Battery Monitor

[Ken Juul]

Dock mate just had her Link 2000 fail.  She has been told it is not worth repairing.  If that is true, what should she replace it with.  She wants one with a digital readout, not idiot lights to show status.  She has a house and start bank she needs to monitor.

[Ken Juul]

Dock mate just had her Link 2000 fail.  She has been told it is not worth repairing.  If that is true, what should she replace it with.  She wants one with a digital readout, not idiot lights to show status.  She has a house and start bank she needs to monitor.

[Noah]

Balmer SmartGauge.

[KWKloeber]

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/smart_gauge

k

[mainesail]

Dock mate just had her Link 2000 fail.  She has been told it is not worth repairing.  If that is true, what should she replace it with.  She wants one with a digital readout, not idiot lights to show status.  She has a house and start bank she needs to monitor.

There is no repairing of these older Links. They are also very prone to "drift" at this age and I replace a boat load of them because they have drifted way out of factory calibration and can no longer produce reliable data...

If the Link 2K is controlling an inverter/charger then the basic Xantrex remote will be needed. Only then you can address another battery monitor. If the Link 2K is a Link 2000R (R for regulator) this entails a new alternator regulator and some serious re-wiring to remove shunts etc...

I would strongly urge anyone not very technical to consider a Balmar Smart Gauge as opposed to an Ah counter....

An Ah counter needs to be well understood for any level of accuracy and most are horribly incorrect in regards to actual SOC.. The Smart Gauge stays in sync with the bank,  learns it and becomes more accurate over time, where the Ah counter diverges from the bank and becomes less accurate over time, unless the owner continually re-programs it.

If this article below not make much sense to you, and you do not fully comprehend, it then you are a prime candidate for a Smart Gauge..

Programming A Battery Monitor (LINK)

[Stu Jackson]

Dock mate just had her Link 2000 fail.  She has been told it is not worth repairing.  If that is true, what should she replace it with.  She wants one with a digital readout, not idiot lights to show status.  She has a house and start bank she needs to monitor.

Ken, I merged the duplicate posts.

Counters work just fine.  Ken's link to & Maine Sail's right about the I/C control.  If, I say IF, she has a Freedom I/C she needs the remote to control the charger functions.  But, she can also continue to use the inverter and charger manually from the switch on the top of the I/C.  She should know that.

Given your description of what she wants, she'd want a Victron.  They have various models, the 600 counts the house bank, voltage only for second bank.  The 700 (I think that is the model #) does exactly what the Link 2000 does, full readings on BOTH banks.  I have a Link 2000 and I personally think more than just voltage is not really required for the reserve bank.

Her boat, her choice.  

Folks suggesting the Smart Gauge don't "get" that many of us DO LIKE the counters.  Since you and I had an extensive and useful discussion in the "Gotcha" algorithm topic, you do understand how they work, and I assume she does, too - having you as friend!  

All the best,

Stu

[KWKloeber]

Given your description of what she wants, she'd want a Victron.    

She wants one with a digital readout, not idiot lights to show status.  She has a house and start bank she needs to monitor.

Stu,
From "what she wants" why conclude "she'd want a Victron" over a Balmer?  I think maybe it's reading something into it that isn't stated (or maybe we're not aware of?)

Folks suggesting the Smart Gauge don't "get" that many of us DO LIKE the counters.
 

Disagree - None of us said that NO ONE wants to use or likes a counter, or doesn't know how to use one -- just that for many (the average?) owners, the AH counter may not be the best choice and there's simpler monitors.   We get that there's different ways to skin a battery bank, n'est pas

kk

[Stu Jackson]

Ken,

"What she wants" Ken Juul said she came from a Link 2000 background and experience, so if she wants a counter then the Victron is it.  Most of us know that the Smart gauge is just a SOC, albeit a very good one.  You and I have read many times of folks who want both.

Since she has a counter, I said I assumed she knew how to use it.  She may well be beyond the "average" boater.  We understand this.    And think she does, too.  Perhaps Ken J can comment.

BTW, for others reading this, the Smart Gauge writeup by Maine Sail is already linked in the "Electrical Systems 101" topic.  So is the Victron counter installation by Maine Sail.

Your boat, your choice. 

[mainesail]

BTW, for others reading this, the Smart Gauge writeup by Maine Sail is already linked in the "Electrical Systems 101" topic.  So is the Victron counter installation by Maine Sail.

Your boat, your choice.  

By far the most important article I have written on Ah counters is the article regarding PROGRAMMING.....

Programming A Battery Monitor (LINK)

Yes installation is important but proper programming is absolutely critical and this is where tons of owners fall flat on their faces, even if they got the install portion right...

BTW the BMV-600 & 602 are no longer made.

BMV-700 = 1 Bank Ah Counting

BMV-702 = 1 Bank Ah Counting & 1 Bank Voltage Only (702 can also accept temp sensor)

The only product that can sort of replace a Link 2K (there is no real replacement) would be two Ah counters of another brand or one of the expensive Philippi monitors..

This owner really wanted to monitor two banks when his Link 2K went bonkers...


P.S if anyone wants or needs a Link 2K "blanking plate" I have them in singles and doubles like the one pictured. I have had so many bad Link 2K's I had to get blanking panels made.....

[KWKloeber]

Ken,

"What she wants" Ken Juul said she came from a Link 2000 background and experience, so if she wants a counter then the Victron is it.  Most of us know that the Smart gauge is just a SOC, albeit a very good one.  You and I have read many times of folks who want both.

Since she has a counter, I said I assumed she knew how to use it.  She may well be beyond the "average" boater.  We understand this.    And think she does, too.  Perhaps Ken J can comment.

BTW, for others reading this, the Smart Gauge writeup by Maine Sail is already linked in the "Electrical Systems 101" topic.  So is the Victron counter installation by Maine Sail.

Your boat, your choice. 

Stu,

I am not trying to be difficult, you know I try to deal with as close to 100% fact as possible.
My point is, without the facts, everything is merely a supposition or an assumption (as you say) -- other than that she had a L2k.  That's the only fact we have.    She may be 100% versed in the AH counter, and it may have been programmed perfectly and diligently adjusted.  I'm not saying it was or wasn't.  isn't it possible that the L2k was a PO leftover and was never touched or programmed? 

So, I'm just saying that a conclusion that she wants an AH counter (or maybe even knows the difference between types) is speculation - we need more facts.

k

[Ken Juul]

Stu thanks for linking the messages.  Cruising, wifi is slow and spotty.  Didn't realize it posted twice till the next day.  My dock mate has her 100 ton masters license, delivers boats up and down the east coast.  She knows what she wants and how to use it.  All thanks for the info.

[mainesail]

If she want AH counting of two banks then the installation will look a bit like this...

Xantrex Basic I/C Remote Panel & two Ah Counters...