Recommendation for amp/hour monitors?

[profdant139]

(I searched the archive for the term "amp/hour monitor" and came up completely empty -- am I asking the wrong question?? But there are quite a few for sale out there, so this item does exist. Please forgive me if this question has been asked and answered many times, but I could not find a prior discussion on point.)

Anyway, I understand that monitoring the voltage gives me the state of charge, which can roughly tell me how many amp/hours I still have in the battery. The problem, of course, is that the voltage reading varies for a lot of reasons -- temperature, how much load there was on the battery a few minutes ago, etc. I am hoping that someone can recommend an after-market device that will indicate remaining amp/hours.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[Ed_Gee]

Original poster would have had better results searching for " battery monitor ". I found the Clipper battery monitor model BM1 to be most suitable to my needs .... simple to use, attractive, elegant, and not intrusive. The model BM2 is similar for higher current draw needs. Readily available in the U.S. just search for it.
Clipper battery monitors

[westend]

I use a Victron and am fairly happy with it, it is accurate. If I had my druthers the dial would be bigger and have multiple displays of information, simultaneously.

This one

[hedgehopper]

profdant139 wrote:
I searched the archive for the term "amp/hour monitor" and came up completely empty -- am I asking the wrong question??

Yes, you are asking the wrong question. "Amp/hour" means amps per hour, a meaningless dimension. What you're looking for is an amp-hour monitor (amps times hours). For example: a steady current of one amp for a period of one hour would be 1 amp-hour. Hope this helps.

[Ivylog]

From a previous post and not exactly what you asked for:
For $10 I'd buy a Volt/50 amp meter like THIS or for $12 one good for 200 amps. They also come with a 100 amp shunt so you can monitor more than just volts.
This is how I know my 21 cu ft residential refrigerator uses 8 amps DC when running... 100 watts.

[pnichols]

Dan,

I don't have an amp-hour meter in our rig, but I do have a meter that I consider as more basic - but about as valuable. I have a permanently mounted ammeter in our RV ... in addition to a permanently mounted voltmeter.

I monitor the voltmeter for a pretty good estimate of the state of charge of the batteries. I monitor the ammeter to indicate how much amperage every appliance is drawing to make improvements or for maintenance, plus I check the ammeter periodically when charging the batteries to indicate when they're fully charged. The ammeter shows near zero amps flowing when the battery bank is fully charged. The two meters together make up a very simple system for me to keep track of our RV battery bank's condition.

Since the highest priority appliance draw-down situation to keep an eye when drycamping on is the propane furnace's battery draw-down, during the furnace's OFF cycle I check the voltmeter after the short "rebound" of battery voltage back to a steady state reading. When these readings are kindof average around 2 volts, I begin to recharge with the generator or idling main engine's alternator.

[windviewer]

discussion of battery monitors

i started at the above information. i ordered a victron 700 unit (not yet installed).
there is other information on that web site to explore in addition to the above.

the smart gauge looked interesting but even more money.

time will tell next summer on how well the victron works.

the search term is typically 'ah meter'

[azrving]

Bogart trimetric. Easy to use. If you go solar their sc2030 30 amp controller works works well and communicates with the trimetric for full adjutment. You dont have to pay mppt prices for good performance. OR you could do the geometric and a morningstar controller without their monitor. You'd think I was breaking bread with handybob today. 😉

[2oldman]

That's a tough search.. if you searched that exact phrase. In Advanced, I tried 'amp hour' (exact) first, followed by Search within results= 'monitor.' (It's not amp/hr..it's amp-hour). Or it could be amp-hour, or meter, or monitor.. yikes!

These posts in Tech might help.

[CA_Traveler]

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