Wireless 100 amp monitor with bells and whistles

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Fireworks, and a 100-piece brass band...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-Battery-120V-100A-LCD-Voltage-Current-Watt-Power-capacity-Digital-Combo-M...

It might be tough to come up with a solar system output management -monitor- that can keep up with this critter. Grab a brewskie and big bowl of popcorn - it takes a while to peruse all the features.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Yup. Right on the barrel-head. That's why I am going to snivel and whine my way into a Simpson 4" 100mv meter for the Gigawatt. That's why the BORG has a 2" analog ammeter. The instant the brain shifts to computation or conversion to decipher a value it consumes time and energy.

Another ongoing project is piezo audio annunciation of engine over-temperature in the toad. >235F and beep-beep-beep. Automakers can't do this. It may promote the spilling of 180 degree McDonalds coffee in the lap leading to a million dollar lawsuit. Think McDonalds wouldn't cross sue the manufacturer for "startling" the weasel I mean leech, DANG! I mean plaintiff?

"What am I seeing? What does it mean?" must rank right up there with "Wahhh, are we there yet?"

[Almot]

See, the problem is - with digital meter you can't have a comfort of glance monitoring. No needles.

An ergonomic problem akin to lost tactile sensing after switching to touch-screen displays in phones and tiny push-buttons in car radios - now you have to look at the screen to find the button, and to look at the volume slider image, before/while adjusting it.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

To me, "glance monitoring" means a series of analog mechanical gauges lined up with "normal operating point" having all needles at 12:00 O'clock.

Active warning means audio and visual alarm - alerting oneself to man the meter then react to the problem

Readings means enabling the meter to decipher the values.

This lies squarely within the realm of ergonomics - I was lucky enough to study it having a white frizzy-hair professor squeaking the importance of having effortless viable monitoring with the item of interest.

This meter has a shutdown circuit which is not affected by snoring.

[Almot]

Yes, making it wireless doesn't affect the accuracy. Getting an accurate wired meter at this price was a luck of the draw. Errors at either low or high end of range, or discrepancy btw W and V*A. After OEM idi.ot LED indicators for battery status, those meters were a vast improvement for sure.

[SCVJeff]

Almot wrote:
Times have changed. Few years ago an averagely cra.appy V/A/AH meter was selling for $25, accurate models for $50, but they were all wired. Wireless is a big thing when it comes to amps.

Somehow I doubt that this is something accurate - throughout the entire range, or durable. In less than a year the seller and manufacturer will probably be long gone.

Accuracy, wired or wireless shouldn't matter how it gets there; it's a data stream.

But if this is something you expect to have running and cabinet mounted, better buy some spares

[MEXICOWANDERER]

"Somehow I doubt that this is something accurate - throughout the entire range, or durable. In less than a year the (Original Poster)and manufacturer will probably be long gone"

I might got me a Lifetime Warranty.

CREE light bar products are so inexpensive the price seems incredible. Especially since they use a 7.2 voltage regulator. Yet they keep shining.

I purchased cheapo voltmeters that are a full tenth of a volt bad so the accuracy and durability issue must be resolved solely by actual experience. In 20 years I have encountered "E Meters" so laughably in error that I had to bite my tongue to not insult yacht owners about their $300.00 waste of money. A seven percent ampere hour error is not insignificant.

[Almot]

Times have changed. Few years ago an averagely cra.appy V/A/AH meter was selling for $25, accurate models for $50, but they were all wired. Wireless is a big thing when it comes to amps.

Somehow I doubt that this is something accurate - throughout the entire range, or durable. In less than a year the seller and manufacturer will probably be long gone.

[Harvey51]

My $25 eBay from China battery monitor also shows amp hours and per cent of full charge. No problems in several years.
eBay link

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I stumbled across...

The fact that these low energy consuming devices last a lot longer when smothered with silicone dielectric grease. The PC board, components, around the LCD (or LED) display, and smoosh the connectors and pins with grease. Same with shunts although I prefer the high-priced spread, the blue De-Oxit anti-corrosion liquid for shunts. With a drawer full of recently purchased 16 volt MOVs and TVS devices, I slap on some of those to protect the digital circuitry.

Coming to the store today I played with a pigtail cigarette-lighter Voltage alarm unit some kind person on this forum referred me to - and that was five years ago. The meter is a champ but when the alarm circuit is enabled the whole she-bang drops .16 volt and when the piezo alarm sounds the displayed voltage has a .22 volt minus error. So I set the alarm to sound at .2 volts higher voltage. Works for me.

pnichols señor, with as much rain as you got this winter, better fit a turbocharger onto that Stil.

I am researching availability of 2-watt precision resistors in the 220 ohm to 50 ohm range. Overkill capacity but I want structural strength to be augmented by 4:1 heat shrink tubing. For the single deck 11-position rotary switch. I found one with AU plated contacts and a Teflon bushing. Already have a chicken-head knob for it. Next part is painful - a 4" Simpson or Triplett 100 mv analog meter. All for the Gigawatt. With señor Piantuna's beautiful 12" square plastic box the Gigawatt has a new home. EB Pabst ball bearing 120 vac fans, and an Omron timer unit. Heh heh heh...programmable (via the voltage resistor network) ZOTS for AGM or flooded batteries while floating long term.

Thirty-years ago, what they have now was only the stuff of dreams. Think of an aged Willy Wonka puffing on a chocolate Cohiba. I am going to get this meter and incorporate it into the charger. And use Mr. Wizards digital pickup ammeter, and a 5-1/2 digit voltmeter. I have a 10" stainless steel rack handle for a lift bar and am shopping for 8" stainless tack handles for front panel protection. Ooooo you ought to see the PCB with the 120 volt incoming protection circuitry. Twelve 20mm MOVS and 10 180 volt 1500 watt TVS devices.

56-total amperes out of one Gigawatt is good enough for me. The Paul Bunyan grade BORG can do the 100+ amp heavy lifting if desired.

When I was working I always shuddered at the thought of retiring. Shheeeeze, five telephone directory size electronics parts catalogs, a few dozen downloaded white papers and a clear shot at the internet and whoppee...

EDIT EDIT ADDENDUM...

Dang! Like hanging a squawking chicken in front of a salt water croc, I bit. With Mr. Wizard's inductive ammeter (WOW! The price of those jumped 5 bucks!) I'm going to have a charger meter panel face with enough gauges, meters and knobs to impress a twin engine private pilot. Or maybe a Rodney Dangerfield grade motor yacht owner.

Twist
Tweak
Noodge
Fondle

[pnichols]

Mex .... the concept is good, but at that price how long ya think it's going to last w/o tinkering?

I can barely find time to trim the trees as it is.

[westend]

Nice find!

[Ivylog]

I put much the same on the input to the PSW inverter for my DIY home refer install...only $12 and voltage is accurate.

[Rbertalotto]

Interesting...I wonder how accurate it would be. I've done a whole bunch of experimenting with various China digital volt meters and the accuracy is all over the map.

But for $25....could be fun to play with in a low cost solar system.

[SCVJeff]

NICE! Might get one just to play with