Volt meter and OP gauges ?

[motorhogman]

2001 FLHT. stock box No extra lights or electrical powered equipment.

I was out for a ride yesterday, bikes running very good. Gassed up and after running a few short trips 46 mpg.

About 2 mi from the house I notice my OP gauge is running a few pounds lower than norm at 3,000 rpm and my Volt meter is running higher than normal.


Pulled into the shed and left the bike running.

Hooked up a Digital VM to my battery tender connector. get a reading of 14.4  turn on high beams at idle and 13.5 +/- .bring rpm up to 2000 and back up to 14.4.

I recall some wheelers back in the day having voltage limiter switches that would cause multiple gauges to fluctuate at the same time when they went bad. .

I looked at the SM wiring diagram and don't see any voltage limiter switches.

Recent work has been cam chest, Can't think of anything i would have disturbed that would effect these gauges.

I'm thinking a ground possibly ?  Under the fairing ? 

[Dan89flstc]

Maybe just a poor connection, either positive or negative, both are equally important.

[smoserx1]

The voltmeter in my dash has read whacky for YEARS now.  The other day it showed right at 12V going down the road and about 9 volts at idle.  I tested the battery with a digital meter, 12.4 with engine off.  Cranked it up, got 14.1 at 2000 RPM and shut it down battery then read 12.8.  Often in cold weather the voltmeter will read higher and anytime I have worked on the bike and removed the fairing or the battery the gauge has usually read higher...for a while.  Every time I have ever tested the battery voltage itself I got good results.

Ditto for the oil pressure gauge.  Last summer it read low, now it reads excessively high.  I believe the sending unit is flaky.  I don't trust either the voltmeter  or oil pressure reading.  Sometimes I wish I had bought a road king that had neither.

[Coyote]

Your OP will vary for lots of reasons. Your DVM voltage is withing HD's spec. I wouldn't worry about it.

[motorhogman]

The voltmeter in my dash has read whacky for YEARS now.  The other day it showed right at 12V going down the road and about 9 volts at idle.  I tested the battery with a digital meter, 12.4 with engine off.  Cranked it up, got 14.1 at 2000 RPM and shut it down battery then read 12.8.  Often in cold weather the voltmeter will read higher and anytime I have worked on the bike and removed the fairing or the battery the gauge has usually read higher...for a while.  Every time I have ever tested the battery voltage itself I got good results.

Ditto for the oil pressure gauge.  Last summer it read low, now it reads excessively high.  I believe the sending unit is flaky.  I don't trust either the voltmeter  or oil pressure reading.  Sometimes I wish I had bought a road king that had neither.

I took delivery of this bike coming up on 20 years ago this Sept. with gauges already installed by the dealer.  The gauges have always been steady. Yes the volt ga has never been accurate but it's a good base line.  I'm pretty sure the oil pressure is good and verified the the charging system is working fine. 

I just like things to work the way they should.. Maybe next time I'm out for a ride they will be back to normal..  I just find it weird that both act up at the same time.  Not a big believer in coincidences..

[motorhogman]

Maybe just a poor connection, either positive or negative, both are equally important.

I guess I'll take the outer fairing off and see if I can find anything obvious

[motorhogman]

Your OP will vary for lots of reasons. Your DVM voltage is withing HD's spec. I wouldn't worry about it.

I agree the OP will vary.  but after close to 20 years I know the variations really well.  Not so much worried as just like things to work the way they should.

[a_disalvo]

Had a problem with my 2013 Street Glide, while riding noticed all my gauges stopped working and screen went blank. Voltmeter was pegged on high side. Turned bike off, restarted, all was well for a little while, than same thing happened. Voltage regulator was going, called Cal. Phil, sent me a cycle electric, problem solved. Point is, 2013 did have a means to protect the electronics from high voltage. Regards, Frank

[motorhogman]

Had a problem with my 2013 Street Glide, while riding noticed all my gauges stopped working and screen went blank. Voltmeter was pegged on high side. Turned bike off, restarted, all was well for a little while, than same thing happened. Voltage regulator was going, called Cal. Phil, sent me a cycle electric, problem solved. Point is, 2013 did have a means to protect the electronics from high voltage. Regards, Frank

That's why i was wondering about a voltage limiter switch. Don't see one in the wiring diagram or parts book.. 

[motorhogman]

Just got back from a test ride..

I found that the H4 headlight bulb was on it's way out.. It would quit working intermittently.  When it went out the volt meter would climb up a bit.

Some how this seems to effect the OP gauge as well. It would drop a bit.   

They do share a common ground wire ( headlight, V meter, OP gauge) from the diagram.

After changing the bulb just ran about 70 mi in different kinds of traffic,  little stop and go in town, some  4 laners and two laners 70 - 80 mph and some 50- 55 mph and both gauges are running where they always have. 

Not sure how this happens but so far it seems to be the answer.. Few more rides should tell..