Low Cost Battery Monitor

[Vladis]

Hi,

Because it may be of interest to other readers of this forum, I am showing the installing of a battery monitor that I bought on eBay for about 35 euros.

DC 0-120V 0-100A Volt Amp Ah Power Capacity Percent Battery Monitor Watt Meter | eBay

I had some problems in calibration but, with the exceptional support of the Chinese company, in the end everything was running smoothly.

I leave some photos here.

Greetings, Valdis

[kentobin]

I checked on ebay in the USofA and they're sold there too if anyone is interested. They also have a 250 amp model.

With everything slowly being migrated to a wireless app I wonder how long it will be before these go the same way?

DC 0-120V 0-100A Volt Amp Ah Power Capacity Percent Battery Monitor Watt Meter | eBay

[rwidman]

Low Cost Battery Monitor:

Connect a 12 volt lamp to the battery terminals. If the lamp is bright, the battery is charged. If it is dim, it needs to be recharged. If it is out, the battery is dead!

Price - About $2.00

[Vladis]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Low Cost Battery Monitor:

Connect a 12 volt lamp to the battery terminals. If the lamp is bright, the battery is charged. If it is dim, it needs to be recharged. If it is out, the battery is dead!

Price - About $2.00

Hi rwidman,

Thank you for your post. If it was 10 cents, may be I would try it !

Regards, Vladis

[nigel1]

That does seem like a good buy.
And, nice tidy battery set up you have there.

[chala]

Originally Posted by nigel1

That does seem like a good buy.
And, nice tidy battery set up you have there.

Lets hope that the fumes comming out from the battery will not affect the electronic or that the electronic will not affect the fumes

[sparrowhawk1]

I have the same unit 500 amp model and the voltage readings are fine but the amps are inaccurate I'm very disappointed. And I've calibrated it using a multimeter.

[Vladis]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

I have the same unit 500 amp model and the voltage readings are fine but the amps are inaccurate I'm very disappointed. And I've calibrated it using a multimeter.

Hello,

At first I could not either set the current reading. The monitor can work with different external shunts and it is not docummented how to set the type of shunt. With the support of the seller I was able to get it right.

I got some ceramic resistors and I created a load of 1.98A measured with my multimeter. The monitor showed 1.96A and I was happy. I can read a consistent advance in the amps being asked to the battery when I switch ON, one by one, the 20 LEDs that I have.

If your model is as the same as mine (even with a different shunt) I am available to exchange (by private mail) the steps taken to correct the current readings.

Regards, Vladis

[sparrowhawk1]

Thank you I sent a pm

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

I have the same unit 500 amp model and the voltage readings are fine but the amps are inaccurate I'm very disappointed. And I've calibrated it using a multimeter.

There's only one thing worse than not knowing a particular measurement and that is having an inaccurate measurement.

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Low Cost Battery Monitor:

Connect a 12 volt lamp to the battery terminals. If the lamp is bright, the battery is charged. If it is dim, it needs to be recharged. If it is out, the battery is dead!

Price - About $2.00

I use a voltmeter, but i also note that interior light brightness is a good indication of battery charge level.

I find it as useful as my weather rope. Haven't listened to NOAA or even looked up at the sky in years....

[sparrowhawk1]

I have my amp meter( multimeter on amp setting) on either side of my main fuse and I disconnect the fuse to give me a reading. Its a windy day so my wind generators are changing the amperage in, but I waited till the amp meter was steady, set the meter in discussion so that they both read 1.5 amps out. My refrigerator came on and it went up to 4 amps out on my multimeter but the meter in discussion did not change it's reading more than .5 amps. Now it's reading 2.7 amps and my multimeter's reading 4.5

[sparrowhawk1]

I want to replace this piece of junk with something that works. Having amps out is nice but what I really want is a meter that will measure both amps in and out, or at least a balance of so I know what my batteries are giving or accepting so that I know their state. that's the whole point of an amp meter to me. If anyone knows of one for under $100 please let me know

[Vladis]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

Thank you I sent a pm

Hello,

I have just sent you a pm with the description of my experience with this monitor. I hope you get yours working as mine. I also felt myself disappointed when I first used this monitor but I am very happy with it since I was able to install it properly.

I understand engineering as the way to solve problems at minimum cost and, in my modest opinion, I find this small meter a good instrument. Some comments on this thread do not coincide with mine and I will close my participation in this topic, hoping that someone will profit from my intervention.

Kind Regards, Vladis

[sparrowhawk1]

Originally Posted by Vladis

Hello,

I have just sent you a pm with the description of my experience with this monitor. I hope you get yours working as mine. I also felt myself disappointed when I first used this monitor but I am very happy with it since I was able to install it properly.

I understand engineering as the way to solve problems at minimum cost and, in my modest opinion, I find this small meter a good instrument. Some comments on this thread do not coincide with mine and I will close my participation in this topic, hoping that someone will profit from my intervention.

Kind Regards, Vladis

I didn't mean any disrespect. if you're having good results that's great. I've been living years with producing my own electricity and finally got an amp meter and when it didn't work it was very disappointing. My app shows I got a message but it won't display, but thank you for responding. Edit: I shutdown my app and restarted it and I got your message so I will have to wait till the winds not blowing to disconnect my batteries and will try your procedure it would be great if it works! Did you put an eight or nine amp load on to see if your meter matches your multimeter?