Reliable Thermometer

Igo

Guest
I placed a cheapo analog thermometer in the clear area of my tach. Wrong place. Heat from the motor comes up through the fairing and cooks the thermometer base to raise the temperature 30 degrees instantly.
Has anybody found a reliable, and been able to fix a thermometer to the NT. With the bikes instrumentation and the trip computer on my GPS, ambient outside temperature is just about all I am not currently able to monitor.
 
I have some boiler temp gauges but they would look ridiculous on the NT. They'd sure work though.
 
I had thought about a stick on form Formotion and putting where yours is. I did notice the heat in that area and decided not to do that. Still looking of a solution. Marlins Clocks makes some nice ones but most seem to be for 1" bars (H-D and other cruisers). Our bars are 7/8th I think. Both Formotoion and Marlins have some bolt on mounts but I haven't decided where to put one.

Any thoughts out there?
 
Do you have a link for Marlins? I brought home a piece of rubber tubing that is perfect for 1 inch to 7/8 bar reducers and the handlebars would be a perfect place for a thermometer.
 
Here's another option:


Mini LED Digital Thermometer
thermometer.JPG


Price:$ 23
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Item: 45-1407 Add-On
Details:
This is a mini LED digital thermometer. It is designed to allow you to monitor the outside temperature and the red LED readout makes it easy to read. This meter measures 1 1⁄4" X 7/8", is lightweight, waterproof and comes with a mounting clip which allows it to be mounted on any flat surface. It reads from -20 to +140 degrees Fahrenheit, is easy to connect and will work on any 12V system.

They also make a matching mini-LED voltage meter. I'm in the process of getting these installed on Dudley. I'm going to put them both in the left hand speaker grille.

Mellow had posted the info about them some time back and Don Bennett (Rotorhead on the Forum) has put them on his NT.
 
I positioned my sensor probe about 1/2" out of one of the intake vents just below the headlight. When I'm moving down the highway, I think it's pretty well reading ambient air temp
 
Yo, Don! Tell me again which wires you connected to for power. Thanks!
 
Chuck 500 said:
I had thought about a stick on form Formotion and putting where yours is. I did notice the heat in that area and decided not to do that. Still looking of a solution. Marlins Clocks makes some nice ones but most seem to be for 1" bars (H-D and other cruisers). Our bars are 7/8th I think. Both Formotoion and Marlins have some bolt on mounts but I haven't decided where to put one.

Any thoughts out there?
Click to expand...

Chuck, do you know if the Formotion thermometer can be made to rotate 180 degrees in the "GAL - Bolt on" mount? Can the mount be flipped 180 degrees to have the mounting face cant away from the thermometer rather than towards it as in most of the pictures? An oil filled analog gauge seems most appropriate on our vibrating handlebars.
 
I posted this Kisan Chargeguard in the For Sale section of this forum. It's still for sale. It contains a voltmeter, ammeter, and thermometer. The thermometer uses a remote probe so the temp can be measured somewhere without a lot of engine heat. Overkill if you just want the thermometer, but if you're also interested in the voltage and amps, it's a nice package.
 
Igo said:
I placed a cheapo analog thermometer in the clear area of my tach. Wrong place. Heat from the motor comes up through the fairing and cooks the thermometer base to raise the temperature 30 degrees instantly.
Has anybody found a reliable, and been able to fix a thermometer to the NT. With the bikes instrumentation and the trip computer on my GPS, ambient outside temperature is just about all I am not currently able to monitor.
Click to expand...

aerostich has one that clips on the handlebars

http://www.aerostich.com/thermometer-clip.html
 
Igo,

I received the Formotion thermometer for Christmas and mounted it on the fairing above the instruments. It is a good location and can be easily seen, but I think it is in a dead air space created by the windscreen, as it reads higher when riding than I know the outside temp to be. It reads Ok if just sitting there for a while before riding. One other thing to note, it is slow to respond to temp changes, so it may not register riding through a hot area unless you are there for about 5 min or so.

To answer your question, they mount on the back by a cap head bolt and can be turned any way you want with relation to the bracket. As my pictures show, I bent the bracket to the angle I needed to mate with the fairing and keep it level. I have had no vibration problems at all using the screw already in the fairing.

I think I am going to move it to the top of the fairing closer to the windscreen so it receives direct airflow behind the windscreen, and probably fabricate a new mounting bracket so I can have 2 mounting screws. The lack of accurate info while riding is getting to me.

Some pictures of my mounting is attached.
 

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I had a H-D accessory handle bar mounted thermometer on my Sportster and it always read around 10? higher than the outside temperature while riding.

Sitting in the garage it was spot on with another thermometer, but on the road it was always higher than the bank Time / Temp signs and other sources I knew where pretty accurate when compared to my car's display. Since it was out in the airflow I didn't expect that it would be off so much...
 
I wonder if the sun shining on it is having an effect then. It may be soaking up the rays and reading warm. Looks like I need to do some further testing...

The Add On thermometer looks good...I may consider that as an alternative if I can't solve my issue. Thanks for the info Wayne.
 
I just used my electric probe and poked around until I found a switched circuit, and tapped into that wire. Ground went to ground
 
Thanks. The more I think about it, I think I'm going to buy Katherine's fancy temperature/voltage/amperage deally.
 
I'll have to defer to Laserdot on Igo's question. I haven't bought one for the NT yet. I am leaning toward the style mount Laserdot used but will likely bolt it to the handlebar using the brake or clutch mounts.
 
Laserdot said:
Igo,

I received the Formotion thermometer for Christmas and mounted it on the fairing above the instruments. It is a good location and can be easily seen, but I think it is in a dead air space created by the windscreen, as it reads higher when riding than I know the outside temp to be. It reads Ok if just sitting there for a while before riding. One other thing to note, it is slow to respond to temp changes, so it may not register riding through a hot area unless you are there for about 5 min or so.

To answer your question, they mount on the back by a cap head bolt and can be turned any way you want with relation to the bracket. As my pictures show, I bent the bracket to the angle I needed to mate with the fairing and keep it level. I have had no vibration problems at all using the screw already in the fairing.

I think I am going to move it to the top of the fairing closer to the windscreen so it receives direct airflow behind the windscreen, and probably fabricate a new mounting bracket so I can have 2 mounting screws. The lack of accurate info while riding is getting to me.

Some pictures of my mounting is attached.
Click to expand...

I beleive I understand that the mounting bracket can be flipped then? Thank you for the help.
 
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