Battery Monitor

Jace817 · 05-07-2019, 07:42 PM

Anyone have any recommendations for a battery monitor? I’d like to better be able to tell how the batteries are doing while boon docking. I think I want something that connects to my phone instead of fishing wiring to the rig’s control panel, but I could be persuaded.

oldmanAZ · 05-07-2019, 07:48 PM

Do you have a 12v plug in/receptacle (looks like an outlet for a cigarette lighter)? There are inexpensive digital 12v meters that plug into that. That's what I'd recommend as a starting point. Very low-tech, but effective.

pconroy · 05-07-2019, 10:17 PM

I guess if by monitor you mean a Battery Management System, then Will just covered a $39 BMS here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6O76Okmt08

hoppers4 · 05-07-2019, 10:24 PM

This is the one I use. Have it set up to monitor charge or discharge with the flip of a switch.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Route 66 Traveler · 05-08-2019, 04:35 PM

I bought this for 12 bucks at Amazon. Just shows voltage....seems pretty accurate.

DC 12V Car Digital Voltmeter

RogerR · 05-08-2019, 05:13 PM

I use one that cost about $10 that plugs into my 12 volt socket (used to be for the cigarette lighter in cars) shows voltage and has a usb charger as an extra.

Seems to be accurate.. I don't use 12 volt very often anyway.

Vasquez Kid · 05-08-2019, 05:48 PM

I bought this one for it's simplicity. It does have an alarm for low state of charge (percentage as well as voltage) and a temperature (in celsius!) monitor that is intended to measure battery temp. I won't use this feature as I'll mount this behind the door of the rigs control panel - which is nowhere near the battery for the thermometer to reach.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07759SLYP..._cG20CbPXYZH8R

I STILL haven't found the time to install it yet but I have played with it and it should do the trick. It's not a pressing issue for me as I did install a USB station which also displays battery voltage (but no alarm).

Let us know what you end up with.

pokergeist · 05-08-2019, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pconroy

I guess if by monitor you mean a Battery Management System, then Will just covered a $39 BMS

Not a BMS. No over/under voltage protection, no over-current protection, no cell monitoring or balancing (for lithium batteries). But it is a nice Coulomb counting monitor.

Bluetooth is coming on strong so it won't be long before one of these is BLE enabled.

Thanks for the video - Will does a good job on this stuff.

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