Battery Monitor

[squarebob]

I just read in another post that the Trimetric may not be the best battery management system. What would be a "better" way or product to monitor a battery bank.

Bob

[camillitech]

Morning Bob,

people over here rave about this one http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/smartgauge.html they only do 12 and 24v or I'd buy one myself despite the cost.

Must be good as they have a contract to supply and fit them to military vehicles.

Cheers, Paul

[Lloyd]

I just read in another post that the Trimetric may not be the best battery management system. What would be a "better" way or product to monitor a battery bank.

Bob

Hi Bob, I missed this topic.

Here is my favorite batmon. http://www.tbs-electronics.com/products_expertpro_features.htm



Lloyd

[squarebob]

Loyd, is that the same as the xantrex unit?

Bob

[Lloyd]

Loyd, is that the same as the xantrex unit?

Bob

yes Bob,

Xantrex just has the manufacture do a relable.

Lloyd

[hal]

I think that I am going to pick up this unit.

http://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/bmv-600s%20and%20bmv-602s/

[admin]

if you are going to use flooded lead acid batteries, there is no substitute for the good old temperature compensated hydrometer.

anything that bases battery charge or condition based on voltage measurement is a distant second place runner in my opinion
except for perhaps daily use "and" if used in tandem with a good temp compensated hydrometer and a log book.

my opinion only, based on seeing too many batteries measuring fully charged and severely sulfated resulting in unnecessary loss of capacity.

bob g

[squarebob]

Who makes a good temperature compensated hydrometer

[veggie]

Hey !!!
I just bought a Trimetric. !
What are the faults that you read about ?

veggie

[Lloyd]

My Choice is the expert pro, the victron is a close second, and the trimetric is a distant 3rd.

The expert prohttp://www.microcogen.info/index.php?PHPSESSID=pc8p4gd9r6p2mai4aksr820s23&topic=709.msg12507#msg12507 is temp compensated and pukert compensated, the Victron unit is only temp compensated when used as part of Victron V-net. The Triemetric, is neither temp compensated or pukert compensated.

A bat monitor that isn't temp/pukert compensated is only an educated guess, and can work, as long as the bank is much larger and the temp/pukert factor are not part of the equation for the load draws. In other words the loads are small enough to stay well below the pukert rating of the bank.

A bat monitor is not used to do anything except to show the condition of the bat bank and the current SOC, so as not to go below the design DOD. Whether it's 20 30 40 or 50%. But it can  be used to trigger the auto start of a generator, to make sure there is a charge source available, the the expert pro, and the vctron have this feature, as well as data logging if if you use the rs232 interface.

It does not do charge control, so it is mandatory to have a proper charge capability , and charge regime to meet the banks needs. It also doesn't replace the need to take a SPG every month for the first 6 months, and then every other month from that point on, so as to know the true heath of the bat bank.

lloyd

[Lloyd]

The one and only expert choice for Hydrometers is http://www.freasglass.com/

Lloyd

[Lloyd]

The one and only expert choice for Hydrometers is http://www.freasglass.com/

Lloyd

Then go to NAPA and buy their cheap hydrometer with glass tube about 9.00 US it is made by , then on the way home stop by your local tropical fish store and pick up a float aquarium thermometer. When you get home remove the SPG float and replace with the fish float, now you have a very effective bat thermometer.

O'h and don't forget to order a good hydro from Freasglass. The beauty of the Freasglass solution is you can always buy replacement parts for your hydro, when you break something, which you will, but I have owned mine for years, and when the rubber bulb started to crack, I just bought a new bulb.

Lloyd

[camillitech]

The one and only expert choice for Hydrometers is http://www.freasglass.com/

Lloyd

Thanks for that link Lloyd, I seem to have spent 10 years searching for a decent one. I work on a ship with five battery banks that must be checked weekly. I also have two battery banks at home which I log monthly and have yet to find an accurate hydrometer.

I've tried cheap ones and expensive ones but they all seem to give different readings, sure that's fine for indicating a dodgy cell but it sure would be nice to know what the SOC actually is.

Cheers, Paul

[Lloyd]

The one and only expert choice for Hydrometers is http://www.freasglass.com/

Lloyd

Thanks for that link Lloyd, I seem to have spent 10 years searching for a decent one. I work on a ship with five battery banks that must be checked weekly. I also have two battery banks at home which I log monthly and have yet to find an accurate hydrometer.

I've tried cheap ones and expensive ones but they all seem to give different readings, sure that's fine for indicating a dodgy cell but it sure would be nice to know what the SOC actually is.

Cheers, Paul

Hi Paul,

You're welcome, it's great to have another bank manager on-board. Not all of us bank mangers are bad guys, just be carful whom you tell you're a bank manager..these days.

Lloyd

[Lloyd]

The one and only expert choice for Hydrometers is http://www.freasglass.com/

Lloyd

Thanks for that link Lloyd, I seem to have spent 10 years searching for a decent one. I work on a ship with five battery banks that must be checked weekly. I also have two battery banks at home which I log monthly and have yet to find an accurate hydrometer.

I've tried cheap ones and expensive ones but they all seem to give different readings, sure that's fine for indicating a dodgy cell but it sure would be nice to know what the SOC actually is.

Cheers, Paul

Hi Paul,

You're welcome, it's great to have another bank manager on-board. Not all of us bank mangers are bad guys, just be carful whom you tell you're a bank manager..these days.

Lloyd

Paul, with great enjoyment I just had a read of your blog...I will have to go to the beginning and have a read long..months maybe.

Nice life...even if it is like work, your read makes it sound enjoyable.

Lloyd