How To: Change Factory Clock into Voltage Meter

I've been wanting a digital voltmeter in my truck for a while to keep and eye on my voltage while I was winching. So I decided that I was going to put one in place of the factory clock. I originally planned to make a simple panel to replace the clock but when I received the voltage display, I realized that the one I had ordered had no easy way to mount it. So after some pondering I decided to take the clock apart to see if it was possible to stick the voltage display inside of it somehow. Well I figured it out and this is how I did it. I don't have pictures to every step because I decided to do the write up after I had already installed it. I'll try to describe the steps not pictured the best that I can. If you have any questions, just ask and I'll be happy to help.

Tools/Supplies Needed:

Phillips screwdriver
Silicone
Superglue
Soldering Iron and Solder

And THIS is the voltage display that I ordered.
I've seen them in different colors. I personally wanted red so that is why I ordered this one. Just make sure and take measurements before you order a different one so that you know for sure that it will fit.

Steps:

First, you want to pull the clock out of the dash. I had to pop the center bezel loose to get it out. If you don't know how to do that, first pull the A/C control knobs off, then pop the A/C panel off. That will reveal a couple of screws. Once you remove those, the bezel will pop loose. You don't have to take it completely off or at least I didn't have to. The clock is held it by clips, so it just pops out.




Once you get the clock loose, pull the plug out of the back of the clock and if you have the illumination ring around your key then there should be a plug to remove from that, as well.

Next, you want to take the two screws out of the back of the clock. Also take note of the labeling on the back of the clock, you will need that later.



Once the clock is loose from the bezel, then you need to pry up the four clips holding the face of the clock on. There are two on each side and it is easiest to pry up two on one side and get it started off then do the other side. WARNING: Those clips break very easily, so be careful. I actually broke one off but it still holds fine with one missing.



Once that face is loose, take it off and set it to the side. The buttons will probably fall out but that's fine. They do not have a specific place to go back in. If they don't fall out then go ahead and pop them out and take the little rubber bumpers off of the buttons.

Here is a picture of the rubber bumpers.



If you want, you can go ahead a glue the buttons back in their place. I used a very small dab a super glue on them so, hopefully, can break them loose if I ever want to put the clock back in. I already hated pushing those little buttons, so I'm not worried about accidentally pushing them and breaking them loose. I put the glue in the small groove on the bottom of the button hole.



While that is drying, you can start removing the clock display. There are two small screws holding it in. I don't have a picture of the clock display in place but I have a picture of the screws that I am referring to and also of the clock display once it is removed.

The two screws holding the display in place.



The clock display removed.



After you remove the display there will be four very small springs left on the prongs. Remove those.



Now to hook up the wires. My display has three wires coming off of it. A red wire, black wire, and green wire. The red is power, the black is ground, and the green is the voltage input. Going back to the labeling on the back of the clock, there are four places. The ones that I used are the B (+), E (-), and ACC (+). Here is how the wires need to be soldered onto the prongs.

B (+) = Green

E (-) = Black

ACC (+) = Red

You can refer to a couple of the previous pictures to see how to hook up the wires if you need to. Also, I didn't shorten any of the wires, I just curled them up inside. You can shorten them if you would like, just to clean things up better.

Once that is done, I would go plug it up and check to see if it works correctly. It should come on with the key just as the clock did. And it should read around 12 volts with the engine off and around 14 volts with the engine running.



If everything works correctly then it is time to silicone the display in. Put some silicone on the back of the display and stick it to the housing like this.



Now put everything back together and stick the clock back in the dash. Turn it on and check to see if it is straight and you can see it good. When I first did mine, I had the display a little too high and it didn't look right so I hurried up and took it back apart and was able to move it around some before the silicone set up.

Once you're happy with the placement, then put it all back together and enjoy.

 

Definitely doing this! Do you think there is room underneath the meter so I could cut out the buttons and put a switch there?

 

Damn this is genius... Someone rep this guy for me

 

That's pretty slick

 

sub'd

 

This is so B.A. +1 to you sir.

 

Where else can you order this? Shipping is 2-4 weeks unless you wanna spend $25 for next day

 

Nicely done, great write-up too!

 

Thanks guys.

Maybe a small switch. The clock housing isn't very deep but I guess you could cut out the back and let the switch protrude through.

I imagine you can order them off of ebay. You could also probably find something that will work at radioshack or any electronic stores. Now that I think about it, mine took a while to get here also because it was shipped from japan.

 

Awesome, I wouldn't like having the clock buttons there for no reason... I'd probably just run a switch for interior lights or run my bass gain knob there.

 

If you wanted to get real creative, I'm sure you could buy some small push button switches and mount them in a way to be able to use the original buttons for lights and whatnot.

 

Haha that would be pretty cool, but too detailed for me!

 

Very nice! Good clean mod OP!

 

good stuff !

it be even better... if the original clock set buttons
could be used to control a dual voltage/battery set up

I'd jump at that

 

Thanks.

That would be pretty awesome. I'm sure you could fit another display underneath the one that I already have in there and then put push buttons behind the original buttons like I said earlier. Or instead of having 2 displays, you could simply T the wire that gives the voltage reading with a switch and switch from one battery to the other. I don't plan on running dual batteries but I don't think that it would be very hard to figure out.

 

Badass. Im assuming the clock didn't change from 96-01 other than color?

 

Very good idea, nice detail on your write up, I suppose a guy could get another clock at a picknpull do your mod on that one and keep original if you wanted to go back to factory clock. Very well done!!

 

Thanks. As far as I know, they didn't but don't take my word on that.

Thanks. Yea that is what I was trying to do. Keep the factory wiring harness untouched so that you could go back with the clock if you decided that you didn't like the voltmeter or it quit working.

 

So doing this. Great mod

 

Makes me wish I still had my '04 just to do this. Very creative, very nice, and very OEM-looking. GREAT JOB!!!