- Quick Menu
-
|
11-30-2010
|
|
Beneteau 411
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 382
Rep Power: 2
|
|
|
Best battery monitor for the buck
I'm planning to upgrade the electrical system on an 'about to be acquired' 34 foot sailboat. I want to keep it simple. So far the system will consist of 4 golf cart batteries, an Air Breeze wind generator, and a battery monitor. Of course, I will also have the stock alternator available on the 27HP Westerbeke. Based upon price and my minimal requirements I have narrowed my choice down to the Bogart Engineering TM-2025RV TriMetric Meter for $173 including shunt and the Victron BMV 600 for $158 including shunt and cabling. I'm favoring the Victron since it has a factor of 10 better resolution measuring amps (ie, 0.01 vs 0.1 amps), much lower parasitic current draw (ie, 4 vs 30 mA), and clean professional look. The one feature I will give up is the ability to measure Voltage of the start battery that the TriMetric offers. I suppose for the price difference I could purchase a standalone Volt meter. I'm interested in receiving opinions about these two meters or any alternatives. Thanks
Pete
|
11-30-2010
|
 |
Telstar 28
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 43,315
Rep Power: 11
|
|
|
get the Victron. Have you priced marine signal cable recently???
__________________
Sailingdog
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts..
Still—DON'T READ THAT POST AGAIN.
|
11-30-2010
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Maine Coast
Posts: 3,796
Rep Power: 13
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingdog
get the Victron. Have you priced marine signal cable recently???
|
Ditto! That and a $10.00 DVM from Wal*Mart will tell you volts on the start battery..
__________________
______
-Maine Sail / CS-36T
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
© Images In Posts Property of Compass Marine Inc.
|
11-30-2010
|
 |
Courtney the Dancer
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Juan Islands., WA, USA
Posts: 2,867
Rep Power: 12
|
|
|
I just installed the Victron this year based on recommendations here on Sailnet and I'm very happy with it. Easy installation and operation, makes me wonder how I got along without it all these years.
__________________
John
SV Laurie Anne
1988 Brewer 40 Pilothouse
|
11-30-2010
|
 |
Pearson 303
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 395
Rep Power: 5
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maine Sail
Ditto! That and a $10.00 DVM from Wal*Mart will tell you volts on the start battery..
|
Or for an extra $50 you can get the BMV 602 that monitors two banks. I've not used either of the Victrons, but I know they are well regarded and will probably be installing one next year.
|
11-30-2010
|
|
Telstar 28
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 43,315
Rep Power: 11
|
|
|
Just curious, what is the start battery or are you splitting the four GC batteries into two banks. If you're planning on the latter, I wouldn't recommend it. If a single battery fails you'll lose either bank, since you need TWO 6V GC batteries to make a 12 VDC house bank.
BTW, if you price the Tri-metric battery monitor and the cost of the wiring needed to connect it, you're coming pretty close to the price of the BMV 602 SVCarolena mentions.
__________________
Sailingdog
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts..
Still—DON'T READ THAT POST AGAIN.
|
11-30-2010
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: South Florida
Posts: 201
Rep Power: 3
|
|
|
Not to hijack the thread, but I've got 3 battery banks on the boat: engine start, windlass, and house. Since about all I can find is dual battery bank units, and knowing that the house has to be on the monitor, which would you suggest putting on the other?
__________________
Capt. Douglas Abbott
USCG/MCA IV/C.I./M.I. 500-ton Oceans
PADI MSDT
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
11-30-2010
|
|
Telstar 28
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 43,315
Rep Power: 11
|
|
CruzPro makes a couple of models that can monitor voltage for three banks and actual amp-hours on one... so will the Microlog series of battery monitors. BlueSea's VSM422 will do three bank voltage, one bank amp-hours...but will also monitor three tanks IIRC.
Don't know of any that will do amp-hours on three banks.
__________________
Sailingdog
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts..
Still—DON'T READ THAT POST AGAIN.
|
12-01-2010
|
|
Beneteau 411
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 382
Rep Power: 2
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingdog
Just curious, what is the start battery or are you splitting the four GC batteries into two banks. If you're planning on the latter, I wouldn't recommend it. If a single battery fails you'll lose either bank, since you need TWO 6V GC batteries to make a 12 VDC house bank.
|
I will leave the existing 12 V start battery as is. The 4 golf cart batteries will be in a single bank. Since I'm not at the boat, I can't say the make and model of existing start battery. The big uncertainty now is where to locate the 4 golf cart batteries and how to construct a secure box for them. Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingdog
BTW, if you price the Tri-metric battery monitor and the cost of the wiring needed to connect it, you're coming pretty close to the price of the BMV 602 SVCarolena mentions.
|
Yup, it is tempting!
|
12-01-2010
|
|
Telstar 28
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 43,315
Rep Power: 11
|
|
|
Are the batteries AGM or wet cell. If they are AGM all you need to do is cover the terminals and strap the batteries down securely, since there is no liquid electrolyte (primarily acid) to worry about. If they are wet cell, you'll want a battery box to contain the acid in case a battery leaks or the boat is knocked down severely.
Without knowing where the batteries are being installed, it is hard to say how to box them in.
__________________
Sailingdog
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts..
Still—DON'T READ THAT POST AGAIN.
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is On
|
|
|
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:10 AM.
|
Connect with Facebook
