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House Battery Condition Monitor
Continuing my journey of bringing back my LD to reliable road worthiness...
I want to add an ammeter to the house battery - it has a voltmeter but I'd like to see charge AND discharge rates.  Anyone else do this?  I've found a variety of indicators both digital and analog... Digitals only show charge, analogs can show both but I've not seen one with a shunt; just direct connection...don't really trust those.


Good new is, I took the rig to a service center for inspection, fluids change. came back brakes good, steering tight, tires 9 years old but looking new...   they fixed the engine airco   everything is good so far...    I'll be servicing the generator next, it's been a little sketchy..
Time spent camping is not subtracted from your lifespan
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #1 –
Quote from: DesertDust  - 
Good new is, I took the rig to a service center for inspection, fluids change. came back brakes good, steering tight, tires 9 years old but looking new...  

Did they actually unmount the tires to inspect them?  Rubber ages out, and manufacturers advise you cannot tell by looking at the sidewalls/tread what the condition is. 

Personally, we won't run on tires that old.  Not even on a passenger car.
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #2 –
Victron BMV-700 series and their Smartshunt, read current, voltage, charge and power in and out, state of charge, etc.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #3 –
Quote from: Steve  - 
Victron BMV-700 series and their Smartshunt, read current, voltage, charge and power in and out, state of charge, etc.
Steve
Thanks Steve!  exactly what I was looking for.
Time spent camping is not subtracted from your lifespan
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #4 –
Nine year old tires, no matter how good they look, should be replaced immediately. You are risking blowouts which can cause thousands in damages to the coach and possibly a serious accident.
Tires decay just sitting, as a previous victim of a blowout that damaged our LD, I don't want you to experience one.

Larry


Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #5 –
Quote from: Steve  - 
Victron BMV-700 series and their Smartshunt, read current, voltage, charge and power in and out, state of charge, etc.

This is what my Victron SmartShunt displays. It connects to a phone via Bluetooth.
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #6 –

Re: tires--replace immediately!

Re: battery monitor--Victron BMV-712 if you want a wall-mounted gauge (but you'll have to cut a hole and run wires to it)... or Victron SmartShunt if you're happy with reading battery status on your smartphone. As Greg showed, the VictronConnect app gives you more information than the BMV-712 gauge, and the SmartShunt costs less. (And no holes in the wall!)

(Note: the BMV-712 also lets you read information on your phone.)

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #7 –
I just installed the Victron BMV-712 and now am trying to research the settings.
I have two Lifeline 6v GPL-4CT in series for 12V output.

The manual gives the amp hours in series as the single battery value (220AH)

But its a little wonky about Charged Voltage
Is that the combined voltage (14.3) or the single battery voltage(7.15)?

What the heck is tail current?

And finally is asks for Charge efficiency, which sounds a lot like what I hoped the monitor would do but I guess is a value it uses to do the calculations. Does anyone know this value?

Finally does anyone know why all the lugs are 5/16" but the victron uses 3/8" bolts. Sure made the install more complicated than it needed to be.

Thanks- The other Steve
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #8 –
"Is that the combined voltage (14.3) or the single battery voltage(7.15)?"

Since you put the batteries in series, the BMV 712 can only see the combined (14.3 V) voltage, so that's what you're aiming for. The Lifeline battery manual gives a range of charging voltages depending on temperature. At 77° F, they recommend an absorption voltage of 14.3 V and a float voltage of 13.3 V. But if your charging sources have provision for temperature compensation, that's highly recommended.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #9 –
Thanks Andy!
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #10 –
For reference, here's the Lifeline charging voltage chart:

X

As you can see, optimum charging voltages vary widely depending upon battery temperature. (It's surprising how much a difference of even half a volt can affect battery charging.) That's why temperature compensation at the charging device, with a temp sensor on the battery(preferably on a post) is so important.

Note: the above applies to AGM batteries. LiFePO4 batteries don't need temperature compensation; if their internal temperature is outside a safe range (somewhere around 30° F to 120° F), their BMS will shut down charging or discharging.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #11 –
Thank You Andy,

This all started when my HPV-22 was showing "crazy" numbers".

Numbers in the 3's and 4's for voltage and I needed more info.

The BMV-712 is tracking the chart pretty well so my best guess right now is the "1" on the HPV display is out,
Thus I see 4 instead of 14, 3 instead of 13 ect.

I had a devil of a time getting the BMV app onto my device and then synced up, not a fan of Victron over this. They present the bluetooth option as a simpler install (for a price) but I ended up putting it in service at the monitor. At least 6 attempts to pair and several updates and I have to reset it today to fix a setting , really unnecessarily difficult for a signal that goes maybe 10ft.
Gotta wonder why they even have an interior monitor, if you spend that much time getting a blutooth enabled, I doubt you will ever use the monitor. Might as well leave it in the battery compartment and skip the hassle of installing, since that's the bulk of the work.

Thanks again,
The other Steve



   
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #12 –
Quote from: SteveK2  - 
Gotta wonder why they even have an interior monitor, if you spend that much time getting a blutooth enabled, I doubt you will ever use the monitor. Might as well leave it in the battery compartment and skip the hassle of installing, since that's the bulk of the work.
 

If you mean the Victron models with their own monitor, they do not require bluetooth to function - they are hardwired. Frees the phone up for calls and texts....

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #13 –
I like having the wall monitor, it’s always visible.
Checking via Bluetooth requires extra steps.
Having both readouts is the best off both worlds.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #14 –
Got to agree, but running the cable and installing the monitor is more work than installing the shunt/BMV.
Until that is you try to install the bluetooth software LOL.

Notice how the HPV-22 is reading 2.74 while the monitor is reading 12.75!
I thought the HPV-22 was the problem, but they track so closely I'm now sure my batteries need attention. I just need to mentally put a 1 in front of the HPV controller readout.

I never did find the solar fuse and finally ended up throwing moving blankets over the solar panels to get started. If anyone has some suggestions on where its at on a 2007 midbath PLEASE weigh in.
I found 1 fuse with an wiggly line that might be an S written on it but it could mean anything (secondary, stairs, switch!) and seemed oddly sized. So I left it alone and used the blankets.

Steve-The other one

Coin toss on if I should replace the HPV, as I don't think a display digit failure means the controller is doomed.
Right now my bigger question is on battery choice. And I've got to decide soon because the road is calling!
 
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #15 –
The factory solar controller charging connection in my 2013 MB was an orange wire attached to a terminal on the front of the DC distribution panel. It has an inline blade-type fuse an inch or two from the end.

I replaced that (#10?) wire with a #6 wire from the Blue Sky 3000i solar controller directly to the battery compartment, and installed a 30A circuit breaker under the refrigerator. It is a more elegant solar shutoff than prying out the blade fuse. Not that I shut it off other than for working on the wiring.
2013 27’ Mid-Bath
2005 Honda CR-V
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #16 –
You may want to look for the solar panel fuse under the dash, driver side. I found one there on my 2017 MB.
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: House Battery Condition Monitor
Reply #17 –
"Notice how the HPV-22 is reading 2.74 while the monitor is reading 12.75!"

Easy fix: take a Sharpie and draw a "1" on the faceplate. ;-)
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"