<font size="4">Skippers,
I'm wiring up my systems board, and am using a deck switch, (hoping that our esteemed Secretary doesn't ride up on me and turn the boat off)[:D]. The hatch will be covered with a sheet of clear Plexiglas, and I've Velcro'd an RMG single digit VM on my jib trim servo, so that I can read it through the hatch cover.
I can't decide if I should connect the VM leads upstream or downstream of the power switch. If I mount it downstream, I'll save energy (35mW), when the boat's turned off, but will only be reading the voltage with the RX and RMG winch activated. Wiring it upstream, will cost me 35mW x how many hrs the the battery is plugged in, but will read the voltage with and without load.
Obviously, I don't want to have to remove the taped hatch cover between heats, or I'd mount the switch on the systems board.
Any advice as to how important the power loss will be? I'm using 2600mA 5AA cell NiMH battery packs from ONLYBATTERYPACKS.COM
Thanks,
Paul</font id="size4">