Could do with some help from the electrically literate amongst you please chaps!

I have an LED voltmeter I plan sticking on my instrument panel, you know, the one we all love and admire! Wiring it in seems as if it should be easy and there is an accessible ground on the back of the gas gauge.

What I would like to know is if any of the other terminals are normally live, when the ignition is on? If so I can simply stick the voltmeter on the black bezel, to the left, and pass the wires through the grommet where the handlebar goes, simple like.

 

Tup,
There should be plenty of sources for a switch 12V in your gauge cluster and the various connections to it. For example, there should be one set for the instrument light bulbs. That would be an easy switched source for you. I'm trying to remember how the whole gauge thing connects. I think there's one big plug, right? Anyway, just look around for an Orange wire and tap into that. You could even just stick the + of your voltmeter into the back of about any Orange wire at a plug and that would probably work fine for you for several years to decades with a bit of grease added. Or get fancy and splice it in properly.

 

Doh! Should have thought about the instrument lights! On my bike the lights are switched separately from the ignition, but as I normally ride with them on that makes an easy point to wire into. Every wire going through that multi-way connector is secured onto the back of the instruments via a screw terminal, as is the ground. It is on the kitchen table as I write - too darned cold to be in the garage!

By using those screwed terminal points the voltmeter can become a part of the panel, which saves messing with a more complicated wiring set-up. Many thanks Doctor!