Battery Meter

Zakarume
Zakarume Solar Expert Posts: 143 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
My system is coming along slowly. I will eventually get er done. I am looking now at a Battery Capacity Meter and need your opinions on it. http://www.solar-electric.com/batteries-meters-accessories/metersmonitors/mnbcm.html

1. Good - Get it
2. Bad - Dont Get it
3. Ok - Depends if i want to spend the money
1460 Watts Solar @24v. 675 AH Battery Bank using 12 6v Trojan T-105. 1 Midnite Classic 150. 1500 Watt 24v Samlex Pure Sine Inverter
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Comments

  • mryimmers
    mryimmers Solar Expert Posts: 117 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Battery Meter

    My system is very similar to yours, if you can swing it, I would go with a trimetric battery monitor, it gives you tons more information than the BCM.
    510 watt pv, TS-MPPT 60, Exeltech XP1100, XP600 & XP250 @ 24V, 4x Trojan 105RE, Trimetric 2030, Yamaha EF2400i gen.
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  • Zakarume
    Zakarume Solar Expert Posts: 143 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Battery Meter

    I was looking also at the Trimetric Monitor. Just looking at the other 1 because of being cheaper.
    1460 Watts Solar @24v. 675 AH Battery Bank using 12 6v Trojan T-105. 1 Midnite Classic 150. 1500 Watt 24v Samlex Pure Sine Inverter
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Battery Meter

    Note the MidNite battery meter is not a battery monitor. There is no shunt and no measuring of actual current flow in/out of the battery. It approximates SOC based on Voltage and some clever programming.

    It is more accurate than Voltage reading alone, but less so than a battery monitor, and of course far less so than SG readings. Whether or not you should get it depends on the size and complexity of your system and how comfortable you are with technology (battery monitors require some setting up and patience to get the actual full capacity of the batteries to align with the monitor reading).

    Good place to use this meter: small RV set up.
    Bad place to use this meter: whole-house off-grid.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Battery Meter
    Zakarume wrote: »
    I was looking also at the Trimetric Monitor. Just looking at the other 1 because of being cheaper.

    The other one is less than useless, it can be very confusing to use since it only measures voltage, a poor way to determine battery State of Charge (SOC) The good news is you have a kid charge controller so there is a shunt based option;

    "The Kid also has the ability to give amperage readings with the optional Whiz Bang Jr and a 50mv/500A shunt."

    So you need the Whiz bang Jr and a shunt and wiring. Should be under $80 total.

    While you're at it you might pickup a temperature sensor for the Kid, if you haven't already.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Aguarancher
    Aguarancher Solar Expert Posts: 315 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Battery Meter

    since you have the Kid,you might take a look at the WBjr
    http://www.solar-electric.com/midnite-solar-whiz-bang-jr-current-sense-module.html
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  • Zakarume
    Zakarume Solar Expert Posts: 143 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Battery Meter

    Completely forgot about the Whizbang Jr. Thanks again for info
    1460 Watts Solar @24v. 675 AH Battery Bank using 12 6v Trojan T-105. 1 Midnite Classic 150. 1500 Watt 24v Samlex Pure Sine Inverter
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  • CDN_VT
    CDN_VT Solar Expert Posts: 492 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Battery Meter

    I'm using WB Jr & the Battery monitor (midnight stuff) with Battery temp sensors , after a month , I'll know the accountancy . 2 systems so , better views , 12 24, V 48 & 96 are in building but both of those are in Euro specs
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