A note regarding Battery Monitors BMV 6005 Victron

[motion30]

The victron was not that hard to install, gave me a chance to clean up my wiring

[Cheechako]

I have had little problem with most boat batteries, although an 8D that was nearly new shorted out completely. Interestingly, the boat I was on for 3 years in the Caribe had 2 used 4D gel batteries when I bought it. I had a 125 amp alternator/regulator on a DC Kubota charging system. (Ample Power) The starting battery I installed was a wet cell. I never adjusted the regulator for the gel batteries and often charged all banks together. The used Gel batteries (5-6 years old) were still going strong when I sold the boat. I know all the theory etc, but I'm just not sure all of the worries about +/- a couple percent on charging voltage are really as significant as some think. I guess that's obvious from my posts. I know of no actual real world data/tests that confirm it as significant. It would be interesting to see some though...

[chef2sail]

The Victron was a very easy installation and gives me the current time information I need including amps out, amps in if charging etc. monitoring the battery bank a few times during the ay is no different than checking any other system on the boat and since it powers the creature comforts, navigation, lights and e nine should not be a big deal to do. If I was a live aboard or cruiser ( which s in my future) I would say it is imperitove o the health of my electrical system. Keeping the batteries at 100 % as mentioned or as close to it as possible for AGM is a necessity for longevity.

Dave

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

The only real problem with the battery bug is that it's not a true measure of capacity or consumption. It really is only a volt meter on steroids (with some blackened voodoo magic algorithm to create a state of charge display).

A good product, but in no way a viable replacement for a true amp hour meter that utilizes a shunt to measure every last little electron in or out of the batteries.

I own a V8 motorcycle that has a battery box built into the frame. No other place on the bike to add a larger or additional batteries. I mention this, because the manufacturer placed a battery box on this 10:1 compression ratio ZZ4 Crate Engine that is really too small for the application.

Can't tell you how many times I was left stranded by the OEM battery and a simple analog volt meter that looks about the same for 13.6 volts as 12.4 does.

I changed a couple items due to my reluctance to abandon my bike on the side of the road. One, I switched to an Odyssey battery. OMG!

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/applications/auto.htm

Then I added a meter that worked, every time without fail. The Battery Bug.

The big V8 still kicks the tiny batteries ass, but it lasts a couple years so far, and the Battery Bug tells me if the bike will start before I shut it off. A bike ridden in loops at bike shows is hard on all systems. Battery Bug tells me I am safe, or go down the highway to the next exit and back again before I shut it down. I also have 1000 LEDs on the bike, and the warning beeper also keeps me on solid ground.

The dependability I have come to trust on my V8 cycle, will follow me onto the sailboat. Earlier this year, not having hooked up the Battery Bug I purchased for the sailboat, I found myself with a dead battery one afternoon I went out to go sailing. I switched batteries and was off, but over winter I will hook up two Battery Bug meters and have no more surprises.

[GaryMayo]

Interesting how a couple of posters here sound almost like MMA fighters before the match. I think people get hung up on little things, like small words one guy takes one way and is read another way by someone else. Then it builds and builds.

Hey, we all love sailing, how about we all love one another while we learn and share together.

I really appreciate having a place to come and talk sailboats while I am away from my boat.