Do I need a Smartguage?

[WotEver]

I don't think it's the information that's at issue here.

 

SmartGauge will lose accuracy with broken batteries. A hydrometer will be useless with broken batteries too. So what?

 

When TC stated that it was in the manual that caused me to carefully trawl through every page looking for it. When I couldn't find it after wasting about 20 minutes I asked TC which page it was on as I couldn't understand why I couldn't find it. It turns out that I needn't have wasted my time as it was TC who was wrong.

 

Tony

I have a bmv near the engine controls and its very good for telling me whats happening ie alternator charging tail current but as a soc i dont use it as i cant be bothered to reset the battery capacity and would be better in the living space where the batteries are doscharging..

Im thinking of a smartgauge for this purpose if i could install it maybe 5/6 meters from the batts with decent cable? As anyone tried this

Yep, that will be perfectly fine.

 

Tony

[nicknorman]

These Various Smartgage threads are getting a bit tedious, its just the same stuff over and over again:...

...

 

I think I was a bit of a number 2 once, bit now i'm a number 1. (slightly clever boaty joke)

 

...............Dave

You're right Dave, I'm going to shut up about it now. I will however post some stats from discharging and charging with SG vs AH counter, charge current etc but that won't be until next week.

 

As to you final bit, please don't start an argument about pumpout vs cassette for your #2s and #1s.

[Graham.m]

I have a bmv near the engine controls and its very good for telling me whats happening ie alternator charging tail current but as a soc i dont use it as i cant be bothered to reset the battery capacity and would be better in the living space where the batteries are doscharging..

Im thinking of a smartgauge for this purpose if i could install it maybe 5/6 meters from the batts with decent cable? As anyone tried this

 

mickp,

 

If you go that distance away from the batteries I would suggest up rating the cable used to connect to the gauge from 1mm² to 1.5mm^2. That will make sure the unit is seeing exactly the same voltage as on the batteries

[nicknorman]

mickp,

 

If you go that distance away from the batteries I would suggest up rating the cable used to connect to the gauge from 1mm² to 1.5mm^2. That will make sure the unit is seeing exactly the same voltage as on the batteries

I'd also suggest twisting the long wires from domestic + and - together eg in a drill. Twisted wires are much less prone to picking up electrical noise than seperate wires taking slightly different paths.

[bottle]

That's good Graham, your suggestion I mean

 

Did you get that from the manual or perhaps one of the websites.

 

 

 

ps. do not bother to answer, as I know.

[Graham.m]

I don't think it's the information that's at issue here.

 

SmartGauge will lose accuracy with broken batteries. A hydrometer will be useless with broken batteries too. So what?

 

When TC stated that it was in the manual that caused me to carefully trawl through every page looking for it. When I couldn't find it after wasting about 20 minutes I asked TC which page it was on as I couldn't understand why I couldn't find it. It turns out that I needn't have wasted my time as it was TC who was wrong.

 

Tony

 

Yep, that will be perfectly fine.

 

Tony

 

I am sorry for one of the alleged oracle I would expect you to know that the information was correct and not have to go and look it up, not the sign of a good engineer or sales person. Again you appear hectoring

I'd also suggest twisting the long wires from domestic + and - together eg in a drill. Twisted wires are much less prone to picking up electrical noise than seperate wires taking slightly different paths.

 

Suggest using standard lighting flex, which is already twisted and in a protective sheath

That's good Graham, your suggestion I mean

 

Did you get that from the manual or perhaps one of the websites.

 

 

 

ps. do not bother to answer, as I know.

 

Head and years of experience

Edited January 22, 2016 by Graham.m

[bottle]

Information correct, reference incorrect.

[bizzard]

And lo, two wise men departed Bethlehem empty handed in great glee. The third unwise man, not so gleeful also left Bethlehem, still clutching the Smartgauge.

[Tony Brooks]

I have a bmv near the engine controls and its very good for telling me whats happening ie alternator charging tail current but as a soc i dont use it as i cant be bothered to reset the battery capacity and would be better in the living space where the batteries are doscharging..

Im thinking of a smartgauge for this purpose if i could install it maybe 5/6 meters from the batts with decent cable? As anyone tried this

 

As the Smartgauge uses voltage the minimum cable size specified by the BSS should be more than sufficient. However if you want to use its relay function it might need more thought. Remember the designer is very specific that the cables must be connected to the BATTERY bank, not at some other point in the pos. & neg. circuits.

[WotEver]

I am sorry for one of the alleged oracle I would expect you to know that the information was correct and not have to go and look it up...

Alleged by whom?

 

Oracle? Really?

 

I didn't go looking in the manual because the news was new to me - any idiot knows that you can't accurately measure a broken battery - I went looking because I was surprised that I'd never noticed it in the manual before.

 

So I wasted 20 minutes trawling through it with care to see where it was.

 

I wasted my time because TC's post was incorrect.

 

Tony

 

Edited for tryping

Edited January 22, 2016 by WotEver

[jenlyn]

And lo, two wise men departed Bethlehem empty handed in great glee. The third unwise man, not so gleeful also left Bethlehem, still clutching the Smartgauge.

Two baked bean cans and 20 ft of twine

[Graham.m]

 

As the Smartgauge uses voltage the minimum cable size specified by the BSS should be more than sufficient. However if you want to use its relay function it might need more thought. Remember the designer is very specific that the cables must be connected to the BATTERY bank, not at some other point in the pos. & neg. circuits.

 

mmmm Tony I am not aware of BSS specifying a minimum cable size for such a use, have I missed it

[Graham.m]

Alleged by whom?

 

Oracle? Really?

 

I didn't go looking in the manual because the news was new to me - any idiot knows that you can't accurately measure a broken battery - I went looking because I was surprised that I'd never noticed it in the manual before.

 

So I wasted 20 minutes trawling through it with care to see where it was.

 

I wasted my time because TC's post was incorrect.

 

Tony

 

Edited for tryping

 

No you wasted your time because I believe you wanted to prove the information wrong. If you had known it was correct you would have acknowledge that without demanding proof by asking for page numbers.

 

Where the info was does not matter that it was correct was the important thing, and you did not know that the smartgauge does not like batteries whose capacity has decayed to 50% or less.

add a lot of boaters use batteries that have 50% or less capacity left.

[Tony Brooks]

 

mmmm Tony I am not aware of BSS specifying a minimum cable size for such a use, have I missed it

 

 

Sorry its a BS/ISO for Recreational Craft Directive and best practice thing to do with the minimum number of strands. I am sure 1sq mm CCSA would be fine, anything thicket would also do.

[Graham.m]

 

 

Sorry its a BS/ISO for Recreational Craft Directive and best practice thing to do with the minimum number of strands. I am sure 1sq mm CCSA would be fine, anything thicket would also do.

 

Thanks thought I was going blind

 

I would stick to 1.5mm² that is effectively a 10 metre run.

 

As for the RCD surely that does not apply to boats over 5 years old

 

On best practice we don't disagree hence why I posted

[johnmck]

Gauge.

 

Noun.

 

"an instrument that measures and gives a visual display of the amount, level, or contents of something."

 

That simply, is what the Smartguage does. At a glance and ideal for someone like me, with very limited knowledge.

 

P's. We also have water and fuel guages on the boat. I do not expect them to be 100% accurate, but they give a fair indication of level.

Edited January 22, 2016 by johnmck

[WotEver]

No you wasted your time because I believe you wanted to prove the information wrong.

Not for the first time Graham, you demonstrate that your beliefs and reality are a long way apart.

 

Please do not call me a liar. You are beginning to make a habit out of it.

 

The 50% thing isn't new. It's common knowledge. Has been for a long time - since way before you were a member here.

 

I repeat - I asked for a page number because I couldn't find it in the manual. It turns out that's because it isn't in the manual at all.

 

Tony

[WotEver]

... you would have acknowledge that without demanding proof by asking for page numbers.

My, my. You really do like to use emotive language, don't you? "Demanding proof"? Where was the demand?

 

I simply and politely asked which page the information was on.

[Graham.m]

Not for the first time Graham, you demonstrate that your beliefs and reality are a long way apart.

 

Please do not call me a liar. You are beginning to make a habit out of it.

 

The 50% thing isn't new. It's common knowledge. Has been for a long time - since way before you were a member here.

 

I repeat - I asked for a page number because I couldn't find it in the manual. It turns out that's because it isn't in the manual at all.

 

Tony

 

Oh no my belief's and reality are very close lol you don't know how close. If you were less aggressive towards me you might have found out but now probably not.

 

lol But as a good supporter and advocate for the gauge you should have known the information was correct, I did. Your bad

 

ETA where did I call you a liar, please be specific

My, my. You really do like to use emotive language, don't you? "Demanding proof"? Where was the demand?

 

I simply and politely asked which page the information was on.

 

Your favourite is EVIDENCE

Edited January 22, 2016 by Graham.m

[mickp]

Thanks guys.i have a pair of (i think )40mm sq cables from batteries via isolation and large fuse to a fused distribution cupd to feed domestics and relays for tunnel lights etc half way down the boat .no heavy loads go that way as inverter solar engine stuff have thete own feed from bateries in engine room .temtpted to make a connection from there would this have an impact on the smart gauge do you think ??

Edited January 22, 2016 by mickp

[bottle]

Graham.m

 

We all knew it was correct but again the reference was incorrect.

 

Which is just laziness on the part of the poster and not helpful to those that are researching

 

mickp.

 

As per manual repeated twice at least the Smartgauge must be connected to the battery terminals nowhere else

7. The feed to SmartGauge battery +ve and –ve really MUST go to the battery posts. It is NOT
acceptable to take the feeds from bus bars, distribution panels, fuse panels or isolation switches.
8.
The feed to SmartGauge battery +ve and –ve really MUST go to the battery posts. It is NOT
acceptable to take the feeds from bus bars, distribution panels, fuse panels or isolator switches. Yes we
know that is the same as number 7 but it is VERY important so we thought it wise to repeat it

[WotEver]

Thanks guys.i have a pair of (i think )40mm sq cables from batteries via isolation and large fuse to a fused distribution cupd to feed domestics and relays for tunnel lights etc half way down the boat .no heavy loads go that way as inverter solar engine stuff have thete own feed from bateries in engine room .temtpted to make a connection from there would this have an impact on the smart gauge do you think ??

Yes. It won't work.

 

The SmartGauge MUST be connected directly to the battery posts with its own cable.

 

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/pdfs/manuals/sgaugeman_r203.pdf

 

Tony

[Graham.m]

Thanks guys.i have a pair of (i think )40mm sq cables from batteries via isolation and large fuse to a fused distribution cupd to feed domestics and relays for tunnel lights etc half way down the boat .no heavy loads go that way as inverter solar engine stuff have thete own feed from bateries in engine room .temtpted to make a connection from there would this have an impact on the smart gauge do you think ??

 

Do not make the connection anywhere but at the battery terminals. It does not take much current down the cables you have mentioned to alter the voltage and that would upset the gauge.

[mickp]

Ok thanks... just testing

[WotEver]

Graham.m

 

We all knew it was correct but again the reference was incorrect.

Thanks Keith. I think the problem here is that Graham is too new to the forum to appreciate that.

 

Tony

Ok thanks... just testing

Lol !! Edited January 22, 2016 by WotEver