Do I really need a $200 Battery Monitor??
Been reading and looking at battery monitors. Seems like they come in all sizes shapes and prices, some with a shunt and some without. Do the roughly $200 monitors like Trimetric, Bluesky, Magnum, X...
Forum Discussion
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 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
