E-Maax Controller

hdhr289

hdhr289

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Nov 15, 2009
29
Hunter 39 New Castle, NH
Does anyone have experience with electromaax E-Maax Controller? Is it comparable to combination of Balmar 614 and Victron 702? I came across it researching an external regulator for my Aquamaax 140 alternator and planning installation of a battery monitor. It appears to be a new model that combines external regulation with battery monitor. I'm intrigued since I was looking at installing both the Balmar 614 and a separate Victron 702 battery monitor. Any insight would be welcome.
 
woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
there is a man on here named Mainesail that's the go to guy on this kind of thing if he don't know nobody does...he will be along some time this weekend for sure...as for the monitor thing ...bal mar makes one that will do what you need but i will let him tell you all about it
 
hdhr289

hdhr289

.
Nov 15, 2009
29
Hunter 39 New Castle, NH
Thanks. I did come across the Balmar smart monitor in my research including the review shared by Mainsail. I ruled it out though as I do want more monitoring features including not only SOC but TTG, Amp in/out, etc.. Hope to hear more. Thanks again.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,047
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
hdhr289 said:
Does anyone have experience with electromaax E-Maax Controller? Is it comparable to combination of Balmar 614 and Victron 702? I came across it researching an external regulator for my Aquamaax 140 alternator and planning installation of a battery monitor. It appears to be a new model that combines external regulation with battery monitor. I'm intrigued since I was looking at installing both the Balmar 614 and a separate Victron 702 battery monitor. Any insight would be welcome.
Click to expand
"It appears" leaves a lot to be desired.

I looked it up: http://www.electromaax.com/products/e-maax-charge-controller-monitor-system/

The VOYAGER option requires you to purchase a separate shunt, which is NOT defined nor does it appear to be sold by Electromaxx as part of their package.

ITWMB, I'd get the MC-614 (I have a 612, great unit) and the Victron (you don't really need the 702, the 600 (?) single house bank monitor with voltage readout for the reserve bank), is pretty much all you need.

The Victron is a LOT easier to wire, too, as far as the monitor function.

The wiring for the regulator portion seems more complicated than the harness one gets with the MC-614.

woodster mentioned Maine Sail. Do a search on the topic and use Maine Sail as author and see what comes up. IIRC, he did discuss it in one of his many, many helpful posts.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,709
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
hdhr289 said:
Does anyone have experience with electromaax E-Maax Controller? Is it comparable to combination of Balmar 614 and Victron 702? I came across it researching an external regulator for my Aquamaax 140 alternator and planning installation of a battery monitor. It appears to be a new model that combines external regulation with battery monitor. I'm intrigued since I was looking at installing both the Balmar 614 and a separate Victron 702 battery monitor. Any insight would be welcome.
Click to expand
Stick with the Balmar for now. Electromaax used to sell Balmar regulators but Balmar was just sold so E-Maax has gone on their own. The Balmar is still very programable and actually includes a voltage sense lead. The E-Maax is also not yet ready to ship...

As for a battry monitor the Balmar is quite accurate and gets more accurate as time goes on.. The TTG function of the Victron relies on you, the owner, for proper programming. And needs continual reprogramming in order to work correctly. I can say with all honesty that I have yet to come across a properly programmed Ah counter. Yes they have current and volts and Ah's and % Charged but the features that really matter rely on you to program it correctly..
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,047
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
If you do indeed want to measure amps, rather than just the Smart Gauge, then you should also read this:

For everyone installing a battery monitor: The "Gotcha Algorithm" thread, a "MUST READ"

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4922.0.html

DEFAULTS are factory settings that are made to be modified to suit your setup.

We've had a Link 2000 for many years and it works just fine. Reset to 0 when the bank is full, and throw in some derating as Maine Sail suggests over the life of a bank.

Look, gang, just because the meters read in three digits doesn't mean we're dealing with rocket science here. It's all relative, and it's NOT a fuel gauge - they don't work on boats! :)
 
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