Battery Monitor

[trantor12020]

Has anyone installed the Xantrex LinkPro or LinkLite battery monitor ?
The literature states it monitors 2 banks but there's only 1 shunt hence I suppose only 1 bank has AH reading and the other Voltage only.
Good or bad experience with these units pls let me know. Thanks.

[Maine Sail]

The question is why are you needing to monitor two banks? The start bank is one that generally does not need monitoring.

Personally I would look into the Victron BMV-600 (single bank) or the BMV-602 (two bank) monitors. My Xantrex XBM was made for Xantrex by Victron and has been worlds more reliable than my older Xnatrex made Link units.

Jamestown Distributors sells the Victron units and they are more bang for the buck.

Victron BMV 600 Battery Monitor (LINK)


Victron BMV 602 Battery Monitor (LINK)

[trantor12020]

Maine Sail, thanks for the info. My battery setup is the Bank#1 (2x M31) is for start and house use. Bank#2 (1x M27) serve as emergency backup, use only when Bank#1 is dead. Bank#1 and #2 connects via Battery Combiner.
I intend to monitor AH for Bank#1 only and Voltage for Bank#2. I think the Linklite works out nicely. I'll take a look at the Victron. Thanks.

[Vitesse473]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

The start bank is one that generally does not need monitoring.

Not sure I agree with this.

I installed (myself, very easy) the Xantrex Link 20 last Fall which monitors my 690ah house bank on one link and the cranking batt on the other. This gives me a quick glance at the voltage health of both batts; among other key data points. Case in point, after entertaining 6 people for a daysail on SF Bay, I went to start the engine, only to realize my cranking batt was dead. In quicktime fashion (and without my guest knowing) I switched the cables to my house bank and cranked over the engine. Had I had the monitor installed at the time, I would have realized my cranking batt was bad before leaving the dock. Now I constantly check the health while underway. I think this is a major safety tool, as having your engine at the ready in an emergency is obviously important.

Regarding the shunt. Mine came with a 500amp shunt that contains 4 posts. I'm not sure why there are four. One post is used for the DC system negative, and two others are used for the negative cables coming from each battery bank. The Link 20 monitors voltage, amps, AH and provides a time estimate for both banks.

I would definitely give an endorsement for the Link 20. You might want to compare both models, as they are priced very similar.

[sailingdog]

If you have an echo charger and don't have any loads connected to the start battery other than the starter I'd agree with Maine Sail. Starting an engine just doesn't use much juice if the engine is well-maintained.

Originally Posted by Vitesse473

Not sure I agree with this.

I installed (myself, very easy) the Xantrex Link 20 last Fall which monitors my 690ah house bank on one link and the cranking batt on the other. This gives me a quick glance at the voltage health of both batts; among other key data points. Case in point, after entertaining 6 people for a daysail on SF Bay, I went to start the engine, only to realize my cranking batt was dead. In quicktime fashion (and without my guest knowing) I switched the cables to my house bank and cranked over the engine. Had I had the monitor installed at the time, I would have realized my cranking batt was bad before leaving the dock. Now I constantly check the health while underway. I think this is a major safety tool, as having your engine at the ready in an emergency is obviously important.

Regarding the shunt. Mine came with a 500amp shunt that contains 4 posts. I'm not sure why there are four. One post is used for the DC system negative, and two others are used for the negative cables coming from each battery bank. The Link 20 monitors voltage, amps, AH and provides a time estimate for both banks.

I would definitely give an endorsement for the Link 20. You might want to compare both models, as they are priced very similar.