Volt/Ammeter meter ?

[W+T]

I am looking at Volt/Ammeter meters for the cruiser and have come by these.

The last one seems a lot better as to what you get as you get a lot more info on the batteries.

I will be running two 12v 110amp batteries.

I would fit one of these for each battery 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-100V-10A-50A-100A-Voltmeter-Ammeter-LED-Amp-Dual-Digital-Volt-Meter-Gauge-O1/182779882112?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=690093757393&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

Or one of these for the two batteries.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAC1300A-Multifunction-Wireless-Bi-directional-Ammeter-Capacity-Volt-Watt-Meter/322668807153?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I would prefer though to have a meter for each battery so i can see how each one is doing.

 

So opinions on these please.

Also open to other meters that are available. Not wanting to go and spend a fortune though.

 

Cheers

 

Wayne

[Onewheeler]

I've used a few of the former type. Surprisingly accurate for the price. Only issue is a small offset on the current, i.e. they read zero up to a few tens of mA. There are similar modules available which give bidirectional current readings, some of those need an isolated supply.

[adrianh]

I have had these for a couple of years but never managed to get the current side to work correctly. The shunts, available in higher currents than 100 amps, go in the negative and have no protection. The instructions suggest that they are fitted with a 12 volt  voltage regulator in the power supply line to get steady readings. I am just changing to the Ah type meter of a similar size/style also on ebay. This has the shunt in a module and connects via a usb or wireless to the display, although the set up instructions are poor translations.

Will post a link when I find it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-120V-300A-Wireless-Volt-Ammeter-Power-Meter-battery-Charge-discharge-capacity/172278832577?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Edited December 10, 2017 by adrianh

[Chewbacka]

The first meter you link to will only show the load current, it will not show a charging current, so for battery monitoring it is not what you want.

[W+T]

2 hours ago, adrianh said:

I have had these for a couple of years but never managed to get the current side to work correctly. The shunts, available in higher currents than 100 amps, go in the negative and have no protection. The instructions suggest that they are fitted with a 12 volt  voltage regulator in the power supply line to get steady readings. I am just changing to the Ah type meter of a similar size/style also on ebay. This has the shunt in a module and connects via a usb or wireless to the display, although the set up instructions are poor translations.

Will post a link when I find it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-120V-300A-Wireless-Volt-Ammeter-Power-Meter-battery-Charge-discharge-capacity/172278832577?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

That is the same as the second i linked to...is it ? 

Much better than the first i liked to for extra readings/info. I will look to see if they can be found with decent instructions. There are few sellers on ebay of the same item. 

 

 

2 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

The first meter you link to will only show the load current, it will not show a charging current, so for battery monitoring it is not what you want.

Yes , the first is very basic but a whole lot cheaper for those that just want the V/A readings. I prefer the second as it will take more Amps incase of added batteries at a later date to go along the two 110amp i have. Still would want one for each battery though really. 

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, adrianh said:

I have had these for a couple of years but never managed to get the current side to work correctly. The shunts, available in higher currents than 100 amps, go in the negative and have no protection. The instructions suggest that they are fitted with a 12 volt  voltage regulator in the power supply line to get steady readings. I am just changing to the Ah type meter of a similar size/style also on ebay. This has the shunt in a module and connects via a usb or wireless to the display, although the set up instructions are poor translations.

Will post a link when I find it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-120V-300A-Wireless-Volt-Ammeter-Power-Meter-battery-Charge-discharge-capacity/172278832577?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Some very good reports on these on Facebook but I understand the instructions may be a bit vague 

[smileypete]

To date the main options for reading current appear to be:

- Something like a UK supplied NASA BM1 or BM2 made for the boating market which also has an amp hour counting SoC gauge (use with great care!)

- The wireless VA meter which reportedly works well.

- The meter mentioned a couple of weeks ago where there is a built in isolator. This means its shunt can go in the negative or positive and it can read both directions.

- A handheld clamp meter such as the Uni Trend UT210E which can be had for about £30 from Amazon

- An old school analogue meter where its shunt can go in the positive or negative. Some of the single direction 100A ones have a good enough scale for reading tail current, I s'pose two could be used for both directions, running off the same shunt.

- A single direction ammeter where the shunt must be in the negative, probably not worth it these days with the other options available.

- The older bidirectional ammeters which need an external isolated supply for reading both directions. Again, a bit too fiddly nowadays with so many other options available.

Some product links...

Wireless meter:

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-120V-300A-Wireless-Volt-Ammeter-Power-Meter-battery-Charge-discharge-capacity/172278832577

Meter with built in isolator:

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-100V-500A-Voltmeter-Ammeter-Charge-Discharge-Isolation-current-tester-12v-24v/172733947168

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-100V-200A-Voltmeter-Ammeter-Charge-Discharge-Isolation-current-tester-12v-24v/182623244034

Clamp meter:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/UNI-T-UT210E-Current-Meters-Capacitance/dp/B00O1Q2HOQ

Typical 100A analogue meter:

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-100A-Current-Ampmeter-Analog-AMP-Panel-Meter-Ammeter-Gauge-85C1/202025021524

Only thing to watch is that some meters need the shunt purchased separately, the cheap ones tend to use a 75mV shunt and the more expensive marine meters a 100mV shunt, the meter needs the correct matching one or the reading will be waaay out.

 

Edited December 10, 2017 by smileypete

[adrianh]

I forgot to say in the earlier post that not all of the meters of the type as the first link can indicate a value for a negative current .

For the meter in my later post I managed to get the Chinese supplier to send a slightly better translated instruction sheet by email.

[Naughty Cal]

Nothing wrong with the old school analogue gauges. We have a volt meter and an ammeter which when tested are both more then accurate enough for what we need. Don't know what make ours are as they were standard fit with the boat and have been Sealine branded on the front face.

When tested both gauges were ever so slightly pessimistic (volt gauge reading 0.1v lower then actual and ammeter reading 1 amp or so higher), but we would rather have them that way then the other.

They are easy to read and easy to understand. A simple solution to battery monitoring.

[Chewbacka]

1 hour ago, Naughty Cal said:

Nothing wrong with the old school analogue gauges. We have a volt meter and an ammeter which when tested are both more then accurate enough for what we need. Don't know what make ours are as they were standard fit with the boat and have been Sealine branded on the front face.

When tested both gauges were ever so slightly pessimistic (volt gauge reading 0.1v lower then actual and ammeter reading 1 amp or so higher), but we would rather have them that way then the other.

They are easy to read and easy to understand. A simple solution to battery monitoring.

I agree that an analogue gauge is good for a quick check, but for current, a 200A analogue gauge just does not have the resolution to read a tail current of two or three amps. 

[mrsmelly]

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 09:19, W+T said:

I am looking at Volt/Ammeter meters for the cruiser and have come by these.

The last one seems a lot better as to what you get as you get a lot more info on the batteries.

I will be running two 12v 110amp batteries.

I would fit one of these for each battery 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-100V-10A-50A-100A-Voltmeter-Ammeter-LED-Amp-Dual-Digital-Volt-Meter-Gauge-O1/182779882112?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=690093757393&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

Or one of these for the two batteries.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAC1300A-Multifunction-Wireless-Bi-directional-Ammeter-Capacity-Volt-Watt-Meter/322668807153?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I would prefer though to have a meter for each battery so i can see how each one is doing.

 

So opinions on these please.

Also open to other meters that are available. Not wanting to go and spend a fortune though.

 

Cheers

 

Wayne

With an ebay user name like the second link I would be worried it was going to work!!

[Tony Brooks]

11 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

I agree that an analogue gauge is good for a quick check, but for current, a 200A analogue gauge just does not have the resolution to read a tail current of two or three amps. 

Added to which far too many analogue ammeters are of the moving iron type that will not do the charging any favours.

[rusty69]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NASA-Clipper-BM1-Battery-Monitor-Instrument-12-Volt/322932761054?hash=item4b304ae1de:g:7AEAAOSwCtJaLT63

[WotEver]

10 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NASA-Clipper-BM1-Battery-Monitor-Instrument-12-Volt/322932761054?hash=item4b304ae1de:g:7AEAAOSwCtJaLT63

Be interesting to see what that goes for in 5 days. 

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, WotEver said:

Be interesting to see what that goes for in 5 days. 

I'd bid 12 quid if there were two of em

[WotEver]

5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I'd bid 12 quid if there were two of em

He’d never let them go. 

[Naughty Cal]

19 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Added to which far too many analogue ammeters are of the moving iron type that will not do the charging any favours.

Ours are according to an advert I have just found moving coil.

[Ratkatcher]

I use a cheapie Chinese meter that provides both voltage and current (charge/ discharge) readings (as well as a lot of functions that I don't use) together on screen.  I has a shunt on the battery negative and is connected to the display by 4 wires.

I'll never claim it is the dog's danglies but it does provide an indication of battery voltage (I used the calibration settings to make the display read the voltage measured across the battery a little more accurate) and current going into / out of the domestic bank. Currently on a 100A shunt but I do have a larger one just in case...

It did provide evidence that the alternator was not up to scratch, which probably paid for itself in that alone, earlier this year -then provided reassurance that the new alternator was doing its stuff

[WotEver]

5A @ 13.4V suggests that the batteries are a long way off 100%. What’s the current at 14.4V?

36 minutes ago, Ratkatcher said:

 

[Ratkatcher]

The picture was taken before I changed the alternator (I was using it as an illustration of the meter itself), current at 14.7v is much lower - I'll take a pic next time on the boat, but memory says an amp or so after several hours cruising (say over 5... ) if the fridge has been running overnight etc. 

Last weekend, with only led lights and radio (and the water pump) being used when stationary 'charged' low current was much sooner.

It isn't a Smartguage or NASA etc. but helpful nonetheless.

(It does battery state, allegedly, but not in a way that this one can understand! )

[W+T]

On 12/12/2017 at 10:48, WotEver said:

Be interesting to see what that goes for in 5 days. 

 

On 12/12/2017 at 10:38, rusty69 said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NASA-Clipper-BM1-Battery-Monitor-Instrument-12-Volt/322932761054?hash=item4b304ae1de:g:7AEAAOSwCtJaLT63

I mite have a dabble on that  not keen on second hand gear but hey ho. I will down load fitting instructions so it can be  fitted properly as i read that they need to be fitted exactly as the instruction. 

 

If not i will just get the     http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-120V-300A-Wireless-Volt-Ammeter-Power-Meter-battery-Charge-discharge-capacity/172278832577?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, W+T said:

 

I mite have a dabble on that  not keen on second hand gear but hey ho. I will down load fitting instructions so it can be  fitted properly as i read that they need to be fitted exactly as the instruction. 

 

If not i will just get the     http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-120V-300A-Wireless-Volt-Ammeter-Power-Meter-battery-Charge-discharge-capacity/172278832577?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

FWIW, I bought a used Xantrex from e-bay. Works ok, but display is a bit small I wish I had bought the NASA unit, with bigger display. I think there is a NASA BM2 with bigger shunt if required too.

 

Good luck if you decide to bid

[mrsmelly]

19 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

FWIW, I bought a used Xantrex from e-bay. Works ok, but display is a bit small I wish I had bought the NASA unit, with bigger display. I think there is a NASA BM2 with bigger shunt if required too.

 

Good luck if you decide to bid

I have the BM2 yes bigger shunt, brilliant huge display and waterproof so can be fitted externaly if ya wish. Realy for lumpy water me thinks.

[W+T]

9 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

FWIW, I bought a used Xantrex from e-bay. Works ok, but display is a bit small I wish I had bought the NASA unit, with bigger display. I think there is a NASA BM2 with bigger shunt if required too.

 

Good luck if you decide to bid

Think i am now reading these wrong as the BM1 is no good for me then as i have two 12v 110amph batteries ? 

this is the BM1 spec, not enough amps

• BM-1  12V 8 – 16 Volts DC

  BM-1  24V 16 – 32 Volts DC

  Supply current 1.5 milliamps

  Battery capacities 5 – 600 AMP Hour

  Load current 100 AMPS Maximum

  Charge current 100 AMPS Maximum

  Shunt Standard 50 millivolt @ 100 AMP

 

BM2 spec 

 

• Supply voltage 8 – 16 Volts DC
• Supply current 1.5 milliamps
• Battery capacities 5 – 999 AMP Hour
• Load current 199 AMPS Maximum
• Charge current 199 AMPS Maximum
• Shunt Standard 50 millivolt @ 200 AMP

 

 

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, W+T said:

Think i am now reading these wrong as the BM1 is no good for me then as i have two 12v 110amph batteries ? 

this is the BM1 spec, not enough amps

• BM-1  12V 8 – 16 Volts DC

  BM-1  24V 16 – 32 Volts DC

  Supply current 1.5 milliamps

  Battery capacities 5 – 600 AMP Hour

  Load current 100 AMPS Maximum

  Charge current 100 AMPS Maximum

  Shunt Standard 50 millivolt @ 100 AMP

 

BM2 spec 

 

• Supply voltage 8 – 16 Volts DC
• Supply current 1.5 milliamps
• Battery capacities 5 – 999 AMP Hour
• Load current 199 AMPS Maximum
• Charge current 199 AMPS Maximum
• Shunt Standard 50 millivolt @ 200 AMP

 

 

You would have to determine your max power in/out to determine which you need.

Edited December 14, 2017 by rusty69