Charge controller with readout

[VanLifeCrisis]

I added another panel to my van, for 200 watts, now im curious how many watts they are actually producing. i guess id have to get a controller that does this? if so, any relatively cheap recommendations in that regard?

 

[kyonu]

For high end 60amp, I've been doing research on THIS ONE and it seems to be pretty good and easy to use. I'm torn between this one or Morningstar TriStar, but this one has better reviews.

 

[SternWake]

The DC clamp on Ammeter is a wonderful tool. It is a full feature digital voltmeter/multimeter and to check current flow you just spread the clamp and close it over one wire of the circuit.

I've got this one:
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-digital-clamp-on-ammeter/p-03482369000P

 

[TucsonAZ]

If you are looking to spend over $300 I would get a Midnite Kid, over $500 the Midnite Classic and on the sub $400 end, Rouge if he sells something that fits your needs. Support for both is excellent and they make the best units on the market right now, very high quality.

I second what SterWake says, if you're doing solar, buy a clamp meter, I got a $35 one on Amazon and it's a nice product for the price.

 

[SternWake]

A simple misspelling but It is Rogue charge controllers, not rouge.

Make sure the clamp on meter is both AC and DC. Many of the cheaper ones are only AC.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

for now, i thought id try this for 12bucks with my current controller

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Battery-Balance-Voltage-Analyzer/dp/B00EYZS6R6

this guy uses one for solar (tho im curious why he reverses the source/load...maybe something with his controller?).

How to wire a solar watt meter:

 

[TucsonAZ]

A simple misspelling but It is Rogue charge controllers, not rouge.

Hahaha, and he doesn't even paint them pink /:

for now, i thought id try this for 12bucks with my current controller

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Battery-Balance-Voltage-Analyzer/dp/B00EYZS6R6

this guy uses one for solar (tho im curious why he reverses the source/load...maybe something with his controller?).

How to wire a solar watt meter:

That'll working, I'm sure it's just a simply ohm's law type calculator..

 

[SternWake]

That CC watt meter can only count current in one direction. There is a source side, and a load side, so while it can be left in one direction if only counting current from charge controller into fuse block/ battery, if it were between battery and fuse block it could count only current wither going into the battery, or coming out of the battery but not both at once.

They use a hall effect sensor to count the current.

The solution is to get two meters. and have one oriented in each direction and do some math.

I have this one and it is a wonderful tool:
http://www.amazon.com/High-Precisio...9-9101462?ie=UTF8&refRID=1KYXCE1YA6XXT6J98X3Q.

However it is not accurate at loads under 0.8 amps, and it will not read currents under 0.2 amps. The less the load under 0.8 amps the more inaccurate it is. Also while it says 130 amps, the leads are only 12 awg aluminum wire. The meter heats up and reads higher voltage when passing 25 amps, and the higher voltage throws out the watt measurements. Heat = resistance= wasted power. Also mine resets back to zero once 64 amp hours is reached.

The great thing about the clamp on meter, is that the circuit does not need to be opened up to test the current flowing.

I have found My Sears clamp on meter reads very closely with my shunted meter, and other digital multimeters, including my friend's Fluke meter, which is a top of the line tool.