Recommend a Good Battery Monitor

[HeinSdL]

Check out www.simarine.net, I'm just about to install their equipment based on reviews and what they say on their website. I don't think they have a US presence but ordering online proved very efficient.

[Pete7]

Hein, welcome to CF.

which model are you using? I see they are twice the price of the NASA BM1, why should someone pay all that extra money?

Pete

[VanIslandGuy]

We just put in a Victron BM-712. I had considered the Balmar as well, but I really wanted the ability to track the amps out from our Hydronic Heating system which isn't wired onto our DC panel but to a separate stand-alone breaker, as well as seeing the amps incoming from future solar panels we plan to install. The amps measurement is to two decimals places which is far more accurate than the OEM ammeter on our boat.

The 712 has Bluetooth built into it (no dongles). This allows me to watch the batteries draw, state of charge, etc from the cockpit on my phone or tablet with the Victron app. So far we're pleased with the purchase, but it is too new to comment on reliability.

[sailorboy1]

I have a Victron and like it. It gives you lots of info, but you need to understand your system to get the most out of it.

I sure wouldn’t trade it for a more expensive Stupid Gage.

[HeinSdL]

Pete, thank you for the welcome message!

I went for the Pico+. My current situation is that I have a voltmeter display which can show battery voltages and diesel and water tank levels, toggled with a rotary knob. This voltmeter is broken so I only have charging/discharging current visible on a separate display. Fixing it is not really worth it because it's all getting old (a complexity of wires and switches which will only deteriorate further).

My intended system will replace the whole lot and can be expanded to include additional consumers like the fridge and individual suppliers like solar panels, etc.

Finally I quite like the built-in barometer which replaces the lousy hourly observations of the barometer in the saloon which didn't really mean much...

That would be my reasoning but if truth be told I didn't do exhaustive research!

[john61ct]

The Pico+ does apparently have accuracy issues.

Ocean Planet was doing some extensive testing but halted after giving detailed feedback to the company, and I believe they were updating firmware?

Most of their customers go with Smartgauge, Victron or a combination of the two.

[HeinSdL]

Here a picture of my voltmeter and ammeter (and to the right not in the picture, a round selector switch) which I'll replace with a Simarine system.

It should all become a very simple set up, will post a picture when done, as well as my experience.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by skipmac

If you want to monitor voltage, amps in and out I am very happy with my Victron BMV601. To monitor the state of charge however will take some intelligent interaction with the data and settings. Also, it will monitor two separate banks but second bank is voltage only.

If you want a more less no brainer, idiot proof state of charge monitor then the Balmar Smartguage might be a better option.

This.

The SmartGauge has limitations, but is by far the most foolproof way to know your state of charge for the purpose of knowing when you need to charge. Note that it works well only when there is no charge being applied to the batteries, so might not be perfect for boats with solar.

Columb counting monitors tend to overstate the state of charge; SmartGauge cannot do this.

Reading of a simple voltage meter with some intelligence is also a perfectly adequate way to monitor a battery bank's SOC.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Just use the SG on House where you need it and get a cheapy volt readout for Starter

Exactly. Why do you need SOC for a start battery? You don't draw a start battery down for bulk power. It's either charged and ready for use, or not, and you can immediately see this from a simple volt meter.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

it works well only when there is no charge being applied to the batteries, so might not be perfect for boats with solar.

Another way to say it is the margin for error increases a bit while charging.

Still more accurate than most AH counting BMs even then.

And very easy to rig a switch cutting off the charge source for a few minutes.

But as you say, best used to observe on the way down discharging.

No SoC meter should be used to control the end of charge point, unless it's using an adjustable endAmps setpoint tied strictly to bank acceptance.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Another way to say it is the margin for error increases a bit while charging.

Still more accurate than most AH counting BMs even then.

And very easy to rig a switch cutting off the charge source for a few minutes.

But as you say, best used to observe on the way down discharging.

No SoC meter should be used to control the end of charge point, unless it's using an adjustable endAmps setpoint tied strictly to bank acceptance.

I agree completely. Only, cutting off the charge source for a few minutes won't allow the SG to figure out the SOC so quickly -- it needs for the surface charge to come off.

I have not observed any great improvement of the SG over reading voltage with some interpretation, but SG is really foolproof -- it can't overstate the state of charge -- and I am convinced the best instrument for non-technical people.

[Pelagic]

Hi Dockhead, to clarify it is not the SOC of my 24v start I want to monitor but the 12v Instruments/Generator Start Battery.
This single AGM battery sits in the pilot house under the port console in an electrical locker and is only charged by the 24/12v convertor from house, or when the Gen is running from its alternator.



When I bought the boat, each voltage had a really nice old German smart meter 12 & 24v but their LED readouts faded.


Now with my Electrical upgrades to Victron Systems and Solar, and removal of antiquated gauges like shaft generator a new console still has a blank space for the 12v Monitoring.


Monitoring this single 12v "Radio Battery" is important as it has a fuzzy charging source.

So I am still looking for a smart gauge solution that fits the new console.
Buying a 2nd Victron monitor seems excessive, so looking for other thoughts

[john61ct]

Why aren't you using House for those loads?

I'd just use a cheap & simple dual display volts + amps.

When the batt is "supposed" to be Full, the batt should not accept more than an amp or so at Absorb voltage.

Or go with the Victron and its complexity if you don't like SG.

[dfelsent]

I’ve got a smartgauge and in the past a link 10. The link 10 is a coulomb counter and the smartgauge is some proprietary magic. Both work well within their limitations. With the wind running the smartgauge is fairly well useless. With the link 10 as the batteries age it is also useless.
Both are very useful as long as you understand their limitations. I’m not at all clear which is better.
Either is far far better than nothing. Just remember that neither relieves you of the responsibility of monitoring volts and amps from time to time during charge and discharge.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Why aren't you using House for those loads?

I'd just use a cheap & simple dual display volts + amps.

When the batt is "supposed" to be Full, the batt should not accept more than an amp or so at Absorb voltage.

Or go with the Victron and its complexity if you don't like SG.

Hi John, I think you were commenting on my post?

If so, I am in fact using my large House for the 12v loads as it recharges that battery thru the DC/DC convertor

I'm guessing that single battery was put there for Gen crank power and as a buffer for the convertor.

You mentioned a simple Dual Display Volt/Amp gauge which intrigues me.
Is that both readouts on one gauge?
If so, that would work great for the 12v and same for 24v start.

My gauges are VDO with square bezel, so something with that dual function would be aesthetically nice.