Battery monitor (1 Viewer)

andy63

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Jan 19, 2014
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Yes they were linked in a thread a month or so back and I thought it would be worth a look..
Had a look at the instructions when it arrived and the initial calibration seemed a bit involved... especially the ammeter function, it mentioned a current of around 280amps been used.. not really feasible. Just not sure how important that calibration will be,and I put it to one side to play with at a later date...
I have the Stirling pmp fitted but might replace it with this unit just as a comparison as it's only a fraction of the price...
Sorry can't be more help just yet..
Pic of the bits that arrived..
Ta Andy. .
20150726_194611.jpg
 

Techno

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Usually the set up involves inputting the total battery capacity (AH) and setting the current reading to ZERO when you are sure nothing is going in or out.

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O

Old Soldier

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Yes they were linked in a thread a month or so back and I thought it would be worth a look..
Had a look at the instructions when it arrived and the initial calibration seemed a bit involved... especially the ammeter function, it mentioned a current of around 280amps been used.. not really feasible. Just not sure how important that calibration will be,and I put it to one side to play with at a later date...
I have the Stirling pmp fitted but might replace it with this unit just as a comparison as it's only a fraction of the price...
Sorry can't be more help just yet..
Pic of the bits that arrived..
Ta Andy. .
View attachment 70433

Hi Andy. Do you know if it can be inserted to part of the 12v circuit or does it need to be mounted across the leasure battery terminals?
Thanks.
 

Techno

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Usually at the battery and ALL the -Ve's have to go on the Shunt so only one negative connected to the battery
 

Techno

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Typical BM-1 arrangement. See here I've used a busbar to accommodate all the negatives from one side of the shunt. The other side of the shunt goes on its own to the battery negatives
IMG_0782-X2.jpg

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Techno

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My BM-1 came with the van but personally I would not have bothered. The voltage reading on my overdoor panel tells me all I need to know.
Anyone who understands on load off load daylight night time voltage readings needs nothing more
 
O

Old Soldier

Deleted User
Typical BM-1 arrangement. See here I've used a busbar to accommodate all the negatives from one side of the shunt. The other side of the shunt goes on its own to the battery negatives
IMG_0782-X2.jpg

Thanks Andy. My battery is mounted under the drivers seat so don't think it would be suitable for me.
 

andy63

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Anyone who understands on load off load daylight night time voltage readings needs nothing more
Hi andy, that may be so , but the number of posts ive read about people asking about the state of their batteries and their electrical usage has always prompted me to say that the best way fwd is fitting a pmp...
that way all the guess work is taken out of it with the net amp hours displayed at any one time... some of the voltage indicators in vans are just an led ladder and to me never seem adequate..
I find the stirling panel in the van great ...reminding me that things are switched on I meant to have off just by looking at the current reading, and always displays the net amp hour reading on the leisure battery bank.
just my thoughts but see what you are saying..

on the cheap pmp mentioned above they say it needs calibrating for zero and high current and with the 300amp shunt version suggest a current of 280amps for the high current which would be difficult to achieve..
they also say you need a 33v source to calibrate the low and high voltage settings...ive put it away for now but would like to try it as its a lot cheaper than the normal pmp available
ta andy.
 

IanS

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May 1, 2015
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I've got a Nasa BM2 and love it, yes it's stupidly expensive, but I never use hook ups so knowing at a glance how the solar panel is charging, the state of charge and my current drain in the evening is well worth it. The BM2 will also tell you the starter battery voltage, nice to know when parked up for a few days

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Lenny HB

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HAs anyone used one of these to monitor charge into and out of the leisure battery?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-0-120V-0-30A-Voltage-Current-Capacity-Power-Charge-Discharge-Battery-Monitor/181289920812?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=20140122125356&meid=90bdf4e97b5747ad92444ac58ab6015b&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&mehot=pp&sd=351148914510

Seems to be a bit cheaper than a Nasa BM1.
There seems to be a few of varying current range (e.g. 0-30A, 0-100A) what range would be needed for a typical MH leisure battery?
I have fitted the 50 amp version in my van, works well only critisism is the sample rate is high and not adjustable.
They come calibrated and if you do need to do it ,it is quite easy.
 

IanS

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May 1, 2015
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14
Glasgow, Glasgow (City of)
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I have fitted the 50 amp version in my van, works well only critisism is the sample rate is high and not adjustable.
They come calibrated and if you do need to do it ,it is quite easy.

Certainly a good price, with the shunt actually in the unit, it would be best mounted close to the battery with heavy cables, the advantage of the BM2 is it can be mounted remotely. It's also a nicer LCD display and just fun to use (maybe that's just me)
I like the marine stuff because of the quality and reliability, a flat battery could be a bit inconvenient on a boat, but it is costly
 
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stevec
Sep 24, 2013
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Good point about the built in shunt. Not what I want. Similar units with external shunt on ebay from same seller.
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stevec
Sep 24, 2013
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Andy,
You have the LED unit. Any idea if the LEDs are lit all the time (and therefore taking more current) or do they go off until a button is pressed? Concerned about the amount of current drawn over a long period of time. Maybe need a switch fitting.
 

Lenny HB

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Certainly a good price, with the shunt actually in the unit, it would be best mounted close to the battery with heavy cables, the advantage of the BM2 is it can be mounted remotely. It's also a nicer LCD display and just fun to use (maybe that's just me)
I like the marine stuff because of the quality and reliability, a flat battery could be a bit inconvenient on a boat, but it is costly
Shunt is separate mounted mine next to the batteries and meter on the panel with all the other controls.

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Terry

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Can't remember ;)
You are concerned over the LED panel drawing current ?:eek::(
I have a very different approach ;) if I turn on a switch and it works it's OK (y)if not then I HAVE A PROBLEM:D Not concerned about what reads what,only got a very basic swing thing that shows red,amber,green -so long as it's in green it's OK by me :LOL::LOL::LOL:
terry
 
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stevec
Sep 24, 2013
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Terry, I'm an engineer and I like numbers! I've had a Tracer MPPT regulator and display in my current van for 15 months and still look at it regularly. I'm disappointed that my replacement van only has a simple analog meter as a monitor as opposed to my current Sargent display. Gotta have some numbers to look at!!
 

Abacist

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I have just installed a BM2 and am getting the Voltage readings for the Hab batteries and the Cab battery and am getting what is being input in amps when on charge and what is being drawn out in amps when powering something.

However I am not getting the right hand bar graph to show the stored amp hours in the hab batteries in spite of inputting the battery bank capacity of amp hours.

The manual talks of doing a 20 hour test on the hab batteries. Is this what I need to do for the BM2 to "learn" the capacity of the batteries by seeing a full discharge and re-charge?

Apart from fitting the last temperature sensor on the Sterling to my alternator my new set up of new battery bank, Sterling B to B and Inverter is now up and running and I tested the inverter by running the hoover off it when tidying up - success!

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Techno

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I didn't know the BM2 could monitor the cab battery too? are you sure
As for your question no I'm sorry I took the one out that was previously fitted and binned it.
 

Abacist

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Here is a link to the NASA BM2 manual:-

http://www.nasamarine.com/manuals/

See para 12 on page 3 and the diagram on page 3 - you need to supply your own cable for that connection but everything else is supplied.

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Techno

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Mmm yes I see but that wasn't utilised on the one I inherited. It does say tho
Yes it can monitor the engine start battery voltage. "The open current voltage of the starter battery can be used to estimate its state of charge"
That is how I monitor all my batteries without a BM
 

Peter A Forbes

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Nov 23, 2014
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Mercedes 614D
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Typical BM-1 arrangement. See here I've used a busbar to accommodate all the negatives from one side of the shunt. The other side of the shunt goes on its own to the battery negatives

Andy:

Does the length of that busbar introduce any significant error into the readings taken along its length?

We use 60mV shunts for all our chargers up to 100kW output, but we find that even heavy cabling still brings enough mV error to skew readings if we include that cabling as well as the shunt.

We use the shunt both for the charger current limiting and for metering, but we also have a low-current disconnect board which we need more sensitivity on, so we add the bit of cable from the shunt to the output fuse which gives us 10mV - 20mV extra signal for that board only.

In your case I just wondered how much that bus bar drops?

Peter
 

Techno

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No Idea Peter I removed it completely more recently.

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