Battery Monitoring Question

lapowers57

There have been several discussions about monitoring batteries.  I understand that you don't want the battery to go below 12.2 volts.  I also know that with the fridge turned on theSealevel monitor may read 11.8 volts due to the draw but the battery may still be over 12.2.  My question is the following, are there any monitors that show the actual voltage of the battery when there is a draw on the system?  I have seen pictures of devices that plug into a 12 volt outlet in the T@B and devices that must be wired into the system.  Do any of these show the actual state of the battery the there is a load on the system?  What about the monitor on my Zamp panels?   

ColoradoJon

No, monitoring battery charge by voltage is not very accurate and only meant to give you a general idea of the remaining charge level.  For something accurate you need to install a more advanced battery monitor like the Trimetric 2030-RV, which will measure your amp draw.

wizard1880

A battery monitor gives you a percentage reading 0-100 of remaining battery capacity.  Just keep it above 50% always, and you never need to worry about voltage.

jkjenn

lapowers57 said:

There have been several discussions about monitoring batteries.  I understand that you don't want the battery to go below 12.2 volts.  I also know that with the fridge turned on theSealevel monitor may read 11.8 volts due to the draw but the battery may still be over 12.2.  My question is the following, are there any monitors that show the actual voltage of the battery when there is a draw on the system?  I have seen pictures of devices that plug into a 12 volt outlet in the T@B and devices that must be wired into the system.  Do any of these show the actual state of the battery the there is a load on the system?  What about the monitor on my Zamp panels?   

Here is a pretty good explanation of the differences and what the type with a shunt accomplish. This is somewhat dated in terms of brands available. I believe the authors now use the same brand I do, a Victron, Bogart Engineering (Trimetric), and Xantrex are all very comparable in quality. I went with Victron because it is easier to install than the others, has a Bluetooth dongle available and companion phone app, and they deliver firmware updates to improve performance to the device, but you can't go wrong with the ones they mentioned, either.

Tabaz

"What about my Zamp panels?" I only use my 200w Zamp when camping. I also use a small microwave. So it was very important for me to know the status of the battery after using the micro with the sun setting (I.e. Do I have enough reserve to make through the night AND have a nice warm microwave breakfast burrito in the morning? Without leaving the cabin. Because it's chilly outside). The BVM shows exactly how much juice is being used and the rate of charge from the Zamp panels. Very useful information in my humble opinion.