Victron 600 battery monitor

[serenisea]

I have been toying with the idea of getting one as part of my pursuit to reduce battery power consumption (changed out to LED spreader and interior lights, etc).

I recently replaced my twin 4D flooded batteries with twin 8D flooded batteries. I now have, with both combined, about 450 amp hours. I still have a good working Heart 2000W inverter charger (knock on wood), for which I sometimes use the inverter for an AC appliance, but not a lot.

My question is this....how should I use the battery monitor? Should it be on the combined bank, or is it limited to only one of the two batteries. If it is the combined bank, what happens if I select only one of them with the battery switch? Will it go wacko on me?

The dual battery monitor product did not seem to be right for a dual house bank, but maybe for keeping tabs on the starting battery.

Thoughts? Experience???

 

[mitiempo]

My question is this....how should I use the battery monitor? Should it be on the combined bank, or is it limited to only one of the two batteries. If it is the combined bank, what happens if I select only one of them with the battery switch? Will it go wacko on me?

The dual battery monitor product did not seem to be right for a dual house bank, but maybe for keeping tabs on the starting battery.

Thoughts? Experience???

You are correct that if the monitor is on the combined bank and only one battery is selected the numbers will not make sense.

Your best I think to add a start battery - group 24 or 27 -and combine the 8D's as one bank. One 8D is overkill as a start battery anyway. A house bank of 2 paralleled 8D's is more efficient than 2 separate 8D's and will last longer as well due to less deep cycling.

I assume your charging is currently routed through the 1/2/both/off switch. If so, route all charging sources (alternator, shore charger, solar and wind) to the house bank (2 8D's) and charge the start battery with an ACR, Echo Charge or similar product. This leaves the switch for one of use, not for directing charge current. All charging becomes automatic regardless of switch position.

 

[Bill Roosa]

If all you are trying to do is reduce your loads then a battery monitor will not accomplish that.
you would have to note the amp draw as you turn on each CB in turn and make a determination of what is consuming the most power and where else you could cut loads.
I think you will find that your knowledge of the big load items and how long you leave them on will be sufficient to manage your batteries. A volt and ammeter can get you the 90% solution.
might want to give this a read:
http://www.scubaengineer.com/documents/lead_acid_battery_charging_graphs.pdf

 

[Stu Jackson]

mitiempo is right, combine what you have in a big house bank and get a small start (reserve) bank, and wire them like this:

Basic Battery Wiring Diagrams This is a very good basic primer for boat system wiring: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6604.0.html

This is another very good basic primer for boat system wiring: The 1-2-B Switch by Maine Sail (brings together a lot of what this subject is all about)
http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=137615

Bill's right about what comes OUT of your batteries, that's easy with a monitor or a simple ammeter, but what goes back IN is harder to do, like this:

Battery Acceptance by Stu http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4787.0.html

Battery Acceptance (a very good Maine Sail presentation and further discussions) http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=114054

Battery Acceptance Observations by Maine Sail
http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=674108&highlight=battery acceptance

 

[Maine Sail]

You are correct that if the monitor is on the combined bank and only one battery is selected the numbers will not make sense.

Your best I think to add a start battery - group 24 or 27 -and combine the 8D's as one bank. One 8D is overkill as a start battery anyway. A house bank of 2 paralleled 8D's is more efficient than 2 separate 8D's and will last longer as well due to less deep cycling.

I assume your charging is currently routed through the 1/2/both/off switch. If so, route all charging sources (alternator, shore charger, solar and wind) to the house bank (2 8D's) and charge the start battery with an ACR, Echo Charge or similar product. This leaves the switch for one of use, not for directing charge current. All charging becomes automatic regardless of switch position.

What Mitiempo said...

 

[serenisea]

I guess I did not make it clear. I have a separate group 24 starting battery (rated in cold cranking amps), and the charger & alternator feed all 3 batteries. It appears from the owners manual that the Victron model 602 only monitors voltage on a 2nd starting battery. That would be a fairly limited use and not worth the extra money.

But you answered my question that I would need to calibrate the monitor for the house bank using both batteries as a single unit or the readings will get wacky.

 

[Maine Sail]

I guess I did not make it clear. I have a separate group 24 starting battery (rated in cold cranking amps), and the charger & alternator feed all 3 batteries. It appears from the owners manual that the Victron model 602 only monitors voltage on a 2nd starting battery. That would be a fairly limited use and not worth the extra money.

But you answered my question that I would need to calibrate the monitor for the house bank using both batteries as a single unit or the readings will get wacky.

In my opinion the extra money charged to monitor the voltage of a second bank is not a reasonable upgrade cost wise.. A simple BMV-600 will monitor the bank you need to and most boats have another source of voltage measurement for the start battery.