battery monitor

[Monty VM]

I have been reading the recent posts, archives and online info at WM and Defender. However, I am still confused. I would like to add a battery monitor. I have 2 8D house batteries and a starter battery. I would like to be able to read charge status, remaining amp hours, and know when each have reached maximum charge. any recommentions on which monitor people use and what they like and dislike would be appreciated as would any sources of addl information. I have read about the XBM, link 2000 and others.

 

[Terry Cox]

I just finished installing a Xantrex Link 1000...

on our P42, which has two 8Ds and a starter battery. It is supposed to do everything that you mentioned that you want and then some. The fam got me a brand new one for Christmas from e-bay at half the price of retail. Check out my Link 1000 installation articles over on the Big Boat forum.Others who have the Link 1000 seem quite pleased with its features and performance. The main feature that I wanted was the ability to equalize the house bank. I still have to tweak some of the default settings and check out the system now that I have it installed. Of course it helps that we have a Xantrex charger/inverter.Terry

 

[Maine Sail]

The XBM is fine

I use the XBM and find it to be an icncredible asset to battery management. It will not monitor two batteries though. I don't really understand the need to monitor a start battery? My start battery did not get used once last season as I always start with my house bank. A starting battery, by nature, is an emergency battery. Mine gets charged at the same time as my houe bank and with no use there should be no need to monitor it. Don't actually use a start battery for starting it's a back up for emergencies... Two 8D's will start a 12 cylinder Caterpillar they should start your tiny sailboat aux even when 60% depleted with no problems.Save your money and buy one monitor you don't need two!!!

 

[Buck Harrison]

Monty

I've had a Link 2000R on my 420 since commissioning (2001). I, too, have 2 8D (AGM) batteries and a start battery. The unit is set up to monitor the 2 house 8Ds. I agree w/ Maine Sail re start battery. The Link does all you want and MORE. Once you have one you will wonder how you got along without it.In addition to digitally reading out all the paramaters you mention; it has the ability to equalize your batteries ( which I don't need now with AGM's).. but, what I do use frequently is the unit's ability to regulate the amount of AC (shore or generator) wattage going into charging the batteries. .. Anywhere from 5 amps to 45amps. So, when sitting at anchor, running your generator, you can increase amperage dilivered to charge batteries to the max; whereas when you tie up and have shore power you can reduce amperage (to say 10amps) so that you can run A/Cs, etc., without overloading shore power breaker(s).At a glance you always know the exact status of your batteries; their charging or discharging status, etc. You can watch increase and decrease of exact amp usage (to tenths of an amp) as you turn lights on and off, the refrig. unit cycles on and off, etc.Makes life with your batteries SO much better.

 

[Monty VM]

thanks

thanks for all of the info. the reason I wanted to monitor start battery is that it is not charged though shore power, only alternator yet it runs several DC items including windlass and auto. bilge pump. I cant start with my house banks without jumping to the starter battery. I have often wondered if there were wiring errors at the factory.

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Monty, if it were my boat I would move any....

other appliance from the starter battery to the house bank and leave the starter battery just for starting. That is the way Hunter set it up on our boat.Terry

 

[Stu Jackson]

You NEED the Link to equalize

batteries BECAUSE the combined Freedom Inverter/Charger won't equalize without the Link, which is not only a great battery monitor, but also the "control panel" for the I/C. The I/C works fine without the Link to charge and invert, but you can't "control" it's features without the Link.

 

[Maine Sail]

There should be nothing...

Drawing from the starter battery except the starter. Everything else should be powered off of the house bank especially the windlass! Before you waste money on a battery monitor you've got some re-wiring to tend to..As for equalizing I've never done it and never had a problem. Personally I think it's overkill. I run my batteries four to five years max anyway and then replace them and I usually run 6V golf cart batteries. In 30+ years of boat owner ship I've only had one battery go bad and that was because the bilge float switch got jammed and sucked the battery so dry that it could not be resuciated..

 

[Tom Spohn]

Equalizing?

What is equalizing? Will the various link monitors work with any charger or must they be used with certain Xantrex chargers?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Equalizing

Tom, 1. the answer can be found at www.amplepower.com, download the Ample Power Primer.2. U wrote: "Will the various link monitors work with any charger or must they be used with certain Xantrex chargers?"Any Link monitors will work with any battery setup. The Link 1000 and 2000 just have additional features that employ them to use as controllers for the Freedom combined Inverter / Chargers. The wiring to monitor the batteries is separate from the telephone cable that's used to connect the Links to the I/Cs.The Link 2000R has an additional feature that incorporates a regulator for alternators, instead of buying say a Balmar M612 or an ARS4 or 5.I've been running our Freedom 15 I/C without the Link 2000 since 1998. One of my next steps is to install the Link we bought in 1998, but I've been busy sailing and installing my alternator regulator upgrade. The I/C works just fine, but it won't equlaize without the Link and the charger comes on whenever we plug into shorepower. The Link controls both the I and the C through the telephone cable.