how do you monitor trailer battery voltage?
Im just wondering if anyone put a voltmeter gauge on the trailer somewhere to keep track of battery voltage?? I had the battery run out from putting the slide out 3 times other day, so I plugged it in...
Forum Discussion
I installed my three meter DC MONITORING PANEL when we first got into taking the OFF-ROAD POPUP camper off the power grid. It is very important to us to monitor the batteries.
My three panel meter group consists of two digital DC VOLTMETERs which is direct connected right at my battery bank source and one digital +/- 75AMP DC Current meter which measures both input and output DC currents for my battery bank.
My meters was purchased from SURE ELECTRONICS ebay/china back in 2009 and now they don't have the HALL EFFECT DC Current meter anymore. Wish I had purchased a couple of them back then. They are installed in a standard PVC three switch electrical box (LOWES). All cabling is using PVC flexible conduit to the battery bank main Blue sea 4-position battery switch.
My MONITOR PANEL is installed on the side of a cabinet just as you come into my trailer. Easy view both from the inside and outside standing next to the opened door.
My MONITOR PANEL is installed in a PVC 3-gang SWITCH BOX (LOWES) with the meter units glued to one of those SPECIALTY THREE-GANG SWITCH COVER. All of this is installed in a PVC Electrical BOX made for the three gang switches. I used PVC flexible conduit to route all the required cabling. My cables extend from the main BLUE SEA 4-position Battery switch just mounted very close the the installed battery bank. All lines feeding the DC MONITOR panel are fused.
This is my wiring diagram...
The only thing I really miss with this installation is an alarm when my Battery Voltage drops below a pre-set value. The TRIMETRIC RV-2025 has this feature.
Knowing the approximate charge status of my BATTERIES has been very helpful for our camping off the power grid. I want to follow the 50% to 90% charge status modes as best I can to keep my batteries in their best performance modes.
Roy Ken
My three panel meter group consists of two digital DC VOLTMETERs which is direct connected right at my battery bank source and one digital +/- 75AMP DC Current meter which measures both input and output DC currents for my battery bank.
My meters was purchased from SURE ELECTRONICS ebay/china back in 2009 and now they don't have the HALL EFFECT DC Current meter anymore. Wish I had purchased a couple of them back then. They are installed in a standard PVC three switch electrical box (LOWES). All cabling is using PVC flexible conduit to the battery bank main Blue sea 4-position battery switch.
My MONITOR PANEL is installed on the side of a cabinet just as you come into my trailer. Easy view both from the inside and outside standing next to the opened door.
My MONITOR PANEL is installed in a PVC 3-gang SWITCH BOX (LOWES) with the meter units glued to one of those SPECIALTY THREE-GANG SWITCH COVER. All of this is installed in a PVC Electrical BOX made for the three gang switches. I used PVC flexible conduit to route all the required cabling. My cables extend from the main BLUE SEA 4-position Battery switch just mounted very close the the installed battery bank. All lines feeding the DC MONITOR panel are fused.
This is my wiring diagram...
The only thing I really miss with this installation is an alarm when my Battery Voltage drops below a pre-set value. The TRIMETRIC RV-2025 has this feature.
Knowing the approximate charge status of my BATTERIES has been very helpful for our camping off the power grid. I want to follow the 50% to 90% charge status modes as best I can to keep my batteries in their best performance modes.
Roy Ken
