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Thread: Power monitoring for your aux battery

  1. #1
    p38arover's Avatar
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    Power monitoring for your aux battery

    I thought I'd add a cheap eBay digital power meter to my L322 dual battery system to monitor voltage, discharge and charge current, power consumption, and % charge of the batteries.

    So I bought one of these:

    s-l1600.jpg

    I hooked it up and while it read voltage it didn't read current. Opening it up I found a trap for young players. The positive input and output connections are joined and current measurement is done via an internal shunt across the negative wiring.

    Basically it means that one has to make sure all the negative cabling goes via the meter which is, frankly, a pain in the proverbial, especially as the connections on the rear of the meter are quite small.

    My recommendation - don't buy one for this application.

    I'm now looking at a monitor that uses a current transformer (CT) but only measures voltage and current. The advantage of the CT is no charge/discharge current passing via the wiring and the CT can go around the positive or negative cable.
    Ron B.
    VK2OTC

    2003 L322 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 V8 Auto
    2007 Yamaha XJR1300
    Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA



    RIP Bucko - Riding on Forever

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    Hi,
    some of the ones that I've seen use Anderson plugs on either end. If the battery connects to the vehicle via a set of Anderson plugs, the meter can be easily placed/removed as required.
    Cheers

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    Hi Austastar, these units with the Anderson plug are not very accurate for currents much over 20 amps.

    Hi Ron, and unless you want to spend big dollars, none of the low cost devices log the data so you have to watch the display while you are driving.

    You will very quickly notice that measurement levels change so quickly you will be spending a dangerous amount of time looking at the display.

    This is no better than using a mobile phone while driving.

    While I no longer sell these, the BM2 Bluetooth Battery Monitors are one of the best ways to monitor your voltage levels and are available off eBay for around $35.

    I use a wi-fi data logger unit but it is around $400.

    I have been looking for a reasonably priced voltage and current data logger but have not found one yet.

    If anyone comes across a reasonably priced unit, please let us all know about it!

  4. #4
    p38arover's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    While I no longer sell these, the BM2 Bluetooth Battery Monitors are one of the best ways to monitor your voltage levels and are available off eBay for around $35.
    I'll check those out Tim.

    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    I use a wi-fi data logger unit but it is around $400.
    I have a Mooshimeter if I want to do some logging.


    Quote Originally Posted by austastar View Post
    Hi,
    some of the ones that I've seen use Anderson plugs on either end. If the battery connects to the vehicle via a set of Anderson plugs, the meter can be easily placed/removed as required.
    Cheers
    I have one of those on my solar panels but I was looking for a permanent in-vehicle installation that will measure charge from the alternator/solar panels/battery charger.

    OK, I have bitten the bullet and purchased two items to play with.

    One uses a CT: DC 5-120V 100A Digital Voltmeter Current Voltage Amp Meter w/ Hall Effect Sensor | eBay but only measures voltage and current but, because it uses a CT, it's bi-directional.

    The other item is a wireless unit: Wireless DC 0~400V 0~50-300A Voltage Current Watt Power Color LCD Combo Meter AU | eBay

    It is a bit bulky.

    Ron B.
    VK2OTC

    2003 L322 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 V8 Auto
    2007 Yamaha XJR1300
    Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA



    RIP Bucko - Riding on Forever

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