digital vs. analog voltmeter gauges

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

got a question to anyone in the know. i have an analog voltage gauge in my explorer. it shows a gauge with 3 lines and no numbers. so i figured i would pick up a digital gauge and use that to see what my car is always sitting at, and also to look for voltage drops when im listening to music.

now i talked to a member of the forums and he brought up a good point. the analog voltage gauge is basically a real time reading. while the digital one wont be real time because since its digital it needs time to process. well it makes total sense, just like a digital multimeter has a delay while it calculates voltage, im afraid a digital voltage gauge will do the same.

so my question is, who has used one, and is it a worthwhile investment? or would an analog one with numbers be better? only thing i dont like about analog is that depending on if your hitting bumps, rough roads, looking at the gauge crooked youll never know exactly where its sitting. the digital you will because its a big *** number but the delay, will make it inconvenient as well. any advice, suggestions are welcome.

George

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[Gianotti 10+ year member]

i have a digi voltage gauge in my truck i picked up from summit about 4 months ago, i love it, but it is off a little bit, i rechecked with DMM and its about 2/10ths to about 4/10ths off but what can you do....its does help in comps alot though!

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

is there a lag between say...when you start a burp and when the meter picks up a change?

ive been reading about the stinger gauges. i wanted to go cheap but i know the stinger ones have an adjustment to calibrate it so it reads dead on. but anywho, i would like to know.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

bump. i know someone has used one before and can comment.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

bump

 

[fwb_1234 10+ year member]

My Hu has some sort of rudimentary voltmeter in it and it takes virtually no time from when the subs hit to when the numbers drop. I have also ridden in a car with an aftermarket stinger voltmeter, and it was also quick. If there was a delay it was not noticeable.

 

[mightycrappy 10+ year member]

Yeah some digital meter do have lag time, but they are millisecs and some are probably longer. There's some out there that should read quite accurately though.

This place has some

http://www.technical-sys.com/Quick%20Mount%20Panel%20Meters.htm

Looking at one at top of page

4V-25V

3samples/sec

Looks like it's just drop in type.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

Like others have said, it just depends on the gauge.

I had a digital voltage meter that came with one of my amps, and when the amp hits hard I can see the numbers change from 14s to 12s and then pick back up when it's not in use.

I'm sure there are gauges with both too. Like an analog gauge with a little digital voltage readout below it, I see these all the time in speedometers, I can't imagine something like that doesn't exist for voltage.