Battery Monitors (1 Viewer)

Vanman

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I'm looking to add a 'decent' Volt/Amp meter to my control panel (as it's very basic and expensive to change). I'm looking to spend up to about £50 and have been looking at these Chinese ones.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-Batter...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649



I wondered if anyone had experience of them, can spot any issues with them, or could recommend anything else in the up to £50 price range?

Also, anyone that has fitted anything similar to the panel above the door on a PVC I'd welcome any hints and tips! (y) :)
 

andy63

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Hi, I did buy one of the type you linked to above..
The one I bought had an external shunt to measure current...
They come with limited instructions and have a calibration sequence that you are supposed to follow...I never really got it sorted and think I damaged it in the process...
They are certainly not as easy to set up as the likes of the Bm1 nasa monitors but they are close to £100.
Having said that I know Alan @rupert got one with an internal shunt and fitted it and as far as I know it works but as I said it was a pain to calibrate... maybe if he sees this he will give his views...
My opinion is it would be worth installing the nasa type rather than the type you linked to...
Andy.

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two

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The first link may be OK but I doubt the quality at that price.

The second link does not appear to be able to pass much current, due to the use of an “internal shunt” and connections for wires of only minimal thickness.

Personally, I wouldn’t touch either. Don’t expect much support if you do.
 

BMM

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便宜的中国狗屎不值得折腾

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Lenny HB

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The second one you linked to you can get in 50 & 100 amp versions with an external shunt. I fitted one to my last van it worked very well only negative point was the display updates 5 times a second so the display is constantly flickering.
Current van I spent £135 on a Victron unit and to be honest it is not much better.
 

Camping Gaza

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I got that one with a 100amp shunt, works a treat, no need to calibrate. when I switch on my 3 watt led, it reads 3 watts when I switch on 4 of them it reads 12 watts. seems accurate enough. Voltage the same too all works

You can have the LED backlight on or off via the button on the side, and you can reset the power consumed display by a press and hold. easy to wire up just a bit of light 4 core and a very very high quality unit well built for the money.
 
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Vanman

Vanman

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I got that one with a 100amp shunt, works a treat, no need to calibrate. when I switch on my 3 watt led, it reads 3 watts when I switch on 4 of them it reads 12 watts. seems accurate enough. Voltage the same too all works

You can have the LED backlight on or off via the button on the side, and you can reset the power consumed display by a press and hold. easy to wire up just a bit of light 4 core and a very very high quality unit well built for the money.

Do you have a link to the one you got, please? (y)

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Camping Gaza

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Picture below......

most-beautiful-women-bikini.jpg









instructions on the back of the unit and a child of 3 could wire it up... open up now here comes the choo choo train

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Minxy

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Vanman

Vanman

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Picture below......

instructions on the back of the unit and a child of 3 could wire it up... open up now here comes the choo choo train

I like the look you're going for ... but as I've only been motor-homing for a couple of months it would be nice to know a bit more about 4 core, rather than hard core ;) and what else I need to prepare before the bits arrive (y)
 

Tootles

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most-beautiful-women-bikini.jpg

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I like the look you're going for ... but as I've only been motor-homing for a couple of months it would be nice to know a bit more about 4 core, rather than hard core ;) and what else I need to prepare before the bits arrive (y)

Ok, I’m no expert because I'm only 3:D so take my advice at you own risk.


The quick basics are: Disconnect the neg - terminal from the battery and connect to the shunt. You need a short link cable, same size as the ones on your battery, connect this to the other side of the shunt and the neg - of battery. The other 4 are self explanatory. 0.5mm wire should be ok but I’d put a 1amp inline fuse in the one to the pos + battery treminal.


Link cable here:


Hope that helps.
 

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