Analog, analog.

[Caredo]

I'm adamant in making at least one of my portables Steampunk-ish, and that means no digital displays and whatnot. Wood casing, brass trimmings/buttons, etc.

What I really want to do is take something like this and combine it with a battery life indicator, sitting at the top left corner of the portable and pointing at how much life the battery has left. The closest to this I could find is this. Looks big, looks too modern.

Would I be able to make my own, assuming I can't find a better alternative to the golf cart battery monitor? I need something tiny.

 

[samjc3]

it should be a very simple'ish mechanism. you should be able to duplicate it somehow.

and as for the "no digital displays" thing, what about the screen?
i really like the idea!

 

[Caredo]

it should be a very simple'ish mechanism. you should be able to duplicate it somehow.

and as for the "no digital displays" thing, what about the screen?
i really like the idea!

Thanks. Of course I'ma have a screen. Hopefully, the case will counterbalance that. I just don't want to add any more LCDs than I absolutely have to, so yeah. I'm going to incorporate a pressure gauge into the design somehow, I just figured it might as well have a purpose.

Oh, and if it's any consolation, this will likely be an Atari or something old-ish. I was originally going to go for an N64, but the 3D graphics and whatnot would just make it look out of place. I'll use my other case ideas for that.

If anyone can find a cheaper analog battery life indicator (I really can't think of/find a better name for them), let me know!

 

[XCVG]

Get an old analog voltmeter.

Seriously. It's analog so it's got a nice tuned mecanism. Connect, recase, and add a new scale. Done!

 

[Basement_Modder]

I would say but that golf cart one and re-case it and redraw the gauge. (with a computer, obviously.)

That is the simplest solution I can think of.

 

[Caredo]

I think what I'll do is get the 2.5" one and recase it, as well as cutting the indicator a little shorter and replacing the back plate with something smaller. In effect, I'd be making the voltmeter LOOK smaller, while still keeping its internal workings the same size.

This was suggested over at BH, and I like it.

 

[Caredo]

Gah, nevermind. This entire idea has to be scrapped. The only analog DC voltmeters have a minimum of 8 volts, while my batteries give off 7.4.

 

[samjc3]

Gah, nevermind. This entire idea has to be scrapped. The only analog DC voltmeters have a minimum of 8 volts, while my batteries give off 7.4.

you could run it through a step up regulator.

 

[Caredo]

Gah, nevermind. This entire idea has to be scrapped. The only analog DC voltmeters have a minimum of 8 volts, while my batteries give off 7.4.

you could run it through a step up regulator.

And then I'd have to run it through a step-down as it comes out of the voltmeter. >_>

 

[samjc3]

Gah, nevermind. This entire idea has to be scrapped. The only analog DC voltmeters have a minimum of 8 volts, while my batteries give off 7.4.

you could run it through a step up regulator.

And then I'd have to run it through a step-down as it comes out of the voltmeter. >_>

do you want the epicness it will bring, or will you just quit because it requires a step down regulator too?

 

[Caredo]

Fiiiiiine, I'll try.

Truth is, I'm really lazy and a small analog voltmeter is like $30.

@Bacteria: Here's a link for the voltmeters.

 

[grossaffe]

Gah, nevermind. This entire idea has to be scrapped. The only analog DC voltmeters have a minimum of 8 volts, while my batteries give off 7.4.

you could run it through a step up regulator.

And then I'd have to run it through a step-down as it comes out of the voltmeter. >_>

couldn't you just run the voltmeter in parallel to the rest of the system so the rest of the system doesn't have to worry about the step-up regulator?

 

[Caredo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't I need something that measured amperage or summat, rather than voltage? The batteries I use don't change in voltage, so...

I saw this and this, as well. Both run on DC and within the voltage range of most batteries used for portables.

 

[XCVG]

That little panel meter is what I was talking about!

Anyway, I need not explain because Bac is right! Also you should wire the voltmeter in parallel, not in series. Recase it and make a cool steampunk-ish scale.

 

[Basement_Modder]

Parallel is better. You'll only need one step-up that way.