Remotely monitoring battery voltage advice needed

Stewart J

Stewart J

Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Posts
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Location
SW Northumberland
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12,394
MH
Hymer B 588 DL
Exp
Since September 2010
Under normal circumstances van would be in regular use which keeps batteries topped up. Not being able to use it due to restrictions and the dull overcast weather of late the solar panel is struggling anyone have a suggestion to remotely be able to access battery condition, Van is approximately 30 metres from house thus out of range of our router. Anyone doing something similar and can advise on method used and what is needed, presently charging it up weekly.
 
If you are charging it up every week then that’s really good, why don’t you just leave it plugged in to EHU ? It won’t do it any harm and it’s what you’d do if on a site for a month..?
 
I have a timer on my ehu lead set 'on' from midnight to 03:00am. The batteries get a 3 hour charge overnight (everynight) and if there is any sun they get charged by solar during the day too.
 
I have a BMV with Bluetooth but only works upto about 6m, van is next to the house so I can pick it up if I stand by a window.

Not much good to you but there is a new Victron smart shunt that doesn't need the BMV display and it's only about 50 quid. Hopefully it uses a later version of Bluetooth, v4 should be good for up to 70m in perfect conditions.
You will have to talk to them as they don't show it in the spec.

SmartShunt - Victron Energy

The SmartShunt is an all-in-one battery monitor, only without a display. Your phone acts as the display. The SmartShunt connects via Bluetooth to the...
www.victronenergy.com www.victronenergy.com

My batteries stay topped up with just solar but I am on the south coast and have 300watts on the roof.

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I use the MetaTrak app that is part of our Growler/Strikeback alarm to give me info about the starter battery level remotely. For the Leisure battery, I use the Truma iNet box via bluetooth if in range or via SMS if further away. You can set alerts so it texts you if the battery voltage falls below a certain level which is handy.
 
Just smiffy said:
If you are charging it up every week then that’s really good, why don’t you just leave it plugged in to EHU ? It won’t do it any harm and it’s what you’d do if on a site for a month..?
Click to expand...
Cannot do that there is a private access road behind the house between it and the moho.
 
Just smiffy said:
How are you charging it weekly..?
Click to expand...
Single width access road to adjoining properties which is a dead end so minimal traffic charge it midweek when folk are at work might have 2-3 vehicles run over the ehu cable in the 5 hours or thereabouts I charge it
 
Probably a bit expensive but our tracker monitors the battery voltage it’s a Global Telemetrics one.

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Just been fiddling about with my tracker app and hidden away in the attributes it gives the device input voltage (only had it 4 years and never delved into the settings/ attributes before) wot a plonker 🤣🤣🤣) will check its accuracy with my Fluke tomorrow. so thanks for the input guys. Last week I missed charging it and woke upto a low voltage alert from the tracking app. Must really try harder
 
Well done re the app... but if your battery is low after a week when it was on a charge then in my opinion the battery is failing...
 
Lenny HB said:
I have a BMV with Bluetooth but only works upto about 6m, van is next to the house so I can pick it up if I stand by a window.

Not much good to you but there is a new Victron smart shunt that doesn't need the BMV display and it's only about 50 quid. Hopefully it uses a later version of Bluetooth, v4 should be good for up to 70m in perfect conditions.
You will have to talk to them as they don't show it in the spec.

SmartShunt - Victron Energy

The SmartShunt is an all-in-one battery monitor, only without a display. Your phone acts as the display. The SmartShunt connects via Bluetooth to the...
www.victronenergy.com www.victronenergy.com

My batteries stay topped up with just solar but I am on the south coast and have 300watts on the roof.
Click to expand...
I've just fitted a Victron SmartShunt. (£110) The Bluetooth range is rubbish. I've also got a CTEK BatterySense, and I can monitor that from within my house, with the van on the drive. With the Victron, I have to be inside it, or stood beside the van. Much more useful information though with the SmartShunt.
 
Taran_Las said:
I have a timer on my ehu lead set 'on' from midnight to 03:00am. The batteries get a 3 hour charge overnight (everynight) and if there is any sun they get charged by solar during the day too.
Click to expand...
If I had a timer, I'd want one that came on once every 28 days (or so) rather than every night.
If you set a daily frequency, you might as well keep it on continuously. My thinking is that the charger will start on full charge and work through its charging profile each time its started up. The batteries may not need that much charge. Indeed, they may require no more than a floating charge, if anything at all.

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two said:
If I had a timer, I'd want one that came on once every 28 days (or so) rather than every night.
If you set a daily frequency, you might as well keep it on continuously. My thinking is that the charger will start on full charge and work through its charging profile each time its started up. The batteries may not need that much charge. Indeed, they may require no more than a floating charge, if anything at all.
Click to expand...
Phil Taran_Las has AGM's he is trying to kill them so he can get some decent batteries. :xrofl: :xrofl: :xrofl:
 
My motorhome is in storage 10 miles away. My tracker and Vodafone Automotive app give me the engine battery voltage. My Truma iNet sends leisure battery voltage to my Truma app in response to a SMS message.
 
Revolvor said:
I've just fitted a Victron SmartShunt. (£110) The Bluetooth range is rubbish. I've also got a CTEK BatterySense, and I can monitor that from within my house, with the van on the drive. With the Victron, I have to be inside it, or stood beside the van. Much more useful information though with the SmartShunt.
Click to expand...
I have the Bluetooth adaptor on by BMV700 its mounted in the key cupboard just inside the hab door. I had the same problem with range couldn't pick it up more than 2 foot away from the van. After I bought a new phone I can now pick the signal inside the house.
 
Just smiffy said:
Well done re the app... but if your battery is low after a week when it was on a charge then in my opinion the battery is failing...
Click to expand...
Possibly it’s coming up 4 years old, trees a few metres behind the van shade it these short winter days coupled with the miserable grey dull overcast weather of late the 125w solar panel is obviously not very efficient. In normal times van is in regul ar almost weekly use.

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You could get a cheap Chinese tracker and a giffgaff sim card but check carefully that the battery voltage is included in the status message when u interrogate it.
1st van tracker gave battery volts new van tracker (looks identical) no volts.
 

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