On Jul 26, 3:52 pm, "KLC Lewis" wrote:

It takes me about 10 - 15 minutes to check all of the cells in my bank. This
is with the boat sitting calmly at the dock. I would much prefer not to have
to open those cells with the boat in motion, sloshing battery acid around.
If a meter will give me reasonably accurate information, which I can verify
from time to time with a physical check of the electrolyte when it can be
done safely, so much the better.

Well, buy a Smartguage then!

cheers,
Pete.

"Pete C" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 26, 3:52 pm, "KLC Lewis" wrote:

It takes me about 10 - 15 minutes to check all of the cells in my bank.
This
is with the boat sitting calmly at the dock. I would much prefer not to
have
to open those cells with the boat in motion, sloshing battery acid
around.
If a meter will give me reasonably accurate information, which I can
verify
from time to time with a physical check of the electrolyte when it can be
done safely, so much the better.

Well, buy a Smartguage then!

cheers,
Pete.


I've been looking at them. Can't find a US source on the internet. Also
looking at the Xantrex Link 10. Part of me says that since it takes more
wires to hook up and uses a shunt, its information should be more accurate.
The other part just says, "duhhhhhhhh"

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:13:20 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:


"Pete C" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jul 26, 3:52 pm, "KLC Lewis" wrote:

It takes me about 10 - 15 minutes to check all of the cells in my bank.
This
is with the boat sitting calmly at the dock. I would much prefer not to
have
to open those cells with the boat in motion, sloshing battery acid
around.
If a meter will give me reasonably accurate information, which I can
verify
from time to time with a physical check of the electrolyte when it can be
done safely, so much the better.

Well, buy a Smartguage then!

cheers,
Pete.


I've been looking at them. Can't find a US source on the internet. Also
looking at the Xantrex Link 10. Part of me says that since it takes more
wires to hook up and uses a shunt, its information should be more accurate.
The other part just says, "duhhhhhhhh"

Give the part of you that say's duhhhhhh a beer and tell him to go sit
in the corner whilst the brighter bit of you reads the Smartgauge
website. Chris Gibson tells it the way it is. If I fit an amp hour
counter on a boat with a year old bank, what do I set the bank
capacity at? What value should the customer reset it to in a years
time? Now go have a beer and let duhhhhh take over, his answers are
just as valid as yours ;-)
And if those settings are not valid - garbage in - garbage out!!!!!


--
Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
"Governments are like Nappies, they should be changed often."
(For the same reason)

"Electricky Dicky" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:13:20 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:


I've been looking at them. Can't find a US source on the internet. Also
looking at the Xantrex Link 10. Part of me says that since it takes more
wires to hook up and uses a shunt, its information should be more
accurate.
The other part just says, "duhhhhhhhh"

Give the part of you that say's duhhhhhh a beer and tell him to go sit
in the corner whilst the brighter bit of you reads the Smartgauge
website. Chris Gibson tells it the way it is. If I fit an amp hour
counter on a boat with a year old bank, what do I set the bank
capacity at? What value should the customer reset it to in a years
time? Now go have a beer and let duhhhhh take over, his answers are
just as valid as yours ;-)
And if those settings are not valid - garbage in - garbage out!!!!!


--
Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
"Governments are like Nappies, they should be changed often."
(For the same reason)

Well, I've read over the Smartguage site, and find it rather informative in
many areas. But other sites, selling other products, seem to indicate that
without a shunt so that the meter can read ALL current into and out of the
bank, the meter can't tell what's really going on. I don't find anything on
the Smartguage site that says how their meter can do it without a shunt, and
with only two wires connected directly to the battery bank.

Karin

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:55:16 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

I don't find anything on
the Smartguage site that says how their meter can do it without a shunt, and
with only two wires connected directly to the battery bank.

It can't of course, it can only guesstimate. If you want to measure
something you need the proper tools. The tool in this case is a
shunt.

On the other hand you can argue that all that is really needed is a
digital voltmeter to approximate state of charge. If your batteries
are reading 12.6 volts under a light to moderate load, they are at
100%. Dropping down to 11.6 volts under the same conditions, they are
at 50% and need to be recharged immediately.

On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 07:55:55 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:55:16 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

I don't find anything on
the Smartguage site that says how their meter can do it without a shunt, and
with only two wires connected directly to the battery bank.

It can't of course, it can only guesstimate. If you want to measure
something you need the proper tools. The tool in this case is a
shunt.
That is analagous to using a flowmeter in your fuel line to drive your
speedometer (via a lookup table) ;-)
A shunt is used to measure current as you well know.
The Magic box that looks at the shunt counts in and out then
"guesstimates" based upon a number of parameters set by the installer
that may be right or may be wrong at that point in the banks life. The
final result is therefore ????? However most with amp counters assume
the numbers are gospel!

On the other hand you can argue that all that is really needed is a
digital voltmeter to approximate state of charge. If your batteries
are reading 12.6 volts under a light to moderate load, they are at
100%. Dropping down to 11.6 volts under the same conditions, they are
at 50% and need to be recharged immediately.

Granted (maybe) but the "average" boater has no idea what load is on
at the time, and the average boater feels everything is OK if he sees
12.00 volts!

How do you explain the real life discrepancy between units as
discussed in my original post? The amp counter was WRONG!
Oh and by the way try leaving an amp counter on a battery with no load
for 6 months and see if it reads the correct information! No amps out,
no amps in, bank is 100% !!! is it hell!

--
Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
"Governments are like Nappies, they should be changed often."
(For the same reason)

"Electricky Dicky" wrote in message
...
A shunt is used to measure current as you well know.
The Magic box that looks at the shunt counts in and out then
"guesstimates" based upon a number of parameters set by the installer
that may be right or may be wrong at that point in the banks life. The
final result is therefore ????? However most with amp counters assume
the numbers are gospel!

snippage

--
Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
"Governments are like Nappies, they should be changed often."
(For the same reason)

So it really comes down to choosing your choice of "magic boxes" which
"guesstimate"? How is the Smartguage better than the Link 10, if they both
"guesstimate" the state of charge?

Pete C wrote:
On Jul 26, 3:52 pm, "KLC Lewis" wrote:

It takes me about 10 - 15 minutes to check all of the cells in my bank. This
is with the boat sitting calmly at the dock. I would much prefer not to have
to open those cells with the boat in motion, sloshing battery acid around.
If a meter will give me reasonably accurate information, which I can verify
from time to time with a physical check of the electrolyte when it can be
done safely, so much the better.

Well, buy a Smartguage then!

Can't a person extrapolate state of charge with a simple voltmeter?

Stephen

"Stephen Trapani" wrote in message
news
Pete C wrote:
On Jul 26, 3:52 pm, "KLC Lewis" wrote:

It takes me about 10 - 15 minutes to check all of the cells in my bank.
This
is with the boat sitting calmly at the dock. I would much prefer not to
have
to open those cells with the boat in motion, sloshing battery acid
around.
If a meter will give me reasonably accurate information, which I can
verify
from time to time with a physical check of the electrolyte when it can
be
done safely, so much the better.

Well, buy a Smartguage then!

Can't a person extrapolate state of charge with a simple voltmeter?

Stephen

From all the websites I've been looking at, it would appear that each
company's product is the only one that works. But as I understand it,
voltage tells you how much potential for doing work is there, but it won't
tell you for how long that work can be done.

On Jul 26, 4:29 pm, Stephen Trapani wrote:
Can't a person extrapolate state of charge with a simple voltmeter?

Good point, you can, with a few caveats which are covered by the
battery FAQ I posted a link to.

I'd probably use the voltmeter as a rough and ready guide on a day to
day basis, and a hydro now and then to verify it.

Cross referring the two could be pretty useful.

cheers,
Pete.