Monitoring batteries

Steve Dion · May 22, 2013

Check out Jamestown Distributors and look at the Victron battery monitor. I think it is the BM600. Best price around.

Stu Jackson · May 22, 2013

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=125606

BWagner · May 22, 2013

I use the Link Pro from Xantrex. It has been great. It works like a gas gauge for the batteries. Tells you the voltage, amps used, amps remaining and hours until recharge is necessary.

topcat0399 · May 22, 2013

http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-multimeter-98025.html

Or you can simply get one of these extremely affordable devices and just check it periodically. Has many other uses also. A little velcro as a stick up....

Under 10 volts and your pretty much done.

You can spend a bazillion $$$ on some fancy schmancy apparatus and get .1 volt more accurate I guess.

Dan Hill · May 22, 2013

jwieneck said:
I am looking for a monitor that shows the condition of the house bank all the time.

If you want to know at any moment what you have available you will need to monitor amp hours. If you have time to let the bank rest (zero load) for 24+ hours then a simple voltage meter will do just fine.

I installed a Linklite and it does exactly what I needed it to do.

Match your need to your time and your wallet, simple.

artboas · May 22, 2013

In all due respect

topcat0399 said:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-multimeter-98025.html

Or you can simply get one of these extremely affordable devices and just check it periodically. Has many other uses also. A little velcro as a stick up....

Under 10 volts and your pretty much done.

You can spend a bazillion $$$ on some fancy schmancy apparatus and get .1 volt more accurate I guess.

A DVM doesn't tell you anything.
To understand the state of charge in batteries, you need to monitor current and amp hours. The units mentioned above do a great job of that

Don Lucas · May 23, 2013

A voltage meter tells you very little unless your batteries have been at rest for a long time.

I have the Victron BM600 and it works well once you get it setup correctly and it is fairly cheap and easy to install. But I highly recommed that you get a hydrometer to measure the battery specific gravity (assuming open wet cells) as it is possible that the BM can reset to 100% state of charge and be wong if you are at anchor a long time. I was having this problem with the BM sating the batteries were 100% when the SG said they were onoy 50%. I think the problem was voltage bleed from the little start battery solar panel (problem stopped once I installed a real panel and leave the frig on all the time).

topcat0399 · May 23, 2013

Sorry - missed the "big" part in the boat thing. Electric hatch openers, power port lights, walk in freezers....etc. Naturally industrial monitoring is necessary. What was I thinkin'??
That'll teach me to stick my nose in where it don't belong. Hell I'm lucky my bleach bottle has 'lectric start! I put some more lamp oil in my anchor light just the other day....

I'm going to go lay down by my dish now.

ps;

disagree about the DMM, one in skilled hands can tell many many tales

Ivan · May 26, 2013

Low battery alarm

I put in a Xantrex Link 10, and use the Watt-hours used setting 100% the time when anchored out. I ordered the one with a set of contacts (special order, but same price) that close when your pre-set amp-hours used are exceeded, which enabled me to hook up a car back-up alarm to the contacts. That has been a battery-saver for me, and it enables me to stop worrying about when or whether the battery will discharge past my 50% set level. When the alarm goes off I just start my genset and recharge it. I also sleep a lot easier.

reraft · Jun 5, 2013

Xantrex Link Pro

BWagner said:
I use the Link Pro from Xantrex. It has been great. It works like a gas gauge for the batteries. Tells you the voltage, amps used, amps remaining and hours until recharge is necessary.

We have been cruising Mexico for 3 years & have to agree totally. The Link Pro is truly a gas gauge for your batteries. You always know exactly what's happening with your battery bank.Money very well spent.

Maine Sail · Jun 5, 2013

reraft said:
We have been cruising Mexico for 3 years & have to agree totally. The Link Pro is truly a gas gauge for your batteries. You always know exactly what's happening with your battery bank.Money very well spent.

The Victron BMV-602 does all that the Link-Pro will only for about half the money and an easier install. Both are excellent and I too use a Link-Pro on-board but I install almost 100% Victron on customers boats because it is a far better value.....

With battery monitors set up, wiring and programming is 150% critical. I rarely see them properly programmed and very often see them improperly wired..

They also need to be manually re-set every so often when the battery bank is known to be full. Counting errors run rampant in battery monitors if they are not properly set up and used.

Most important aspects are:

*Bank Ah capacity at the 20 hour rate
*Peukert exponent for the battery
*Adjusting the "full trigger" to not be fooled by solar or wind.
* Adjusting the monitor yearly for changes in capacity

Jared1048 · Jun 5, 2013

"Link Pro from Xantrex."

+1

One of the first things I bought for the boat and its probably the most used instrument! Love it.

Nodak7 · Jun 5, 2013

jwieneck said:
I have a Hunter 376 1998. I decided I need to monitor the house bank now that we are anchoring out. I get battery information now from the charger if the Honda Generator is running but I am looking for a monitor that shows the condition of the house bank all the time. I am sure there are many product to use and to avoid. I would love to hear your recommendations.

I have Xantex LinkPro and it works great! Not difficult to install and it gives me all the information about the condition of my batteries. I have two banks (house and start) and it keeps track of both. Highly recommended. Had a Xantex Linklite
system on my last boat and had to have a monitoring system on this one as well.