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Old 11-12-2017, 07:13   #1
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Simarine Pico Battery Monitor Reviews

There has been conversations in other threads but I would like a specific thread on the Simarine Pico. I am currently favoring this monitor because of the individual load monitoring, multiple battery banks, and plan to use the tank level features. I have been delaying my purchase to wait on their additional NMEA 2000 integration. The most important feature of a battery monitor is of course accuracy though. I know Bruce at Ocean Planet is testing it along with other monitors. Does anyone else have a Pico installed and can share their experience on it?
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Old 21-04-2019, 17:56   #2
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Re: Simarine Pico Battery Monitor Reviews

let me know if you are still interested in discussing. I have it installed on my boat.
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Old 18-08-2019, 12:36   #3
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Re: Simarine Pico Battery Monitor Reviews

I have a Simarine Pico as well, have had one for a few years , and now am looking to use it as possible integration with a Lifepo4 bank , just sent this to Simarine

Hello Rok , Jaro

I am switching our battery bank from 500Ah AGM to 600Ah LifePo4
could I use the 'alarm output' (NC/NO/12v/GND) on the SCQ25T to drive a latching relay ? (the LM-7700 from Blue Sea)
I have 2x SCQ25T and I would use this relay to cut of load or charge busses when the voltage drops below a certain
value , so one 'alarm' output to drive a low value latching relay and the other output to drive a high voltage alarm
latching relay ?



that way I can build a much simpler lifepo4 BMS and still use the Pico AND provide additional protection

thanks
Rene
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Old 18-08-2019, 14:29   #4
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Re: Simarine Pico Battery Monitor Reviews

I’ve had one installed for two seasons. The battery monitor function in the first season wasn’t great, but since they released new firmware it has been vastly improved. The tank monitor functions and ammeters work very well too.

The N2K functionality keeps getting pushed out. They promise that it’s coming soon, but they just move the date out each time.

I use it to monitor a single bank. I’m a little doubtful how well it would work (with a single device) monitoring two banks as it uses a single negative connection, rather than separate negative connections for each bank. Obviously, that negative connection should only be connected to the negative bus (in this case a battery terminal) in one place or else the smoke might escape. So, with say a house bank and an engine bank and a significant potential difference between the negative terminals on the two banks (for example, while charging from an alternator with a small voltage drop to the starter bank and a larger voltage drop to the typically more distant house bank), if the negative connection is made to the negative terminal of the house bank then the reading for the starting bank will be in error.
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Old 18-08-2019, 14:33   #5
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Re: Simarine Pico Battery Monitor Reviews

I stopped using it as a 'smart' battery monitor , now I mainly use all the shunts (big and small) for solar, wind , battery chargers , and users like watermaker, fridge , freezer etc , and voltage and amp counter

suits me but I dont put any faith in the %age of the battery monitor as I dont understand how 11.64V can still be 80% SOC ?
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