Where to mount voltmeter?

M

MindlessTeesCX5

Member
:
Mazda CX-5 AWD Touring
Anyone add any gauges to there CX-5 (2014) I'm adding a voltmeter to monitor my batter since I have a dash cam that is hard wired to a constant power and I leave random things plugged into the center console charging over night. Now sure where to mount it, looking for suggestions, thanks
 
What you're doing is a sure way to kill the battery. Don't leave anything plugged in, and power your camera from independent battery, if you must leave it on. It takes a long time for the alternator to bring the battery into acceptable state of charge after the engine start. If you drain it all the time, good luck.
There are cigarette lighter voltmeters on Amazon or eBay.
 
I hardwired the cam with a hardwire kit that prevents battery drain. I know I don’t intentionally leave things plugged in and I got a battery tender that I throw on the car now and then but I want a voltmeter so I know how much drain if any is happening etc
 
What's the style of the meter? Is it designed to be pod mounted? Is it digital?
 
Not sure about that one. I figured it was gonna be a standard pod gauge. In which case you can mount on the pillar. Actually, you still could pillar mount it but it would be flush with the pillar vs parallel to your sight line.
 
Yeah the only place I’ve come up with is on the left side of the steering wheel where the GPS modular goes (I don’t have the gps feature) I’d have to make something custom
 
Won't fit. That gauge you posted is a ~1" and that pod is for 2". Also it doesn't have a mounting base. If you want to use a traditional gauge vs the 12v plug type, you'd need on like this https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned). It's 52mm/2" which would fit in a pod like you listed. Then you could put it on a mountable pod like this https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned) 9 (I actually use this for my manifold pressure/oil pressure gauges). The only way I can see you using that OP gauge is to hole cut a 1" hole somewhere such as the pillar. Although if you have an older cx5 without nav you may be able to utilize that nav unit space on the lower left for it. You COULD also mount it in the lower middle console recess next to the 12v plug, but you'd have to remove the part to cut it.

Also moved to the accessories subforum.
 
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I was also think maybe I could mount it next to the clock I have the touring so I do t have anything on either side of the clock
 
My Escort Redline radar detector, has the option to show the voltage. I have it set, on that display.
This is not mine, but to illustrate how it is mine:
redline-voltage1.jpg
 
I think I’m going to mount it on the plastic piece below the steering wheel on the left side so it close to the fuse panel and kinda out of the way.
 
I haven't mounted it yet, here are two options I'm considering. Check out these mockups and let me know what you think. I like opition 1 best I just don't know whats behind that panel and if I can mount it there, but I know I can mount it in location 2 100%.

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Just saw this and realized that you had a 2014 like me. A number of years ago, there was a guy on here who made custom gauge pods for our CX-5s. I am colorblind and couldn't read the clock (beside the fact that it was so low), so I had him make me a pod for a clock. It actually completely replaced the side window defroster vent; I think he started with a genuine Mazda part and then made the pod. I'll look around and see if I can find who made it for me (it was someone on this forum), but don't hold you breath! Anyway, I love the placement of my clock!

EDIT: Found the info. The guy's name is Ben and he lives in MA. I paid $65 for the custom pod. His email address is: xxredline9xx at aol.com
I can't guarantee that he's still around, but that's the info I have.

GuagePod.jpg


GuagePodLit.jpg


GuagePodInside.jpg


GuagePodOutsideView.jpg
 
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minnesotaart said:
Just saw this and realized that you had a 2014 like me. A number of years ago, there was a guy on here who made custom gauge pods for our CX-5s. I am colorblind and couldn't read the clock (beside the fact that it was so low), so I had him make me a pod for a clock. It actually completely replaced the side window defroster vent; I think he started with a genuine Mazda part and then made the pod. I'll look around and see if I can find who made it for me (it was someone on this forum), but don't hold you breath! Anyway, I love the placement of my clock!

EDIT: Found the info. The guy's name is Ben and he lives in MA. I paid $65 for the custom pod. His email address is: xxredline9xx at aol.com
I can't guarantee that he's still around, but that's the info I have.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, the gauge I purchased only cost $8. I wouldn't want to invest that much money in something like this. But nice gauge!!
 
So I took the plunge and I install the voltmeter today I ended up installing it on the panel with the Blindspot monitoring and the tire pressure monitoring buttons like I showed in mock up option one earlier in this thread. Once I popped the modular out it was a little intimidating because it had a bunch of different pieces that I needed to take apart and there was a little computer board in there with buttons on there but I knew this is where I wanted to put it and wasn’t a hundred percent sure it was gonna pan out but I just dove in and did it. First I drilled a hole, then I used a Dremel to continuously dremel out the hole bigger and bigger and bigger testing the fit every step of the way I did have to Dremel out a lot of the little tabs and round off a lot of edges inside the module box but luckily because there’s no buttons on that side it was pretty much just empty space. Originally I used gonna use wire connectors to connect to the terminals on the voltmeter but they took up too much space inside that little module box so I had to just wire them directly to the tabs and put some electrical tape keep them secured. Tested to make sure everything works before I permanently put it into the module box. Then fish the wire through the dash snapped it in, ground it under the dash by the fuse panel wiretapped off the cigarette lighter fuse smooth sailing works great.

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