Balmar SmartGauge on sale for $180

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pablosgirl

All,

WestMarine is selling the Balmar SmartGauge on clearance for $180 through 1-15-2018.  This is a Great price 45% off.  https://www.westmarine.com/buy/balmar--smartgauge-battery-monitor--16030900

Paul
Paul & Cyndi Shields
1988 hull# 551 Tall Rig/Fin Keel
M25XP

Mick Laver

I know Mainesail has raved about these, so I followed the link today (the 15th) and West Marine says they're no longer available. Out of curiosity I called WM customer service and they found one in stock in Anchorage and two more in Puerto Rico. I figured shipping plus the discount might still make it a good deal, so I called Anchorage and talked to a very helpful rep named Jerry. He scrounged around the store and found that the one they had had been purchased this morning and was boxed up for shipping. I guess someone else had the same idea.

I'm done, but the two in Puerto Rico may still be available if anyone's interested.
Mick and Sherrie Laver
CINNAMON
1999 C34 Mk II #1432
San Diego, CA

KWKloeber

So it begs the question why WM is clearance-ing these? 
I wonder if a new version is on the horizon?

ken
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the tradewinds in your sails.
Explore.  Dream.  Discover.   -Mark Twain

Stu Jackson

Quote from: KWKloeber on January 19, 2018, 03:22:37 PM
So it begs the question why WM is clearance-ing these? 
I wonder if a new version is on the horizon?

Given the simplicity of the SG and its proprietary algorithms, I doubt there's anything new to be seen.

WM?  Too busy selling ugly shirts.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Noah

1990 hull #1014, San Diego, CA,  Fin Keel,
Standard Rig

KWKloeber

Quote from: Mick Laver on January 15, 2018, 01:48:17 PM
I know Mainesail has raved about these, so I followed the link today (the 15th) and West Marine says they're no longer available.

Mick

If you are interested email me - I have one for $225, otherwise, I'll eBay it.

Cheers
Ken
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the tradewinds in your sails.
Explore.  Dream.  Discover.   -Mark Twain

KWKloeber

Question on a set up with 2 switched batteries used for both starting and house.

Can the smart gauge work with such a system? I would think that the two would have to be kept separated and if combined it would throw the SG out of kilter?   And presumably would need to start "learning" all over again?

Ken
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the tradewinds in your sails.
Explore.  Dream.  Discover.   -Mark Twain

Stu Jackson

#7
Quote from: KWKloeber on February 18, 2018, 10:35:58 PM
Question on a set up with 2 switched batteries used for both starting and house.

Can the smart gauge work with such a system? >>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Smart Gauge website from Balmar says this:

--- Displays battery voltage to within 0.05V (12 or 24V DC systems)
for two battery banks.

--- Displays the capacity remaining in the primary battery
as a percentage figure.


It doesn't mix the two.

There's also this from the Electrical Systems 101 topic:

New SMART GAUGE Battery Monitor  http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/smart_gauge
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

KWKloeber

To circle around and answer my own question using a "both" switch position (I recall someone else also had this question) does not (reportedly) cornfuze the SG and need it to start learning all over again.  Found this elsewhere:


West Coast                                                                                 10-10-14, 14:47
Very helpful email correspondence with Merlin over past 2 days - summary as follows:

Q: I appreciate connections must be made direct to battery terminals etc, but my question is: "will Smartgauge work in a 1/2/both battery switch arrangement"?
A: In short the answer is yes the unit will operate fine. What you will find is that when you select the "both" option on the switch the voltages in the batteries will balance due to the paralleling effect so the smartgauge will show both banks as having the same voltage. When the batteries are disconnected again the voltages will change and smartgauge will pick up in this.

Q: When the switch is set to Both, does the smart gauge effectively tell you the state of charge of the two combined batteries, or it it still intelligent enough to be only giving the state of charge of the single battery it would otherwise be sensing?
A: It would still be reading the two batteries as independent banks however you will get the same reading because as you parallel the banks together there voltage will balance.

Q: In other words, assuming that Smartgauge is wired so that it is sensing the charged state of Batt 2, simple voltage display only for Batt 1 (all direct to battery terminals) -and if the Batt switch is set to Both, Smartgauge % charge display will still be valid only for Batt 2?
A: That is correct the smartgauge % readout will not be effected by the paralleling of the batteries.

Well done Merlin, speedy straightforward answers! Thanks everyone for your comments also


-k
(Merlin was the prior owner of the SG before Balmer)

Quote from: KWKloeber on February 18, 2018, 10:35:58 PM
Question on a set up with 2 switched batteries used for both starting and house.

Can the smart gauge work with such a system? I would think that the two would have to be kept separated and if combined it would throw the SG out of kilter?   And presumably would need to start "learning" all over again?

Ken

Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the tradewinds in your sails.
Explore.  Dream.  Discover.   -Mark Twain

mainesail

This was a simple question to answer but I missed it.. If the Smartgauge could not work in a parallel combined situation eg; BOTH during charging or an ACR/VSR, then I would have not recommended it. Smargauge themselves offer a VSR/Combiner option, which Balmar does not import. As always the Smartgauge will be most accurate during periods of discharging. The longer it is connected to the bank the more accurate and faster it will hone in on SOC during periods of discharge..
-Maine Sail
Casco Bay, ME
Boat - CS-36T

https://marinehowto.com/