Easy & Cheap way to determine battery draw

Thanks tenbear. You saved me from wasting my time. Twelve gauge would be just ducky for a single solar panel ie useless...

Yup just like many manufactures, brag about it's max rating then design it for "average" use.

After a little research I found the wire size of the Turnigy is #12. Wouldn't last long at 130A. Probably get pretty warm at 50A. Don't think I'll buy one to test.

Don, you're lucky. I remember visiting the fleetwood factory 30-years ago somewhere down in the LA basin. When I told them a full-length christmas tree light type green ground bonding system was stupid (15-series junctions) some bean counter ran out of the office, yelling "Can't do it! Too expensive!" I could hear someone yelling inside the office on the telephone "We will not tolerate a dollar (I forgot how any cents)increase in the price of those batteries - and that's final!"

When I pointed out the non-english-speakeing assembler was stapling right through the 120vac wires behind the pseudo blonde paneling, I was escorted to the office.

"You cannot have headlights 18" off the ground and the driver's eyes, over six feet off the ground" met with blank stares. Yup those folks are real fartsmellers.

Hi,

It would be fine if you eliminated any high draw items such as an inverter. Heck, my RV came with a 50 amp automatic circuit breaker.

I've only had it cycle once--and that was a deliberate test where I turned on every 12 volt item in the RV.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
What GAUGE are the red and black wires? Even 12" long wires passing 130 amperes continuous need to be 8 gauge and even that is pressing it because of voltage drop, and skewing of the accuracy of the voltmeter.

Good point. It's hard to imagine THAT meter having cables large enough to handle the entire load through it for more than a second or two.

This would be a good gauge to use with something like a solar system, but like MEX speculates, it doesn't appear to be heavy enough wire to install inline with your main battery bank.

bdosborn wrote:

RLGetman wrote:
I would like to do some boondocking in Oct. How can I determine battery drain when I turn on a device, like a TV, amp, etc... while boondocking? Looking for an easy/cheap method to accomplish. Thanks

Turnigy meter, $23.



Spec.
Operating voltage: 4.8~60V (0V with optional auxiliary battery)
Measures;
0~130A, resolution 0.01A
0~60V, resolution 0.01V
0~6554W, resolution 0.1W
0~65Ah, resolution 0.001Ah
0~6554Wh, resolution 0.1Wh
Screen: 16x2, backlit LCD display
Size: 85x42x25mm
Weight: 82g

Turnigy Meter

Bruce

Gotta question about the aforerecommended meter.
What GAUGE are the red and black wires? Even 12" long wires passing 130 amperes continuous need to be 8 gauge and even that is pressing it because of voltage drop, and skewing of the accuracy of the voltmeter.

I like the Turnigy because is tracks amp-hrs. I have one on one of my solar arrays and it seems to be accurate enough for me. Just remember that its not a Trimetric meter; it only works in one direction. It won't total the goesinta and goesouta to battery, you would need two meters for that.

Bruce

bdosborn wrote:

RLGetman wrote:
I would like to do some boondocking in Oct. How can I determine battery drain when I turn on a device, like a TV, amp, etc... while boondocking? Looking for an easy/cheap method to accomplish. Thanks

Turnigy meter, $23.



Spec.
Operating voltage: 4.8~60V (0V with optional auxiliary battery)
Measures;
0~130A, resolution 0.01A
0~60V, resolution 0.01V
0~6554W, resolution 0.1W
0~65Ah, resolution 0.001Ah
0~6554Wh, resolution 0.1Wh
Screen: 16x2, backlit LCD display
Size: 85x42x25mm
Weight: 82g

Turnigy Meter

Bruce

This looks like a good deal for a meter that is probably accurate enough for RV use. I might pick one up.

Just remember, resolution does not equal accuracy. Resolution is just the minimum change the display will show. So if the resolution is 0.1 amps, the display will change in 0.1 amp increments. The above specs do not say anything about actual accuracy. Although I suspect the accuracy will be fine for our use.

Steve