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Battery monitors - Smartguage?


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You running LiFePO batteries or ?? Willow?

 

I have a Voltronic to go in (in only a week or 2 now, ya hoo!) so liked your post.

 

But that other one........ Ahggggg, you get a plan sussed and a month later some damn Crewer posts on another until then unknown but good looking option. You're all bastards ;)

 

Yes running LiFPO from AAsolar, wouldn't go back to FLA for love or money. No BMS so the battery monitor is a need rather than a want.

One of the most impressive things is how fast they charge take all the alternator can give until they are full. 

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I bought one of these from Ebay a year ago:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AOPEC-12V-Battery-Monitor-Marine-Yacht-Boat-Battery-Management-/301589473016?hash=item46382226f8:g:5NIAAMXQLoZR08k4

 

I'm not saying it has the quality or all the functionality of other models mentioned, but it does all I need it to do and seems to work fine. Voltage of start and house battery, charge and discharge amps of the house. Shunt included. The price was appealing.

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I had a Votronic in my caravan and have now taken it out and put it in my boat. Always found it to be a fantastic device, relied on it as I lived in the van off-grid. Would buy again.

 

The thing I liked about the Votronic compared to other monitors I've used is that it shows the present capacity in Ah of your battery, so you know exactly where you're at instead of having to guesstimate using the current draw and voltage readouts.

 

My advice, do some research before speaking to AASolar. I found they tend to oversell - recommended a 20kg battery for a 14 foot cuddy cabin.

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They do seen to be the best on range and price. I think they just upsell to stop people buying the cheapest system, overloading the components and complaining. Understandable.

 

If you know what you're doing they're alright.

 

I really like DCPower here in Palmy for a handy local place. Not so much knowledge as AS but friendly and competitive.

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The AA solar lithiums are not the same beasts as the Mastervolt units. Hence the price. But you will get 2 to 3 times the life and be able to hit them much harder with Charge and Draw. Plus they are probably the safest of Lithiums available here in NZ at the no.
However, it's an industry that is changing so fast.
Make sure you compare the entire bag of apples when comparing batteries. AA have some glossy headlines on the Battery blurbs, but when you look at the nitty gritty details, they don't shine quite so brightly.

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