Measuring battery condition
Easiest way to measure battery level of charge?
Forum Discussion
This can get quite complex.
-- Voltage gives an indication of the state of charge, but it is not reliable. Under load the voltage will be low, under charge, it will read too high.
-- The usual way to handle this is with an hour counting meter, the Trimetric from Bogart is one of the best known. The easiest to use and install used to be the Smartgauge, now replaced with this: SG200
If you have lithium batteries, be sure that whatever you buy will work with them.
Knowing the state of charge of your battery is interesting, but not very important. What IS important is that your CHARGER knows the state of charge and begins charging whenever needed.
Lots of info, if now a bit dated, on my site, under "documents."
-- Voltage gives an indication of the state of charge, but it is not reliable. Under load the voltage will be low, under charge, it will read too high.
-- The usual way to handle this is with an hour counting meter, the Trimetric from Bogart is one of the best known. The easiest to use and install used to be the Smartgauge, now replaced with this: SG200
If you have lithium batteries, be sure that whatever you buy will work with them.
Knowing the state of charge of your battery is interesting, but not very important. What IS important is that your CHARGER knows the state of charge and begins charging whenever needed.
Lots of info, if now a bit dated, on my site, under "documents."
