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POWERMASTER, has anyone heard of these?

christophert

By christophert
in Boat Equipment

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cuthound Veteran II

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Can you please recommend a good ammeter and other monitoring devices? Thank you

One of these will measure ac and DC current as well as voltages. Not massively accurate but enough for identifying boat charging issues.

 

https://www.tester.co.uk/uni-t-ut203-400-600a-digital-clamp-meter?fee=3&fep=4840&gclid=CjwKEAjwm_K_BRDx5o-sxq6ouXASJAC7TsFLWKPnF-vquxv6VFK9karXLXtcNvF29Iv-GrnHKwkezRoCeHLw_wcB

Edited by cuthound
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WotEver Veteran II

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I believe it is the successor to the Smargauge.

I can assure you that it isn't. The Datacell is 'Son of SmartGauge' http://www.merlinequipment.com/markets/group.asp?groupid=48

 

The one you linked to is a good all-round Ah counter but the SoC readings are not as accurate as SmartGauge.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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Yep. Seen me coming!!

 

Just spoken to ShoreLine. Fridge has no DC and pulls 1 amp per hour. 3 to 3 and a half amps when working hard, according to them

I have been doing the sums on their fridges and cant get them to balance but that might be my bad maths. the quote 0.42 Kwr/24 hours or an average of 1.59 AHr per hour running or 32.49 running watts. which I make 2.5 ish amps.

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mross Influencer

mross

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The batteries are 'full' but they probably aren't storing much energy because they now have a fraction of their original capacity. Do you have the budget to spend two or three hunded pounds on a good battery monitor? If your budget is tight you can get a Chinese one on eBay for thirty quid. The clamp ammeter is a cheap alternative but you have to sit there with it clamped around a battery cable to get a reading and this will become tiresome after a few days!

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christophert Collaborator

christophert

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The batteries are 'full' but they probably aren't storing much energy because they now have a fraction of their original capacity. Do you have the budget to spend two or three hunded pounds on a good battery monitor? If your budget is tight you can get a Chinese one on eBay for thirty quid. The clamp ammeter is a cheap alternative but you have to sit there with it clamped around a battery cable to get a reading and this will become tiresome after a few days!

Morning, mross. At present finances won't stretch to good equipment as waiting a payment which will get me new batteries good monitors and solar. I'll go get a cheap Chinese one as you suggested from ebay in the mean time. I'd expected the batteries to have dropped considerably over this time but haven't, but you've explained the reason for that.

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mross Influencer

mross

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If you will use 3kW of power your inverter will take 300Amps from your batteries. If you can limit yourself to using only a few small items then it will be a lot less. You need to get a battery monitor that is able to record the highest current you are likely to use WHEN NOT ON SHORE POWER. What is the biggest user you have, in kW or W? Maybe a vacuum cleaner? You should use a stovetop kettle i.e. gas.

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WotEver Veteran II

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If you will use 3kW of power your inverter will take 300Amps from your batteries. If you can limit yourself to using only a few small items then it will be a lot less. You need to get a battery monitor that is able to record the highest current you are likely to use WHEN NOT ON SHORE POWER. What is the biggest user you have, in kW or W? Maybe a vacuum cleaner? You should use a stovetop kettle i.e. gas.

As he has a 300A consumer (the inverter) it is essential that the shunt is rated for at least 300A. You do not fit a lower spec 'because it's unlikely that he'll draw 300A'. You fit a shunt to suit the installed equipment not its expected usage.

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christophert Collaborator

christophert

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If you will use 3kW of power your inverter will take 300Amps from your batteries. If you can limit yourself to using only a few small items then it will be a lot less. You need to get a battery monitor that is able to record the highest current you are likely to use WHEN NOT ON SHORE POWER. What is the biggest user you have, in kW or W? Maybe a vacuum cleaner? You should use a stovetop kettle i.e. gas.

Yep, that's the frustrating part of all this. I hardly use anything when out and about. Kettle is gas, vacumm rechargeable so charged up before going out. We don't even use the microwave, but gas cook everything. Only thing used is led 12v lights and 12v TV and they are limited to use. I've just put a halogen bulb accross the batteries for a few mins to take out any froth. They are now at 12.7.

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WotEver Veteran II

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Morning, mross. At present finances won't stretch to good equipment as waiting a payment which will get me new batteries good monitors and solar. I'll go get a cheap Chinese one as you suggested from ebay in the mean time. I'd expected the batteries to have dropped considerably over this time but haven't, but you've explained the reason for that.

£10.75, free delivery, three wire connection:

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-300V-500A-DC-Digital-Voltmeter-Ammeter-LED-Amp-Volt-Meter-500A-Current-Shunt-/171727425179?nav=SEARCH

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christophert Collaborator

christophert

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I was looking at a 500a shunt as going to replace batteries with 140s x3 and wop 600w of solar on. The shunts are so expensive!


That's cheap! How good it'll be we don't know, but it'll certainly do for starters. Thank you WotEver

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WotEver Veteran II

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I've just put a halogen bulb accross the batteries for a few mins to take out any froth. They are now at 12.7.

Great. Now check the rating of the bulb and connect it to each battery in turn whilst measuring the voltage. When the voltage drops to 12.2v disconnect the bulb and let us know how long that took and what the bulb wattage is. We can then tell you the approximate capacity of your batteries. You might find that a few minutes after disconnecting the bulb the voltage rises a bit. If so, reconnect for a short while and repeat the excercise, adding the time.

 

Tony

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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Down side is it looks as it it only measures + current so cant measure discharge and charge, but at that price you could put a second one in the charging lead.

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mross Influencer

mross

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OP might as well get a Chinese one that records Ampere-hours (Ah) other wise it is only useful when he's sat watching it.

 

Here's one on eBay but it will take a while for delivery and customs.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Monitor-State-of-Charge-120V-300A-Voltage-Current-Capacity-Power-Meter-/172212544299?hash=item2818aae32b:g:PWcAAOSwB9xXPIcq

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christophert Collaborator

christophert

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OP might as well get a Chinese one that records Ampere-hours (Ah) other wise it is only useful when he's sat watching it.

 

Here's one on eBay but it will take a while for delivery and customs.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Monitor-State-of-Charge-120V-300A-Voltage-Current-Capacity-Power-Meter-/172212544299?hash=item2818aae32b:g:PWcAAOSwB9xXPIcq

Aha ! I have one I bought a long time ago, think it was in 1872. The one I have is only 30 amp so guess no good. I'll look at this one

This guy has one, and seems very happy with it

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christophert Collaborator

christophert

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Ok, just to clarify, if my inverter is 3000w and I'll be replacing batteries with possibly 2x or 3x 140amp and having 600w of solar, would a 300am shunt be sufficient or should I get next one up and go for 500amp shunt??

 

PS, the battery monitor looks a good bit of kit I reckon for the price

Edited by christophert
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