with a factory volt meter such as my FLHT are wired. You could also just wire it to the battery and leave it. If it is a proper volt meter, not cheap junk, it would be about 20K ohms/volt load, and the current draw would be inconsequential.

 

They read lower due to voltage loss along the wiring. My ultra shows less than the battery due to being connected up inside the fairing and it loses some voltage along the way. If you find a larger wire that is switched, it will probably read better.

With a voltmeter you are only really sort of telling the story. Actually, you're just showing it is breathing versus a full readout, and that is all you need. As long as it is above 12 you are golden.

The easiest method will work just as well as running new wire all the way up in the end. Think oil pressure gauge. LOL..

Griz

 

That was pretty much what I was thinking. The voltmeter I got is nothing expensive or super detailed; it's just there so I know if the battery is draining.

Accessory wire tap it is.