Best battery monitors? And low voltage cutoff?

[Don T]

Hello,
Don't they marine meters that use an inductive clamp / sensor?

[BOAT]

Okay, that's one vote from grady and another from jimmy - I got two votes. If this keeps up I think I will buy it.

Is that the "shunt" thing I need Sumner?

[Flightfollowing]

Before anyone buys one based upon this thread, I would recommend a bit more research as the options will vary depending upon your electrical system design. If you have 1 or 2 or 3 batteries will make a difference, as will your setup such as a house and start battery or a a/b switch without dedicated house and start batteries.

[BOAT]

Before anyone buys one based upon this thread, I would recommend a bit more research as the options will vary depending upon your electrical system design. If you have 1 or 2 or 3 batteries will make a difference, as will your setup such as a house and start battery or a a/b switch without dedicated house and start batteries.

Okay, so I guess all my problems were not solved after all. Back to the drawing board.

[DaveB]

Jeff, used many types batteries on my boats. Those included are Gel, deep cycle , AGMS and twin 6volt Golf cart Trojans.
The best for the price and long life and neglect goes to Twin 6 volt Trojan Golf Cart batteries.
Nothing else is even close for power and extended life for cost.
Current have twin 6volt Trojans in Camper with auto 10 amp charger.
Runs 65qt edgestar frig. Lights, TV/DVD, Icemaker. For 3day stay on the hook without any other power source and have a 2000 watt powerhorse generator that powers all. that powerhorse fitted on stearn of my mac26x and powered all elect on the mac including a 5000btu air condition in hatch.
On a 4 day trip in the keys, the twin Trojans powered all and never went below 12.3 volts. (excluding AC and ice maker)
I have twin 45amp Solar panels on top of Bimini but used them only few times.
On a longer trip I would have put them on as they would charge batteries #4.2 amps per hr . That alone would power refig. during day 90-95degrees, plus put at least 1.2 amps to battery charge.
You lose about 16 hrs a day thru no sun.

Dave

I'm very interested in what everyone is using. Right now I have no way of knowing what condition my batteries are in without using my volt meter (I do have one on board). My brother-in-law recommended a Xantrex Link Pro like this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E4 ... PDKIKX0DER. However, he has a 40 foot Nauticat that he sailed solo to Hawaii. He’s got a bank of eight gel batteries. I’m willing to pay for it if it’s worth it. Is this one overkill for a boat with two batteries that is mostly used for overnighters on the weekend and will hopefully take us for a week long cruise this year?

Jeff

[ris]

Boat, I gave up trying to figure out all that shunt stuff and forked over the $300 for the Balmar smart gauge. Just hook it up to the battery positive and negative. Gives you volts and percent of charge on two battery banks. Lot of money but only 2 wires. That "compass marine" guy sells them.

[Flightfollowing]

The smart gauge seems like the winner in simplicity and being idiot proof, from phase review:
"thankfully Smart Gauge uses no shunt, it is a shunt-less design. This means there are no large gauge battery lugs to crimp, no large gauge jumper wires to make up, and there is no complicated programing beyond selecting the battery type. This makes the Smart Gauge a DIY's dream battery monitor. Easy, simple, never needs programing and stays accurate despite temperature, battery age/condition or a nuclear holocaust. Just seeing if you are still paying attention..."
However to clarify ris's info, I think he meant 'Gives you volts on two battery banks and state of charge on one'
However, it does not provide amps like the ones with shunts do.

[dlandersson]

Works for me. I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle.

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index. ... ge.160510/

Any other candidates?

Boat, I gave up trying to figure out all that shunt stuff and forked over the $300 for the Balmar smart gauge. Just hook it up to the battery positive and negative. Gives you volts and percent of charge on two battery banks. Lot of money but only 2 wires. That "compass marine" guy sells them.

[grady]

Between the two the Blue sea system is clearly the winner in features and amount of information. Sounds like the price is almost identical. In installation the Smart gauge may be slightly easier but who cares. Installing a shunt is not that difficult. Just cut the power wire if you do not have a terminal swag tool just get a torch and solder the lugs on. But some boots over the ends to protect. If you want another shunt in the system just get one and wire both thru a DPDT switch. You realy only need to monitor your house load. The only reason you would need to monitor your engine starting load is for troubleshooting.

[BOAT]

Wow, so this is really getting hard for me but with your guys help I am getting a lot closer to an answer!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So,I have a choice of getting this:


Or, I can get this:


But, to make the decision I need to know all this:



Hey, easy - no problem, right?
~

[grady]

Don't worry about the difficulty you will have plenty of help.

[BOAT]

Don't worry about the difficulty you will have plenty of help.

Ok, here is my problem grady, (and this is of course addressed to Sumner and Dave and Seapup too) - I actually read all the stuff about the Balmer thinking that if I pretended I was Sumner I would actually understand it. I did not, but I did get one thing from that post - the guy with all that electronic 'stuff' said that the Balmer unit will "learn" about the condition of your battery as it ages and adjust it's readings accordingly. This I did understand because I have noticed that MY batteries seem to change their personality as the get older - just like me; batteries, get slower and grumpy as they age.

But, I am a big fan of Blue Sea Systems and I have built many panels using their components - the AC panel in 'boat' is a Blue Sea Systems custom build.

I like to be the "dumb" guy in the mix (ie: my avatar) because I know there are a lot of guys out there that want to know what you guys are talking about but are afraid to chime in because they don't want to look stupid. Looking stupid never bothered me so I feel it's my duty to ask the dumb questions those guys would like to know the answers to - (that's why THEY come here and read these blogs in secret - to lern' somthin').

So,
Let the smart guys now debate - we have a 'learning robot' by Balmer that realizes your battery changes over time and then we have the Blue Sea Systems gauge that matches our other panels. Which way to go?

[Seapup]

PBOs Take on them including the smartguage:

[Seapup]

[BOAT]

WHOA!! Okay seapup get the award for most info I could never understand - so did they ever make any conclusions? Did any of you smart guys read this stuff to see which one is the best for a factory stock 2 battery MAC setup?

Is there a link we need to read seapup? (Or is this all in some print mag?)