House Battery suggestions

[JoeH]

Scalf that is some incredibly useful info!

[arctictraveller]

Scalf, I agree great info. What did you use to capture the data and get it into graph form? As for battery monitors, the Smartgauge looks to be quite useful, but I question why it's so expensive. For 30% less, you can install a Linkpro that captures more data including amp hours. https://www.fisheriessupply.com/site...itesearch=true Granted, you have to install a shunt, so instillation is more work, but it looks like you get more useful information for less money. Anyway, great writeup, thanks.............

[Beasty Boy]

Hey Guys

I'm gonna answer you all back in one reply. Easier that way.

totorelli- I don't live in Les Schwabb country(am familiar though) I'm in San Diego.
Bbasso- Dead in AM.Have to jump with either Honda or motor.

arctictraveler- Yea I kinda figured that with the coffee pot and nuker. I've got a Honda 2000(luv him) I'll just have to use the honda more,no biggie. But you know how it is you wake up on a chillie am and you want a quick cup of joe and you don't wanna mess with the honda. Oh well. As long as the new battery will power the reefer 24/7 I'm good. Battery is mounted above rear axle. So what I'v got I'm getting. Oh b.t.w. I saw your pics on the Vancouver Island trip. Nice. I lived in AK for 12 yrs. Too cold for me so I retired and came back home. WARM!!

Scalf77- The graph is very helpful. But isn't that what my Skyblue monitor is for,to monitor my battery? It tells me the volts and the amp input and output? I will recharge ASAP. I think I'm going to go with ShuttlePilot's idea of a Universal. I will just be even more careful than I already am.

Thanks for all the info guys, I do really appreciate it, and any more. Especially you Scalf77
Ron

[Scalf77]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

Scalf, I agree great info. What did you use to capture the data and get it into graph form? As for battery monitors, the Smartgauge looks to be quite useful, but I question why it's so expensive. For 30% less, you can install a Linkpro that captures more data including amp hours. https://www.fisheriessupply.com/site...itesearch=true Granted, you have to install a shunt, so instillation is more work, but it looks like you get more useful information for less money. Anyway, great writeup, thanks.............

That was captured with Xantrex XBM (predecessor to the linkpro or linklite), It had the communication module installed and was hooked up to my laptop. The data was then plotted using excel.

You can find the SmartGauge for $277.00 at StarMarine or $284.00 at shop.pkys.com. That said, it still generally cost more than your standard amp counting monitors. The algorithm it uses to produce SOC measurements is proprietary, so how it works is not documented. Here is a snippet from another forum where Chris W Gibson (inventor of SmartGauge) answers some questions about how it works
"
Obviously I am not prepared to disclose how SmartGauge works. Anyone who asks me to do so is simply being totally unreasonable.

But to say that only voltage can be measured via 2 wires is *completely* incorrect.....

Pull a brief current pulse from the battery and measure the voltage drop, this will give an indication of internal resistance.

Present an AC voltage across the battery and measure the phase angle and amplitude of the resultant current. This will show the AC impedance of the battery.

Do the same thing with a wide variety of frequencies and analyse the results. This is know as AC impedance spectrography.

These are very well known methods of battery measurements. They all involve "2 wires". There are *many* more that can be made with 2 wires.

SmartGauge is brand new technology. And there is always severe resistance to anything that breaks new ground. Everyone we approach with the device has the same reservations..... "it can't work". The fact is it does work.
"
the whole thread can be found here Smartbank battery management - Page 5

The value with a SmartGauge is that it is more accurate and does not get out of sync with the battery as is common with amp counting battery monitors.

The OP confessed to not being electrically inclined which is why I recommended the smartgauge, but to be honest I would recommend it to anyone.

Note: SmartGauge does not work with Lithium batteries

-greg

[Scalf77]

Ron,
the skyblue or I suspect you mean Bluesky is the solar controller. It will give an accurate voltage measurement, but it generally only tracks current that is going into the battery via solar. I do not believe they have any shunt that measures current coming out of the battery, also it would not measure current going into the battery via the alternator or shore charger.

-greg

[Beasty Boy]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

Ron,
the skyblue or I suspect you mean Bluesky is the solar controller. It will give an accurate voltage measurement, but it generally only tracks current that is going into the battery via solar. I do not believe they have any shunt that measures current coming out of the battery, also it would not measure current going into the battery via the alternator or shore charger.

-greg

Yea greg that's what I meant. That's just Me sometimes(bass-akwards) I blame it on Oldtimers disease. Thanks for the info greg.

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

The value with a SmartGauge is that it is more accurate and does not get out of sync with the battery as is common with amp counting battery monitors. -greg

That could be an advantage, along with being easier to install, but as I remember (it was a long time ago though), the Xantrex would re sync everytime the charge parameters reached certain values. Probably not as accurate as the SmartGauge, but probably good enough. The prices you found seem to be about the same as other amp counters though, so not as bad as I thought.

[Scalf77]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

That could be an advantage, along with being easier to install, but as I remember (it was a long time ago though), the Xantrex would re sync everytime the charge parameters reached certain values. Probably not as accurate as the SmartGauge, but probably good enough. The prices you found seem to be about the same as other amp counters though, so not as bad as I thought.

Yes, they do try to sync with each charge. Here is an excellent article on some of the pitfalls of Amp Counters https://marinehowto.com/programming-a-battery-monitor/
Don't get me wrong, I still use an amp counter (Bogart Engineering Pentametric). The simplicity of the Smartgauge will make it a better choice for some people.

-greg

[seasmith]

Am about to install the third 4D rail-mounted house battery in 4 years, the previous two having been compromised by really rough trails, mala suerte and a touch of dumbass.
Has there been a thread on best ways to secure the battery in the primitive tray provided, and to protect the top of the battery from the elements or possible shorting ?

Did some searching and a bunch of reading in this E&E forum, but didn't find it.
Any suggestions welcome, thanks.

[dig255]

Has anyone put a 8D battery under there SMB? I would need to make a new battery tray but that's easy. it's only about 40 pounds more for 350AH.

https://www.vmaxtanks.com/XTR8D-350-...ry-_p_166.html

Anyone have any experience with these batterys?
Thanks