Customer Reviews

Vector VEC008 Digital LCD Voltmeter, 12 Volt

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I've had one for a couple of years now.

Pros: Could not be easier to use. The Red-Yellow-Green LEDs give an instant check on your voltage. The backlight makes it possible to check voltage at night while driving -- so you can see the effect those KC HiLiTES 631 Daylighter - 6 In Black 130w Long Range Off Road Light System (Pair) you just installed are having on your charging system.

Cons: Accuracy may or may not be appropriate for all possible uses. It's good enough for basic automotive uses IMHO. The convenient LEDs don't go off, and the display is a little lame: when your system has 12V or higher, all three are on, not just the green LED. The backlighting is not very bright. The convenient adjustable display is susceptible to popping off if one applies too much pressure to it. It is not an instant reading -- you have to wait for a couple of seconds before the voltage value appears.

Let me address a couple of issues from other reviews. Regarding the ability to read voltages while starting the car -- I think this depends upon how your lighter outlet is wired. Recent Ford F150s have an additional power outlet which is not switched during starting, for example. So I am able to read voltages...if this is really important, consider running a separate lighter outlet direct from your battery if you are automotively handy. But I would not categorize this as a defect of the unit.

Second, several posts have complained about the unit being fragile. I don't agree with that description. The VEC008 Achilles heel is the flexible housing, which can be disconnected with a little pressure. This is probably better than having it just break, and it's an easy repair. Just take a #0 Phillips screwdriver (like the Klein Tool 604-3 No.0 Phillips-Tip Miniature Screwdriver with 3-Inch Round Shank), undo two screws, and it's easy to re-assemble. Hint: Do not lose the screws.

Regarding accuracy...this is not a Fluke multimeter. If one is really serious about this, i.e. if you run a lot of accessories off your lighter socket, then a fixed voltage gauge like the Auto Meter 6391 Cobalt Digital Voltmeter Gauge is probably something you should consider, especially if you find yourself needing jump starts!

So...having some way of measuring voltage in your car is a good idea, and I can generally recommend the VEC008. It is not without drawbacks, so I will give it three stars.

Experiencing dificulties in my airplane related to variable voltage I purchased this voltmeter and plugged it in. It works great and lets me know exactly what the voltage is, as in the alternator gets turned off and I start to use battery power, this gauge lets me know exactly when that happens. Excellent piece of equipment. It is not robust, being made of plastic but works great for what it is!

i've had one for 6-7 years now and only use it sporadically when helping people who need a jump to start their cars. (find it helpful for diagnostic purposes but that's out of the scope of practice for joe handyman) it's back lit and easy to read. cheaply built and not very sturdy, but what do you want for the price? occasionally it "jams" and won't show a reading. it needs to be unplugged and plugged back in again. not accurate for voltages lower than 7.0 or for the range 15-21 volts, but for 12 or 24 volt systems, will accurately indicate with numbers and 3 led sequential lights the amount of juice being fed in.

I bought this exact unit for use in my aircraft, which is a 28V electrical system running a 24Volt battery. It came in very handy just last week, when the alternator died in flight, and I quickly and easily found the problem, and returned to base by using this device. Not having this device would have cost me more time and gas before catching the alternator problem. Now, I am buying 4 more, two for each of our cars, and two for a friend for each of his cars.

In short, compared to the Equus 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor for about $4 more, this thing sucks. It's poorly made; the display varies in the voltage it shows based on how much you swivel the head. The LEDs don't display correctly.

I bought this AND the Equus 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor and have compared them side by side in the same vehicle and 12 V power outlet. The Equus wins HANDS DOWN. The display on this one is VERY difficult to see, it's faint and fades in and out. I would not recommend this 12v monitor to anybody even if it was the only one on the market.

Bottom line: Avoid this one. It's bad news. The Equus 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor is much better. I bought both with the intentions to test and use the one I felt best on my MOTORCYCLE, and I'm happy with the Equus. At $11 it's not worth sending back so I am going to toss it in the trash. But probably not before I make a video of it comparing it to the other unit.

My motorhome has elaborate charging and monitoring for the house batteries, but nothing for the starting battery. This is an excellent tool to use to keep track at a glance to make sure the starting battery isn't allowed to get too low before taking some means to charge it. Don't expect accurate readings, as mine was reading about 0.5 volts low compared to a real voltmeter (until I opened it and adjusted the little pot).

Still, even without adjusting, if you park it, note whatever it reads fully charged (actually about 12.65V), and once once you see it has dropped a half of a volt, it is time to charge. I suspect they are all set a little different.

Well worth the price, but fragile as noted earlier.

A very convenient, easy to read device for monitoring the condition of the battery in your vehicle. It is backlit enough to read at night though the LED lights are sufficent to know if you have a problem or not. I also like the portability of the unit. If someone else is having a problem, it is quite simple to plug it into their vehicle to check battery status. A nice little unit for the price!

This plugs into lighter outlet and allows me to monitor car battery voltage when charging other items from the car. Easy to read. Works well

Bought this unit to replace lost unit (same brand).

Works Great

WOULD BUY AGAIN

Very compact tester- fits in shirt pocket or under motorcycle seat. Gives good indication of battery state of charge and how well the charging system is performing. A smaller display than Innova model, but adequate for its purpose.