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Old 06-07-2013, 04:55 PM   #1
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Thinking through installing a 12V Meter

I bought a plug-in 120V meter this year - and after reading several threads on 12V system and battery issues, I also decided I should probably install 12V system meter (aside from the idiot light of the "Systems Monitor").

Now as I understand the basic workings of the TT 12V system....a trained eye should be able to tell if my charger is working (at proper elevated voltage) or the charge status of my battery when disconnected from shore power.

I have a great spot right above my converter that I have been thinking about installing the meter. I think my minds made up....but I'd like to hear (or see mods) that others have done in this area....below is a picture of my converter (with meter placement spot circled) and pix the meter type I am considering..... fire away..........

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Old 06-07-2013, 05:18 PM   #2
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That would not be a bad spot, unless you have bad knees.

I was thinking about adding one similar to that near my “command center”, aka where my slide-out, awning switches and tank monitor is located.

One thing I would add is a momentary switch, so your volt meter is not using power all the time monitoring your power.
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Old 06-07-2013, 07:35 PM   #3
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I built up a three digital meter panel for my off-road POPUP battery banks. My bank includes two groups of 12VDC batteries and with the selector switches I am I using I can select either one of the battery banks providing DC power to my trailer. I am using a PD9260C 60AMP smart mode converter/charger unit to maintain these two 12VDC battery banks.

My panel includes a 12VDC digital meter for each bank and a single DC current meter that will show how much current is being drawn from the selected batteries or how much current the selected batteries is using being re-charged.

I mounted my digital meters in one of these three gang speciality switch WALL PLATE from Lowes. The larger switch openings just fit these three meters perfectly and they are glued in place using RTV sealant. I mounted this 3-gang switch into a regular three gang size PVC electrical wall box. All of the cables going to my battery switches are inside flexible PVC conduit.

The digital LED meters are DC VOLTMETERs models ME-SP038 7-30VDC and DC HALL EFFECT CURRENTMETER model ME-SP230 +/-75AMPS. These meters are available from SURE ELECTRONICS ebay/china...

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I also installed a toggle switch feeding each digital meter as the brightness of the LED Meters is very bright - makes a super bright night lite in the dark. I did elect to use a SPST switch however instead of a spring loaded switch as I do like to keep the meters powered up when I am working on things.

I also mounted my meter panel near the outside entrance door so I could switch my batteries and make checks on the outside where the batteries are installed and then just lean into the trailer to observe the meter reading.

Camping off the power grid requires pretty close monitoring of the DC voltmeters as you try not to let the batteries get discharged below 12.0VDC before re-charging them otherwise it may do harm to your batteries. The DC CURENT meter is also an excellent meter to have as well. You can watch the DC current drain in real time and really get to know what draws alot of current and when it is happening. The reverse of this is when you are re-charging your batteries from the on-board smart-mode converter/charger unit you can watch the actual DC CURRENT along with the DC VOLTAGES as your converter/charger unit is going thru it smart mode charging sequences... Seeing the proper levels of DC current when charging the batteries is telling you the converter is working properly.

My meter panel does alot of good work for my situation. the only thing I don't have with the one I made up is with the more popular Trimetric model TM-2025-RV unit alot of RV'ers use has a settable audible alarm to alert you when the battery voltage is approaching 50% state of charge on the battery banks.

Roy Ken
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Old 06-07-2013, 07:48 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jagiven View Post
One thing I would add is a momentary switch, so your volt meter is not using power all the time monitoring your power.
I'm still kicking around a toggle switch....good point for several reasons!...thanks
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Old 06-07-2013, 08:04 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RoyBraddy View Post
The reverse of this is when you are re-charging your batteries from the on-board smart-mode converter/charger unit you can watch the actual DC CURRENT along with the DC VOLTAGES as your converter/charger unit is going thru it smart mode charging sequences... Seeing the proper levels of DC current when charging the batteries is telling you the converter is working properly.
I hadn't thought about a current meter, Roy....I like your setup.
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Old 06-07-2013, 08:17 PM   #6
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Here's a companion ammeter to the voltmeter I'm looking at....I cant tell if it will display both +/- current flow????

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Mini-Blu...item53f894c9ec
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Old 06-07-2013, 08:30 PM   #7
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I would really consider it being a HALL EFFECT type amp meter. There is no good reason to be running high current potential lines up to your meter panel using the shunt type meter measurement. The HALL EFFECT is a donut that goes around the cable to measure the current and then it sends very low milliamp current up to the meter panel.

Along this line of thinking it is also a good idea to fuse the 12VDC lines you are running up to the meter panel. I use a 1-amp in-line fuse on my two meters... Dont want something shorting out in your meter panel and burning out some DC VOLTAGE wires...

Here is diagram I drew up on my install plan. This doesn't show the 1 AMP fuses however coming off my main Battery selector switch where I tap for the 12VDC voltages.



Roy Ken
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I claim Horse Creek Country in Southern Ill - Momabear is from North Texas
We live in King George VA
RETIRED DOD DOAF DON CONTRACTOR Electronics Tech 42YRS

"We're burning daylight" - John Wayne
2008 STARCRAFT 14RT OFF-ROAD POPUP with PD9260C and three 85AH 12VDC batteries
2010 F150 FX4 5.4 GAS with 3.73 gears - Super Cab - Towing Package - 2KW Honda EU2000i Gen
K9PHT (since 1957) 146.52Mhz
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Old 06-08-2013, 03:47 AM   #8
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Thanks for that Roy. 12volt wiring is not my forte. This will be good to copy over to my Notes app on my iPad. I like these little jems.
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Old 06-08-2013, 06:14 AM   #9
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Murphie - Others do it differently but this worked for me for the past five years with my four GP24 battery bank and Blue sea battery switches.

I am now looking for a different approach where I will have two 150AH Trojan T1275 12VDC batteries on the trailer tongue and two additional 150AH Trojan T1275 12VDC batteries in the bed of my truck. This will suppport two of my battery Hungary hobbies at the same time. Two Way Radio emergency operations from the truck by itself and of course can connect both battery banks together for when I am camping off the grid. Should be a good PLAN B setup to cover my battery emergencies... 300Ahs total capacity in both places and can connect together for 600AH when camping...

My next project haha... This time however i will add some solar panel to the OFF-ROAD POPUP roof and get the benefit of trickle charging batteries during the sunny daytime periods. All I want here is around 120WATTS of solar panels,

Things are always changing I reckon to keep Momabear and myself 120VAC and 12VDC toys going when camping off the power grid....

One of these days I probably should just drop back to pork-n-beans and hotdogs and sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag. I was reminded of this way of life not too many years back camping off the power grid on a recent post this week.

Use it or lose it ...
Roy Ken
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I claim Horse Creek Country in Southern Ill - Momabear is from North Texas
We live in King George VA
RETIRED DOD DOAF DON CONTRACTOR Electronics Tech 42YRS

"We're burning daylight" - John Wayne
2008 STARCRAFT 14RT OFF-ROAD POPUP with PD9260C and three 85AH 12VDC batteries
2010 F150 FX4 5.4 GAS with 3.73 gears - Super Cab - Towing Package - 2KW Honda EU2000i Gen
K9PHT (since 1957) 146.52Mhz
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Old 06-08-2013, 07:40 AM   #10
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MURPHIE - This is a diagram and layouts showing my proposed planning for adding two Trojan T1275 150AH 12VDC batteries on the trailer tongue and two additional Traojan T1275 150AH 12VDC batteries in the bed of my truck... This is to support two of battery hungary operations off the power grid being my Two Way Radio emergency comms operations and camping off the power grid. Each battery bank will have 300AH capacity and will be able to connect together to give 600AH capacity when camping with my off-road trailer.







My big problem may end up being the truck alternator may not be big enough to charge the addition two batteries in the truck bed but I can chargere those with my B&D VEC1093DBD 40AMP smart mode portable charger being run off my truck bed mounted 2KW generator. When connected to the trailer all four batteries will be charged by my PD9260C 60AMP smart mode converter/charger.

Hmmm I see I need to update my 110AH batteries AH to 150AH in the one drawing

Be fun playng with it anyway if it doenst work out... Will come up with something that works...

Roy Ken
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Roy and Carolyn
I claim Horse Creek Country in Southern Ill - Momabear is from North Texas
We live in King George VA
RETIRED DOD DOAF DON CONTRACTOR Electronics Tech 42YRS

"We're burning daylight" - John Wayne
2008 STARCRAFT 14RT OFF-ROAD POPUP with PD9260C and three 85AH 12VDC batteries
2010 F150 FX4 5.4 GAS with 3.73 gears - Super Cab - Towing Package - 2KW Honda EU2000i Gen
K9PHT (since 1957) 146.52Mhz
"We always have a PLAN B"
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Old 06-09-2013, 01:18 PM   #11
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Thanks everyone for your comments. I learned a lot.

For my purposes, I will go with a 2-wire 0-66V Voltmeter with Blue Display. The blue display matches my other onboard electronics and appliances. I'll be adding an in-line fuse as I will be connected direct to battery feed. I like the thought of adding a switch, however, the fuse can double as a disconnect in the rare instance I may want to do so.

I have the parts order and I'll post pics of the mod when complete.

Ciao!
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Old 06-12-2013, 01:26 AM   #12
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Roy thanks for the info. The pics are a great way to understand what's going on. More stuff for my folder. If there is a good reason and a need I love to mod. Everyone needs a hobby.
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