Friday 20 February 2009

Me batteries

Ok, full on boat post this - no motorbikes or cars or health issues.

Its really for my records as I have been recording the battery status since fitting my smartgauge battery monitory gizmo

So......

On arrival at the boat..

Hours meter 141 hours

66% charged
Leisure battery bank was at 12.45v
Starter battery was at 12.5v

At the end of the day cruising

Battery monitor was on 144 hours

92% charged
Leisure battery bank was at 12.85v
Starter battery was at 13.3v

After a nigh watching tv with a few light on and the water pump and central heating pump running the position was

57% charged
Leisure battery bank was at 12.4v
Starter battery was at 12.7v

The Smartgauge has intelligent circuitry so that it learns the state of the batteries (% charged) over a few charge and discharge cycles so the % charged should be getting more reliable.

More boaty posts to come.......

Nev
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4 comments:

dundustin said...

very informative, thanks. Planning on my own build and will definetely include this device with my battery bank.

20 February 2009 at 16:53
Nev Wells said...

I would recommend the smartgauge. If for no other reason than to give you some confidence in how the batteris are being used when not cruising and also for how long to run the engine if stationary as we sometimes are on our mooring,

Take care

Nev

20 February 2009 at 17:23
'Net Profit said...

Bruce (Sanity) sent me over to ask you what you think to your Smart Gauge. I'm planning an ambitious set-up (well, seems that way to me) for a gasless boat and because the Smart Gauge "learns", I wasn't sure what it would make to times when one was drawing 400A from 10 batteries and subsequently charging them from a smart charger (Sterling power AB12210). I will check with Chris Gibson, but I thought I would see what people with Smart Gauges reckoned first ;o)

3 April 2009 at 10:15
Nev Wells said...

I think Chris would give you the best advice and he seems very knowledgeable. It’s not often you can get such access to the person who makes the equipment -this along is a good reason to buy his gear.

For me the smartgauge has taken the guess work out of the use of our batteries. To be able to know how much you have taken out and how much engine running is needed to get them back to a state you are going to be able to use again overnight is invaluable. If you are doing a lot of cruising then by default you will be getting a good charge into your batteries, however if like us you spend time on the boat on its moorings (linier not marina) then to know how long to run the engine or how frugal you need to be because you got to the boat late and you cannot run your engine is a great help.

One thing to say is how easy it was to fit.

Good luck with the build,

Nev

4 April 2009 at 12:29

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