#Boat battery monitor full
#Boat battery monitor software
#Boat battery monitor Bluetooth

However, despite buying my batteries from the ‘largest online supplier of batteries’ they couldn’t supply it and nor could the manufacturer! Fortunately, the number is small and using the default value should be OK for most lead acid batteries. You should be able to get this value from the battery seller or manufacturer. The higher the Peukert exponent the faster the effective capacity ‘shrinks’ with increasing discharge rate. One of the data fields asks for the Peukert exponent. Then you can turn items on and off to see how much current they use What’s the Peukert? If it doesn’t then you need to track down what is on. Switch everything off and the number of amps in use should be almost zero (there may be a tiny bit of current used from various marine battery monitors). This screen proves invaluable if you want to trace what is using electricity and how much. It didn’t return to zero because the lights were on. This screen shot shows the fridge turning on and off. The mounting ring for the display screws onto the back and is reversible for different thicknesses of bulkhead. I needed a 52mm hole with access from the back.

With the BMV-712 you have to decide where to mount the display. Mounting the marine battery monitor display Then disconnect the negative pole of the battery. Whenever working with the electrical system the first thing to do is to disconnect the mains (so there is no battery charging). I have also used a non-Bluetooth Victron marine battery monitor and all of the settings and most of the information can be obtained using the digital display. This means there’s no need to drill holes or feed wires through the boat, it will be faster to fit, as there are only the battery connections and it’s less expensive. I would have fitted the Smart shunt had it been available at the time as this has everything built into the shunt and gives details to a smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth. Victron also make models that just have a digital display and more recently make a ‘Smart shunt’.

#Boat battery monitor Bluetooth

I chose to fit a Victron BMV-712 which has a digital display and using Bluetooth can connect to a smartphone or tablet. The important thing when connecting the shunt is that nothing is connected to the battery side of the shunt.Įverything, including solar panels and battery chargers, must be connected to the load side, otherwise the marine battery monitor cannot measure the input and output accurately and so may give incorrect readings. A surface mounted box is also available if you want to avoid cutting large holes in your bulkhead If access is difficult then the white plate can be clipped to it and screwed into place with the four small holes. It is reversible to allow for bulkheads of different thickness and does need access to the back of the unit. There is a reversible ring that screws onto the back of the display. The Victron display and the options for fitting it.

#Boat battery monitor software

The software translates the measured 0 to 50mV to the current of 0 to 100A. Using Ohm’s Law its resistance is V/I = 50mV/100A =0.0005 Ohms. This states that Amperes (I) = Volts (V) / Resistance (R).Ī shunt may measure 100A, and the voltage drop for 100A may be 50mV.

The central part is a shunt, a low resistance connection between the negative pole and the rest of the electrical appliances connected to the battery.Īs the resistance is known and the voltage drop across the shunt can be measured easily this allows the calculation of the number of amps going in and out of the battery using Ohm’s law. Marine battery monitors are more expensive depending on the manufacturer and the facilities they offer. Voltmeters are inexpensive, indeed many boats have a voltmeter built into the chartplotter.

#Boat battery monitor full

If you have a small glass absolutely full the voltage will be high, however there is not much water in it.Ī larger glass full of water will also register the same high voltage, but a battery monitor will tell you that there is more water in the glass. The best way to imagine the difference is to think of a glass of water.

For all but the smallest and simplest of craft a reliable supply of battery power is essential to keep both…