battery monitoring

SkiSmuggs wrote:
Very impressive, TenBear! I hope to see you this winter. I just ordered my $99 geezer pass for Sugarbush just in case, but am working Smuggs again.

Glad to hear that. See you at Smuggs. For me, Sugarbush is just too far once the notch is closed.

Very impressive, TenBear! I hope to see you this winter. I just ordered my $99 geezer pass for Sugarbush just in case, but am working Smuggs again.

very nice install TenBear, I've got the same panel meters.

I put my AC panel meters on a separate breakers (one per 50A leg), just in case i needed to turn them off, but I've never turned 'em off in 3 years. I figure the AC meters don't cost me anything (as I'm either on shore power or generator) & the DC meter draws so little i figure it doesnt matter.

these panel meters run very cool - and the blue light makes for a reasonable "night light" (ours are in the bath area).

Like others, I like volt meters and ammeters. Here is my monitoring panel. The meters were all bought on eBay. The switches on the lower left turn the meters on and off.

Hi Matt,

The Trimetric doesn't do a peukert calculation. It appears to be the first recommended for threads about RV's.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Wayne,

Ask mena how he likes his Victron. At that time there was only one. The difference between the Victron and other meters is that it does a peukert calculation, so it gives a better "snapshot" of actual capacity.

I don't like such meters and prefer a simple voltmeter and a hall effect ammeter.

Piano,

All of the good monitors do that now. That is why I keep advising owners to install them in cruisers.

Matt

Hi Wayne,

Ask mena how he likes his Victron. At that time there was only one. The difference between the Victron and other meters is that it does a peukert calculation, so it gives a better "snapshot" of actual capacity.

I don't like such meters and prefer a simple voltmeter and a hall effect ammeter.

I use a Xantrex XBM system. Tells you everything you need to know. I have two expensive Lifeline AGM batteries that are coming up on 7 years old. Still working great. Hope they last another 7 years.:)

pianotuna wrote:
X 2

smkettner wrote:
Maybe something wrong with yours but mine works fine.
Spend the monitor money on more battery or 100+ watts of solar.
JMHO

x3
if anything doesn't work right, it is the black water tank sensors.
bumpy

Sandia Man wrote:
I keep it simple and use the plug into socket type to monitor AC & DC voltages.

My approach also. Leaves more time for camping ... ;)