Adding battery monitor to teardrop

[BroncoHauler]

Been thinking about adding a battery monitor to my teardrop, and am looking for opinions. I've dealt with simple voltage meters, but I'd like to be better able to monitor available capacity, especially as I'll be ramping up my usage due to my fridge and some other additions, while down the road, I'll be adding some power sources (solar, and possibly a generator). I like the Xantrex LinkPro, an especially like the features like battery time remaining, but the price is a bit steep. I figure the visual representation of the battery capacity, and battery time remaining will also help my family better grasp the importance of managing power consumption (fingers crossed).

Other battery monitors:
TriMetric
National Luna
Clipper BM-2
Victron BMV-600


Currently configuration:
group 24 battery
radio
exterior lights
interior lights

Near-term upgrades:
group 31 AGM battery (in place of the group 24)
wiring up my 60qt ARB fridge
solar controller
additional exterior lights
powered USB connector

Long-term possible upgrades:
small foldable solar panel (20-30W) for battery maintenance and to offset the fridge power consumption
portable AC unit driven by portable generator

No plans to go with a second battery.


thanks,
Herb

 

[SoCal_80]

This is what I am using. Have one on the cruiser and one on the trailer. Good results so far.
http://www.powerwerx.com/digital-meters/doc-wattson-meter-dc-inline.html

 

[skersfan]

Take a look at the Morningstar Digital 15 solar controller. It has digital reading of battery level, also lights and has the capabilities of shutting off the system when to low. Very visiable, and not terribly expensive, does everything you require for about 130 bucks.

Bob
www.aspenXtrails.com

 

[mhiscox]

This is what I am using. Have one on the cruiser and one on the trailer. Good results so far.
http://www.powerwerx.com/digital-meters/doc-wattson-meter-dc-inline.html

I have this (actually the lower capacity Watts Up version) in the LX and the Xantrek LinkPro in the XV-JP. Both work fine. One could argue the Watt's Up meter has an advantage in letting you see more information at one time and it's hard to ignore that the Link Pro is about five times as much money. But the LinkPro is much more the professional-level classy instrument, whereas the Watt's Up is a plasticky add-on that happens to work just as well.

Basically, you get to decide if you want to pay for the more elegant solution.

 

[BroncoHauler]

Take a look at the Morningstar Digital 15 solar controller. It has digital reading of battery level, also lights and has the capabilities of shutting off the system when to low. Very visiable, and not terribly expensive, does everything you require for about 130 bucks.

Bob
www.aspenXtrails.com

Bob,

Is this the one you're talking about?

http://www.solar-electric.com/pros30solcha.html


thanks,
Herb

 

[skersfan]

Yes it is, I use them in over 30 solar towers currently. Tell you the state of the battery, the amount of charge coming from the solar panel, control the load of the trailer and tell you exactly how much you are using. Lights flash to tell you different levels. I have never seen one fail, other than being shorted out by mistake, I did it on my last build, duh.

Very reasonable I think for all they do.

Bob
www.aspenXtrails.com

 

[BroncoHauler]

Yes it is, I use them in over 30 solar towers currently. Tell you the state of the battery, the amount of charge coming from the solar panel, control the load of the trailer and tell you exactly how much you are using. Lights flash to tell you different levels. I have never seen one fail, other than being shorted out by mistake, I did it on my last build, duh.

Very reasonable I think for all they do.

Bob
www.aspenXtrails.com

I don't know why there aren't more solar controllers that include battery monitoring capabilities like this. Seems like a natural marriage of two highly inter-related functions.


Herb

 

[skersfan]

They are designed strictly for solar application, that is Morningstar's field I guess. They have cheaper ones with out digital read out that work every bit as well, but the visual action you are looking for go away.

You can buy them on line. I would say I could get one for you, but by the time we put shipping on it, most likely more than buying it direct. If you are upgrading batteries, look at Concord/Chairman/Sun Saver. These are military grade batteries. Not cheap, but last up to 15 years. Great for a trailer.

Bob
www.aspenXtrails.com

 

[dwh]

You can add a remote monitoring panel to both the SunSaver Duo and the SunSaver MPPT Morningstar charge controllers. The same meter also works with the SureSine inverter:

http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/rm-1
http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/support/library/RemoteMeterENG.pdf


One that hasn't been mentioned is the SmartGauge, which is a digital modeling monitor rather than an amp counter. Amp counters such as the LinkPro or the Bogarts - ones where you tell it the amp*hours of the battery bank - become more inaccurate over time, whereas the digital modeling meters become more accurate over time.

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/smartgauge.html

Someone else makes a digital modeling meter as well, but I can't remember who offhand. Maybe Blue Sea.