New NASA Battery Monitor

[Prof]

NASA has bought out a new version of the BM-1 battery monitor - the BM-2!

 

It has a capacity to handle up to 200amps as opposed to 100amps for the old one; it also has the ability to monitor the voltage of the engine battery, two very useful improvements in my view.

 

I am aware that many people think that the "SmartGuage" is a superior unit from the point of view of monitoring the battery, which, if you need an ACCURATE assessment of the battery's state of charge is true, BUT the BM-2 has a number of other useful features well worth having; not only volts but amps, time to charge, time to discharge, engine battery monitoring etc.

 

ANYWAY, I've decided to try a BM-2, ordered it Monday, it came today and I'm hoping to fit it at the week-end. Will up-date when the job's done.

We'll see how things go?

 

Prof

[bottle]

As long as you are happy..........................................

[blackrose]

The other advantage of the NASA BM1 was that it had a better display of any of the monitors I'd seen. Is the BM2 is the same?

 

The Smartgauge is good but it doesn't have amps in/out which is a useful function. The state of charge (%) on the NASA won't be very accurate and neither will time to charge, time to discharge.

Edited October 27, 2011 by blackrose

[Prof]

The other advantage of the NASA BM1 was that it had a better display of any of the monitors I'd seen. Is the BM2 is the same?

 

The Smartgauge is good but it doesn't have amps in/out which is a useful function. The state of charge (%) on the NASA won't be very accurate and neither will time to charge, time to discharge.

 

 

 

The BM-2 has the same display format, it just has BM2 in the top right corner instead of BM1!

 

I agree entirely about the accuracy, but for me the ability to see changes and trends where state of charge, and times to charge and discharge are concerned are more important for spotting problems with batterys and charging systems, than accuracy. - It's also useful to be able to monitor the engine battery, even though its only volts!

[blackrose]

The BM-2 has the same display format, it just has BM2 in the top right corner instead of BM1!

 

I agree entirely about the accuracy, but for me the ability to see changes and trends where state of charge, and times to charge and discharge are concerned are more important for spotting problems with batterys and charging systems, than accuracy. - It's also useful to be able to monitor the engine battery, even though its only volts!

 

Even the most basic battery monitor should be able to do that.

[bottle]

It's also useful to be able to monitor the engine battery, even though its only volts!

 

Smatgauge does that (batteries in each bank must be the same voltage) I cannot use this facility as my banks are 24v and 12v

 

I will wait for the 'new' Smartgauge it will do all the BM does and give an accurate reading on SOC.

 

[blackrose]

I've got a SG and BEP 600 DC monitor.

 

http://www.bepmarine.com/home-mainmenu-8/product-360/600-dcm-contour-matrix-dc-monitor

 

Yes, I've spent a lot of money on battery monitors, but they cover most functions.

 

I expect the new SG won't be much cheaper.

[Chalky]

NASA has bought out a new version of the BM-1 battery monitor - the BM-2!

 

It has a capacity to handle up to 200amps as opposed to 100amps for the old one; it also has the ability to monitor the voltage of the engine battery, two very useful improvements in my view.

 

I am aware that many people think that the "SmartGuage" is a superior unit from the point of view of monitoring the battery, which, if you need an ACCURATE assessment of the battery's state of charge is true, BUT the BM-2 has a number of other useful features well worth having; not only volts but amps, time to charge, time to discharge, engine battery monitoring etc.

 

ANYWAY, I've decided to try a BM-2, ordered it Monday, it came today and I'm hoping to fit it at the week-end. Will up-date when the job's done.

We'll see how things go?

 

Prof

 

I've got a BM-1 and have had it for a year. The engine battery monitor is part of the BM-1. The main problem with the BM-1 is that above 100A it wraps round arithmetically. Also the drift on the input circuit is poor - mine reads 100ma charge with no load or charge going into the batteries and indicates lack of attention to design detail / cost cutting in the design of the circuitry and software. The other functions are exactly as you describe. The main issue is that the SOC indication is poor and can't cope with less than perfect batteries. It's a common problem with amp / coulomb counters - something smart gauge doesn't suffer from.

[Tonyl]

Smatgauge does that (batteries in each bank must be the same voltage) I cannot use this facility as my banks are 24v and 12v

 

I will wait for the 'new' Smartgauge it will do all the BM does and give an accurate reading on SOC.

 

 

 

Any more details of the "New SG". I was thinking of a purchase soon !. Any idea how long I should wait, and why ?

 

Regards

 

Tony

[bottle]

I think the last time Gibbo mentioned it the planned release was middle 2012.

 

The wait will be because it will be (according to what Gibbo said) the most accurate SOC indication, as it is now, but will also give readings for everything that you would like to know about your battery bank(s) and charging.

[Tonyl]

I think the last time Gibbo mentioned it the planned release was middle 2012.

 

The wait will be because it will be (according to what Gibbo said) the most accurate SOC indication, as it is now, but will also give readings for everything that you would like to know about your battery bank(s) and charging.

 

 

Thanks Keith,

 

I guess the design is in conjunction with all that "Survey" type data he was asking for a while ago ?

 

Might just hang on then !

 

Regards

 

Tony