Smartgauge

[Paulus]

I am going to install a smartgauge. I have 4 golf cart batteries wired in series-parallel.  Does the positive wire have to run to each positive post on the 4 batteries and the negative wire run to each negative post.  Can I run the positive wire to one positive post and also do the negative the same way on the opposite corners.  The diagram on Balmar's website shows 3 separate batteries, no battery wiring.
Thanks for any help.
Paul

[Stu Jackson]

Your multiple batteries are a BANK.  The SG gets wired to the + and - of the BANK.  Not the individual batteries.

[Paulus]

Thanks Stu

[Jon W]

Don't forget to add the fuses at the positive connection on the house battery bank and to the positive post for your reserve battery. 3 amp for each if I remember right.

[Paulus]

Thanks Jon, the Balmar website shows a 3 amp fuse. 
Paul

[mainesail]

This may help..


Balmar Smart Gauge Battery Monitoring Unit

[Roc]

I'm a little confused...  I thought the power draw was supposed to be on "opposite" pos/neg poles.  I remember seeing this on other battery hook-up questions in the past.  Is the two inboard poles shown doing the same thing? 

[Stu Jackson]

Roc (and others coming to this party late!:D),

It looks like Maine Sail posted the diagram, then you had a question, it appears to me that he removed the original diagram you had properly questioned, and has now replaced it with a corrected version.

That's for those of you wondering what Roc was asking about without opening Roc's PDF attached file.

[mainesail]

Either way can work, you're still connecting positive to one series bank and negative to the other series bank.. The best way is the box diagram, keeps the 6V batteries in balance, but I rarely show that one because it is frequently messed up and can become more bad than good if done incorrectly.. It was easier to draw it the first way but, yes, to avoid a long drawn out "which way is better" I modified it to show opposite corners.

[Mick Laver]

You may want to hold off a bit. This was just announced:

https://www.panbo.com/balmar-sg200-a-good-battery-monitor-gets-better/

The benefits of a Smartgauge and a coulomb counter. It looks pretty promising.

[Stu Jackson]

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The benefits of a Smartgauge and a coulomb counter. It looks pretty promising.

'bout time.  :D:D

Thanks, Mick, for the link.  Great read.  Betcha Maine Sail prompted them...

[Paulus]

Thanks Mick, I have been away.  I was going to order a Smartgauge before I left. Glad that I held off.  The SG200 is not available yet.  The original Smartgauge sell for more than the new SG200 unless you want to monitor more than 1 battery back.  The additional feature that I like that it shows the amps going out/in. I would be interested in hearing from those of you who have a smartgauige and would you replace it with the new one?
Thanks,
Paul