NASA BM1 BT (Bluetooth battery monitor)

[harrybsmith]

Evening all

Just wondering if anyone has any experience or thoughts on the NASA BM1 bluetooth battery monitors? Here's a link to an example:

http://www.nasamarine.com/product/bm-1-bluetooth/

I'm looking at this system over a more conventional battery monitor as to put the monitor display where I would like it/ in a place that isn't inconvenient would require over 7m of wire, which would have to be quite large gauge for reasons of voltdrop etc (I also don't really fancy routing the wire if i'm honest). I pretty much always have my smartphone on me when i'm aboard the boat which would be able to communicate to the monitor, and I intend to keep my current battery monitoring system of an ammeter and voltmeter as a backup.

The boat has two 130Ah leisure batteries that once I have a more adequate monitoring system in place I will replace, and I can never see me exceeding the 100A (1200W) limit of this monitor as I only have a 500W inverter and no other major loads (and no cause to fit a larger inverter as there is no room aboard for a washing machine/dishwasher/ Corby trouser press).

 

Many thanks as ever

 

[mrsmelly]

Mt thoughts..................as you did ask ? Its just another unnecessary gimmicky gadget. I have the standard BM2 its readout is huge and very easy to read and it literaly took no time at all to fit. The thing comes pre wired and is brain doner simple to fit...................it must be I did mine. So in short just another toy with zero benefits and some downsides not least of which is ensuring yet another gadget ( the fone ) is always working/charged etc.

[Dr Bob]

I've got a BMV monitor and the blue tooth is great ..very easy to watch on the phone in the back half of the boat, but unlike the NASA, the display on the unit is cr@p. I like being able to look at the phone output while steering. Maybe not needed if you can mount the BM 1 where you can see it but it needs to be in two different places for when you are parked or moving, so having the Bluetooth is beneficial for me. Just wish it reached to the front of the boat.

[system 4-50]

Another vote for the BM2.  The large screen is great 'cos I don't have a TV (or a thing that goes round) to watch.

[peterboat]

I have the standard BM2 as well works well, I do think that as meters go its easy to install and use as Tim says huge easy to read display that is well backlit at the press of a button

[mrsmelly]

9 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Another vote for the BM2.  The large screen is great 'cos I don't have a TV (or a thing that goes round) to watch.

Also the BM is waterproof as its for proper boats so can be stuck outside if yas wants.

[harrybsmith]

Thank you all for your thoughts and insight so far, exactly what I was after. 

The main issue with a standard BM1/BM2 is that the supplied wiring harness is too short for where I want to put the thing, so I would have to extend it to put it there, which causes calibration issues. I could of course compromise on its location, but then it would either have to live outside or in the bathroom, both of which seem a strange place for a battery monitor. 

The Victron BMV is a tad more pricey than I would like, but if it's the only sensible option then i'll go for it.

[Dr Bob]

10 hours ago, harrybsmith said:

Thank you all for your thoughts and insight so far, exactly what I was after. 

The main issue with a standard BM1/BM2 is that the supplied wiring harness is too short for where I want to put the thing, so I would have to extend it to put it there, which causes calibration issues. I could of course compromise on its location, but then it would either have to live outside or in the bathroom, both of which seem a strange place for a battery monitor. 

The Victron BMV is a tad more pricey than I would like, but if it's the only sensible option then i'll go for it.

If you go with the BMV 712 smart then watch out as the meter is very difficult to read for me without glasses, hence the benefit of the Bluetooth but the Bluetooth range is limited to half way up the boat. If you mount it IN the bathroom you may find walls and bulkheads reduce your range. I bought the 712 so I could also measure engine start battery voltage that my old 701 didn't do. That has been a very useful addition. I assume the BM2 does that?