Gary in Michigan
2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 Double Cab 5.3 Liter V8
1996 Coachmen Catalina RB210 21' Fifth Wheel
495 Watts Solar, 40 AMP Renogy Tracer MPPT Controller,2 GC2 6V Batts.
2017 F350 Platinum DRW
2013 Adventurer 89RB
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
675w Solar pictures back up
M & N
Tundra TRD V8 4x4 w/Leer Shell
EU2000i * Prodigy * McKesh * Trek * Renogy * ENU
And a copy of the "State of charge" chart you can find all over these forums
And knowledge of how to measure.. Likewise all over the forum
You need to measure "resting" (neither charging nor discharging) for at least an hour.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times
Innova 3721 battery and charging system monitor
Plug and play. Portable. I can monitor any battery which has a 12V bayonet socket in its circuits. RV engine battery, coach battery, even my car battery.
I use a 12V CPAP machine all night every night and need the reassurance of being able to monitor the battery when I want to.
2006 Tiger CX 4x4, 8.1 L gas V-8, Allison 6-speed
I made up my battery monitor from two DC Voltmeters and one DC Current meter... I can pretty well determine my battery status by a quick look see... I do wish I had an a settable alarm however which I can add one of these days...
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/ZREKV.jpg)
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/tjWzR1M.png)
Roy's images
I could just use my multimeter and do the same thing...
Roy Ken
My Posts are IMHO based on my experiences - Words in CAPS does not mean I am shouting
Roy - Carolyn
RETIRED DOAF/DON/DOD/CONTR RADIO TECH (42yrs)
K9PHT (Since 1957) 146.52M
2010 F150, 5.4,3:73 Gears,SCab
2008 Starcraft 14RT EU2000i GEN
2005 Flagstaff 8528RESS
.jpg)
I'd post a pic but Photobucket lost all my pics...
Just under $40
Measures volts, amps charge and discharge, and shows percent of battery charge level and amp hrs left in the bank, even watts charge or discharge
All at the push of a button
If all you want is voltage , there lots of $10 meters
If you want to measure how much power you are using you need an amp meter
Any thing much over 10 amps usually need an external sensor
Either a shunt or "hall effect named sensor coil"
* This post was edited 03/11/17 10:14am by MrWizard *
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !
....
Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s
the shunt is large heavy and stiff
it does NOT do perkut correction, but that is not a problem for me
skipro3 wrote:
I don't think anyone mentioned a hydrometer, but then so many these days use sealed batteries that can not be serviced anyways. No one mentioned a load tester either. The TRUE way to measure a batteries condition is with a load tester. Know for sure then.
I don't think anyone mentioned a hydrometer, but then so many these days use sealed batteries that can not be serviced anyways. No one mentioned a load tester either. The TRUE way to measure a batteries condition is with a load tester. Know for sure then.
I would do some of these tests a couple times a year doing some Battery PM's... For the daily runs off-grid it wasn't necessary for me to have all of that absolute battery performance information. I could tell what was happening by just watching the DC VOLTMETERs and pretty much determine I am still doing ok...
As my batteries got older then I started noticing performance falling off each day/night run and taking longer to get from the 50% charge state to the 90% charge state. I finally had to give up of them last season... Out of my original four batteries installed in 2008 I only have one left now that will take a charge and still work to a fashion... Not too bad for my original four each 12V 85AH Standard issue Interstate GP24s...
Roy Ken
skipro3 wrote:
I don't think anyone mentioned a hydrometer, but then so many these days use sealed batteries that can not be serviced anyways. No one mentioned a load tester either. The TRUE way to measure a batteries condition is with a load tester. Know for sure then.
I don't think anyone mentioned a hydrometer, but then so many these days use sealed batteries that can not be serviced anyways. No one mentioned a load tester either. The TRUE way to measure a batteries condition is with a load tester. Know for sure then.
A load tester is a very useful item to have. Using one beats removing the battery to take it someplace to be tested. It will quickly tell you if your battery is nearing the end of its useful days.
If a voltmeter is not already part of what is inside a simple one will do. Don't like those stupid light thingys.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter
2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel
Ham Radio: VP9KL, IRLP node 7995
Highly recommended.
The first one I got was not backlit (different brand); big mistake.
They must be popular. The price keeps creeping up. About 6 months ago I got one for about $10.
skipro3 wrote:
The TRUE way to measure a batteries condition is with a load tester. Know for sure then.
The TRUE way to measure a batteries condition is with a load tester. Know for sure then.
And even that doesn't tell the whole story sometimes.
Essentially you never know for sure.
RoyB & MrWizard - Thanks for the suggestion and the pics. I can't seem to find ANY reviews on this item, and it doesn't seem like it really even has a name/model #. Not sure it will do much more than the little plug in item that Tiger4x4RV suggested. Am I missing something?
Thanks for everyone's feedback.
What is needed is a simple voltmeter constantly monitoring the voltage on the RV battery bank's terminals to indicate approximate state of charge and a simple ammeter constantly monitoring the current into and out-of the battery bank to indicate equipment current usage rate, rate of charge when charging, and to tell when the batteries are fully charged.
That digital Bayite meter that the OP linked is so inexpensive that it might be worth giving it a try, as it provides everything I've mentioned above plus some more - it's "almost" equivalent to a Trimetric meter.
On the other hand, I wouldn't trust it to be high enough quality to last very long due to it's low cost.
2005 E450 Itasca 24V Class C
That plug in will give you volts on that circuit, not volts at the battery
And that's all
The meter I mentioned gives the amps load, or the amps charging (IF charging)
Among with a lot more
If all you ever do is go some place where you plug into shore power, then that volt meter will let you know that your converter is working
If you want to dry camp for more than one night, you will be better informed knowing what's going on with your batteries and how much power you use
And accurately guage your generator run recharge time
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/wink.gif "wink")
Just kidding but had to throw it out there.
96 Vogue Prima Vista
The Kid's: Humphrie, the Mini Schnauzer and Georgie,wire haired dachshund.
Rainbow Bridge: Laddie,Scoutie,Katie,Cooper,Kodie,Rubie,Maggie, Cassie, Mollie, Elvis, Potter and Rosie Love You! (40+ years in all)
DiploStrat
===========================
1990 Mercedes Benz 917/XPCamper
Website: https://diplostrat.net/
SCVJeff wrote:
Probably not needed, but the problem with just a voltmeter is that you need to measure things at rest to reflect the charts mentioned above. Once I got used to and confident in my SOC readings, that's now all I use
The chart that shows 10.5 volts as dead is actually while the battery in under moderate load.Probably not needed, but the problem with just a voltmeter is that you need to measure things at rest to reflect the charts mentioned above. Once I got used to and confident in my SOC readings, that's now all I use
Kinda get used to it. Monitor is accurate within maybe 5 percent and the voltmeter probably 10 percent. The 10 percent is fine for most usage IMO.
And our lights are back on....
Matt
* This post was edited 03/12/17 10:57am by Matt_Colie *
Matt & Mary Colie
A sailor, his bride and their black dogs (one dear dog is waiting for us at the bridge) going to see some dry places that have Geocaches in a coach made the year we married.
* This post was last edited 03/12/17 10:56am by Matt_Colie *
* This post was last edited 03/12/17 10:55am by Matt_Colie *
* This post was edited 03/11/17 01:05pm by Matt_Colie *
DiploStrat wrote:
Before one can answer the original poster's question, we have to ask another question(s), "What do you want the meter to tell you, and why?"
Before one can answer the original poster's question, we have to ask another question(s), "What do you want the meter to tell you, and why?"
Good question. I've just spent several hundred upgrading my battery bank and adding 200 watts of solar and an MPPT charge controller. My primary concern would be not letting my batteries get below 50%. An alarm/warning of some kind would be nice when they get close to 50%.
time2roll wrote:
Kinda get used to it. Monitor is accurate within maybe 5 percent and the voltmeter probably 10 percent. The 10 percent is fine for most usage IMO.
Yeah but getting there is where the SOC comes in handy. Its looking at voltage, current, and matches it against charging history, battery capacity (a config item), and has a rough idea where "dead" is based on aggregated AH draw throughout the discharge. 10.5 may be dead at 180A draw for late night popcorn, but what did you pull out of the remaining cap once you're back down to a 15A load and the battery recovers given the current state of the batteries, age, etc? I bought the BMK module for the Magnum because I wanted significantly better resolution for V&C; how I did it before the SOC calculation. Not needed but its a wonderful thing.
SCVJeff wrote:
Probably not needed, but the problem with just a voltmeter is that you need to measure things at rest to reflect the charts mentioned above. Once I got used to and confident in my SOC readings, that's now all I use
The chart that shows 10.5 volts as dead is actually while the battery in under moderate load.Probably not needed, but the problem with just a voltmeter is that you need to measure things at rest to reflect the charts mentioned above. Once I got used to and confident in my SOC readings, that's now all I use
Kinda get used to it. Monitor is accurate within maybe 5 percent and the voltmeter probably 10 percent. The 10 percent is fine for most usage IMO.
Again it's not necessary but I can afford it and RV'ing is my only vice lol so I don't mind spending a few bucks even for the entertainment value... yes I'm easily entertained.
GaryS1953 wrote:
Good question. I've just spent several hundred upgrading my battery bank and adding 200 watts of solar and an MPPT charge controller. My primary concern would be not letting my batteries get below 50%. An alarm/warning of some kind would be nice when they get close to 50%.
I'd suggest to get this Victron monitor. If you amortize the cost over the life of a couple of sets of batteries or the cost of a couple RV's, it's worth the cost. DiploStrat wrote:
Before one can answer the original poster's question, we have to ask another question(s), "What do you want the meter to tell you, and why?"
Before one can answer the original poster's question, we have to ask another question(s), "What do you want the meter to tell you, and why?"
Good question. I've just spent several hundred upgrading my battery bank and adding 200 watts of solar and an MPPT charge controller. My primary concern would be not letting my batteries get below 50%. An alarm/warning of some kind would be nice when they get close to 50%.
I have this monitor and also, an analog gauge. The analog gauge can be seen for a longer distance and I have it mounted so I can see at a glance from outside my trailer.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton
this one reads the amps both ways in/out
and tracks useage, it counts down from your set capacity AH
displaying Ah remaining, SOC% , voltage, even watts
NOT kwh used, but detuct AH remaing from set AH capacity, for AH used
i do that automatically in my Head
set capacity 675, remaining is 540 ah, overnight use 135ah,
press % button to see 80% SOC
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-250A-Vol........pacity-/171052067910?hash=item27d37f6c46
![[image]](http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-egAAOSwv-NWYvOH/s-l1600.jpg)
I have a video of mine in operation, on this forum someplace, not sure if its in my battery thread or in the Poor Mans Trimetric thread
had mine for almost a year
and have been real happy with it
current price is $31 each
No affiliation with seller, just a happy customer
here is the video link on Photo Bucket, its only 40 seconds play time video of power meter in operation
i step through the AH remaining 608
the SOC % 90.2
the amps load discharge 21+
if charging the 'Charge LED' is lit and the amps are whats going in not out, in this case this was after dark with NO genset/no solar/no charging
* This post was last edited 03/11/17 04:12pm by MrWizard *
SCVJeff wrote:
10.5 may be dead at 180A draw for late night popcorn,.
No 10.5 is dead at about 10 to 25 amps per battery load.10.5 may be dead at 180A draw for late night popcorn,.
By the time you finish your popcorn the voltage will have bounced back to give a decent reading. If this is a late night movie you should have already been running the generator and the voltmeter would have said as much same as your monitor. Monitor is great if you want it. Just not necessary IMO.
NO not if your diligent and aware of whats going on
the batteries are not going to self destruct because you don't have a meter
but having a meter that tracks amps in/out Its a lot easier to track what is happening to the batteries with your power use, than a mere volt meter
* This post was edited 03/11/17 04:34pm by MrWizard *
From what I am reading from your comments and plans, yes, you want one. If you can do it for less than 200$ - Great. Just make sure that you at least get the bi-directional totalizing capability. I have done a lot with lead/acid banks and have found that the Peukert exponent function has little effect in general life.
What I have been trying to post over the last day or more.
We did boat electrics until the depression made the effort to stay in business fruitless. I looked at the instrument referenced many times, I even bought one as that was the only way to access the documentation.
If you NEVER dry camp, you don't need one. If you do or if you doondock for more than one day at a time, think about a good monitor. (One of the ~200$ kind, it could save you that much in replacement batteries.)
What I learned:
These are cumulative in one direction only. That cumulative register has to be manually reset.
That means you can record charge total ampere-hours
OR
you can record and display discharge total ampere-hours.
NOT BOTH
What you cannot get is the current remaining ampere-hours of the connected bank. And it sure won't give it back to you as a percentage of the bank capacity. (This what you really NEED to KNOW.)
The entire functional life of a 12 lead/acid bank is between terminal voltages of 12.0 to 12.6. Even if you have a voltmeter, if it is only 3 digit (i.e. 12.3) you are not able to accurately judge the state of charge. If a L/A Bank is discharged below 50% (~12.0V) it will be damaged and it will loose capacity.
If this does not answer why you should consider a real bank monitior, then maybe you don't need one. Not every one of my clients did. The powered boat people that never ever anchored out sure didn't. That same goes for FHU "campers".
Now, the device Mr. Wizard referenced from E-bay, just might work. My problem and why I won't recommend it right now, is that the owner/install manual is not on-line and I have not been able to
read it. The others I know.
Matt
i have the printed instructions that came with mine
need to find time to do a scan and post the images
Scanned the instructions, created a pdf, uploaded to google drive
Battery Monitor instructions PDF
Happy reading
* This post was edited 03/12/17 08:50pm by MrWizard *
wa8yxm wrote:
I'll join the chorus, Just a good voltmeter is all you need.
And a copy of the "State of charge" chart you can find all over these forums
And knowledge of how to measure.. Likewise all over the forum
You need to measure "resting" (neither charging nor discharging) for at least an hour.
I'll join the chorus, Just a good voltmeter is all you need.
And a copy of the "State of charge" chart you can find all over these forums
And knowledge of how to measure.. Likewise all over the forum
You need to measure "resting" (neither charging nor discharging) for at least an hour.
Agreed...
Brian
2013 Thor Chateau 31L
GaryS1953 wrote:
...What do you think of the Vectrin BMV 700, which can be had for around $140?
...What do you think of the Vectrin BMV 700, which can be had for around $140?
Everyone goes gaga about the Trimetric but IMO the Victron is the better unit and cheaper. It takes the Peukert effect into it's caculations, has a pre-wired wiring harness and it also gives you the option to add a bluetooth dongle to it so you can set it up and monitor it with an app on your phone. I have it and it's pretty handy. You can also then install the hard-wired monitor somewhere out of the way.
People are always first to mention Bogart Trimetric because they were the first to supply a unit that worked.
Victron was just a little later.
The Vectrin BMV 700 is from Victron and seems to be very complete and well thought out. It is too new for me to have worked with and now that the business is buried, I probably never will.
Be sure to put the time into reading both the install and the operation instruction. None of these are PHD (Push Here, Dummy) devices and it will require some set up time. The results will be rewarding.
Matt
It has quite a bit of info, including some wiring diagrams
It does not have the full instructions set, that I linked in my other post
Imo a great meter for the price
100 amp bidirectional meter,
Measuring the electrolyte density is such a pain (I had to take the batteries out of the storage bay) that I didn't do it often enough, particularly in the early morning before turning the thermostat up - so one morning the furnace didn't go on.
The battery monitor ALWAYS displays the state of charge accurately enough. I have the eBay one Boon Docker and Mr Wizard posted a picture of (with instructions). The instructions that come with it are adequate with the wiring diagram in the eBay description. I found the set of three diagrams a little confusing - I'll post a picture of mine. This is a 25 or 30A one, which has the shunt built in. The two terminals marked + are connected together inside the case and need to be connected to any +12 V supply (I ran mine through a switch so I can turn off the monitor). The current flowing from battery negative to/from ground is measured with the shunt connecting the two terminals marked with minus signs. Should you get these two reversed, the "charging" light would come on when discharging.
/
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/9uPo1kxl.jpg)
Really it is quite simple once you realize all current to/from the battery must flow through the monitor in order to be measured. On the low amperage model, the terminals are rather small so even 12 gauge wire is tricky. If you need to go with #14 for a couple of inches you won't introduce noticeable inaccuracy. The higher current models have an external shunt making that problem go away. The shunt makes it much easier to mount the monitor in a convenient place with only very light wires connecting it to the shunt in the battery compartment, though I suppose some accuracy would be sacrificed when using it with a low amperage system like mine.
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/m32c9Kbl.jpg)
Definitely worth $25, though perhaps not $125 even with the remote.
* This post was last edited 03/13/17 02:34pm by Harvey51 *
2004 E350 Adventurer (Canadian) 20 footer - Alberta, Canada
No TV + 100W solar = no generator needed
Well worth it for an inexpensive monitor.
Ken
Ken and Jeannette
2015 FunFinder 266KIRB - Traded in
2006 Ford F-250 "Super" Cab Long Bed - Traded in
2018 Winnebago Fuse 23A
Matt_Colie wrote:
Gary,
...The Vectrin BMV 700 is from Victron and seems to be very complete and well thought out. It is too new for me to have worked with and now that the business is buried, I probably never will.
Be sure to put the time into reading both the install and the operation instruction. None of these are PHD (Push Here, Dummy) devices and it will require some set up time. The results will be rewarding.
Matt
Gary,
...The Vectrin BMV 700 is from Victron and seems to be very complete and well thought out. It is too new for me to have worked with and now that the business is buried, I probably never will.
Be sure to put the time into reading both the install and the operation instruction. None of these are PHD (Push Here, Dummy) devices and it will require some set up time. The results will be rewarding.
Matt
I installed the BMV700 awhile ago and I can highly recommend it. Straight forward installation, a lot of parameters you can play with but it tells me what I need to know. Gives me a clear picture of how much current is being put into or taken out of my battery bank, directly at the batteries. Easy to use remote display too.
Tom
2015 Thor Windsport 27K
.
Jerry & Jeanne
1996 Safari Sahara 3530 - 'White Tiger'
CAT 3126/Allison 6 speed/Magnum Chassis
2014 Equinox AWD / Blue Ox
Glad you like it
I've been very happy with mine
2011 Keystone Outback 295RE
2004 14' bikehauler with full living quarters
2015.5 Denali 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison
2004.5 Silverado 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison passed on to our Son!
