SternWake
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A Trimetric or Victron battery monitor runs about 220$ and that is usually without the required shunt
The following link is about 36$ and is a very basic/bare bones version of a Trimetric or Victron.
I post the 500 amp version for those that want to monitor alternator current. While the alternator could never create this much current, the starter could possibly draw that much current, and for the unit to monitor alternator current, the shunt must be wired in between the batteries and vehicle grounds and will thus pass starter current too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-500...188?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ca8600bc.
If one is( foolishly) not using the alternator to recharge, then the 200 amp version can be utilized and is also a smidge cheaper too:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-200...030?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ca85e4c6
I've no idea how well these are made, nor how accurate they are.
I post because many want a Trimetric or similar but then balk at their price.
Well China to the rescue, again, with all that wonderful quality control one comes to expect from low$ items
Wiring of the shunt is confusing to many. Basically there is a Load/source side of the shunt and a battery side of the Shunt. All grounds go to the load side of the shunt. From the battery side of the shunt, only one cable goes from Shunt to battery (-) post. No other cable can goto battery (-), or the current carried by that wire will not be measured or counted.
Even a well programmed trimetric is only ~90% accurate as to actual battery state of charge.
The following link is about 36$ and is a very basic/bare bones version of a Trimetric or Victron.
I post the 500 amp version for those that want to monitor alternator current. While the alternator could never create this much current, the starter could possibly draw that much current, and for the unit to monitor alternator current, the shunt must be wired in between the batteries and vehicle grounds and will thus pass starter current too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-500...188?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ca8600bc.
If one is( foolishly) not using the alternator to recharge, then the 200 amp version can be utilized and is also a smidge cheaper too:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-200...030?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ca85e4c6
I've no idea how well these are made, nor how accurate they are.
I post because many want a Trimetric or similar but then balk at their price.
Well China to the rescue, again, with all that wonderful quality control one comes to expect from low$ items
Wiring of the shunt is confusing to many. Basically there is a Load/source side of the shunt and a battery side of the Shunt. All grounds go to the load side of the shunt. From the battery side of the shunt, only one cable goes from Shunt to battery (-) post. No other cable can goto battery (-), or the current carried by that wire will not be measured or counted.
Even a well programmed trimetric is only ~90% accurate as to actual battery state of charge.