Hydraulicjump
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Messages
- 646
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-30 CB
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT2911F415
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Necky Looksha VII, Liquidlogic Remix, Jackson 4Fun
- Vessel Name
- La Barka (2015)
A recent string about house batteries and alternative solutions induced me to add this post to the owner customizations forum.
I have just installed:
Balmar Smartgauge Battery Monitor (see review here: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/smart_gauge)
Tech-edge Smart Mini blackwater tank monitor (https://tankedge.com/products.html)
Blue seas switch to parallel the thruster and house banks
and a galvanic isolator.
The Balmar Smartgauge as noted in this post by SGIDAVE: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6130&start=15#p43661
is causing quite the buzz. As one who is not detail-oriented enough to track amp hours, this gauge is terrific. It learns the profile of your battery discharge in about three charge-discharge cycles. It then fits your battery's profile to thousands of potential curves that it has in storage from the factory. It can then calculate the battery capacity (as a % of full). What is so impressive about this gauge is that it adjusts with age of your battery. As you loose amp-hours with time, it refits your profile to a new curve. Very nice bit of technology that takes advantage of the ability to store immense amounts of data in small chips.
Installation is super easy (no shunt) and set up is a breeze. I did have some difficulty with getting the switches to work and had to call the factory, but got some immediate and great help. This will be an immense improvement over the regular freak-out over low voltage numbers because something (the fridge) is drawing on the battery.
The smart mini gauge is also great (Mac recommended this somewhere, I believe). Also stupid simple to install, it uses tape on the outside of the tank to sense water level. No cutting into the tank to put a sensor in. I calibrated it quickly and it appears to be working perfectly. This reduces the other stress (poopocalypse) that gets us now and then. I originally ordered it with a water-resistant coating so that I could mount it in the head (forcing you to pay attention), but changed my mind and mounted it with the Balmar gauge below the Morningstar gauge next to the helm.
The galvanic isolator and paralleling the house and thruster batteries have been talked about plenty in previous posts.
It is all about reducing stress, right? Knowing what's in the battery bank and the poop tank reduces stress.
Jeff
I have just installed:
Balmar Smartgauge Battery Monitor (see review here: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/smart_gauge)
Tech-edge Smart Mini blackwater tank monitor (https://tankedge.com/products.html)
Blue seas switch to parallel the thruster and house banks
and a galvanic isolator.
The Balmar Smartgauge as noted in this post by SGIDAVE: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6130&start=15#p43661
is causing quite the buzz. As one who is not detail-oriented enough to track amp hours, this gauge is terrific. It learns the profile of your battery discharge in about three charge-discharge cycles. It then fits your battery's profile to thousands of potential curves that it has in storage from the factory. It can then calculate the battery capacity (as a % of full). What is so impressive about this gauge is that it adjusts with age of your battery. As you loose amp-hours with time, it refits your profile to a new curve. Very nice bit of technology that takes advantage of the ability to store immense amounts of data in small chips.
Installation is super easy (no shunt) and set up is a breeze. I did have some difficulty with getting the switches to work and had to call the factory, but got some immediate and great help. This will be an immense improvement over the regular freak-out over low voltage numbers because something (the fridge) is drawing on the battery.
The smart mini gauge is also great (Mac recommended this somewhere, I believe). Also stupid simple to install, it uses tape on the outside of the tank to sense water level. No cutting into the tank to put a sensor in. I calibrated it quickly and it appears to be working perfectly. This reduces the other stress (poopocalypse) that gets us now and then. I originally ordered it with a water-resistant coating so that I could mount it in the head (forcing you to pay attention), but changed my mind and mounted it with the Balmar gauge below the Morningstar gauge next to the helm.
The galvanic isolator and paralleling the house and thruster batteries have been talked about plenty in previous posts.
It is all about reducing stress, right? Knowing what's in the battery bank and the poop tank reduces stress.
Jeff
