Tanks/Battery voltage light guage...Lame?

[AKBrick]

Hi Guys and Gals,
My wife keeps telling me to quit looking at and freaking out over the Battery voltage light guage,(Charge/Good/Fair/Low) while boondocking. She just wants me to watch the "MAGNUM" charger/inverter digital screen because that seems to be accurate. The thing is, we don't believe that the level guage is accurate. When the batteries show 12.0 volts on the Magnum, the level guage shows fair. 11.9 volts, it shows low. I KNOW our batteries are charged becuase we've been plugged in for days. I didn't have much of a problem with the Winnibago's guage, but it also didn't have a digital readout to go by like the Cheetah/Monoco products. I haven't boondocked much with this MH, so I don't have much experience with it.
I've also noticed that the tank level part of the guage is not perfect either, but that doesn't bug me as much.
What are your experiences folks?
This is getting long winded.
AKBrick

[AKBrick]

Hi Guys and Gals,
My wife keeps telling me to quit looking at and freaking out over the Battery voltage light guage,(Charge/Good/Fair/Low) while boondocking. She just wants me to watch the "MAGNUM" charger/inverter digital screen because that seems to be accurate. The thing is, we don't believe that the level guage is accurate. When the batteries show 12.0 volts on the Magnum, the level guage shows fair. 11.9 volts, it shows low. I KNOW our batteries are charged becuase we've been plugged in for days. I didn't have much of a problem with the Winnibago's guage, but it also didn't have a digital readout to go by like the Cheetah/Monoco products. I haven't boondocked much with this MH, so I don't have much experience with it.
I've also noticed that the tank level part of the guage is not perfect either, but that doesn't bug me as much.
What are your experiences folks?
This is getting long winded.
AKBrick

[digNbubbs]

I just figured those lights were for entertainment purposes

That panel has irritated me since the beginning, so I installed a SeeLevel setup - three tank monitors, battery, and LPG level. The most-appreciated so far has been the LPG gauge. In the Before Time, the little 1/3 light would go off and it would then show empty. However, you knew you had between empty and just shy of 1/3 tank. But, on a 24 gallon tank, that is still around 8 gallons (theoretically speaking - without the 80% full stuff...). With the digital gauge, I was able to stretch my LPG tank and fill up at a cheap place, as opposed to not knowing how much I had and pay the delivery price.

The LEDs for the battery on the stock panel are pretty weak, IMO. Getting the info from the Magnum panel makes much better sense to me. I have always been plagued with how fast my charge seems to go down. The LEDs never tell you what criteria they are using for the different colors (or it is buried in a manual somewhere). I watch my panel until it gets down to the lowest of 11.8 and then recharge.


--kev

[AKBrick]

Thanks Kev,
That helps me a lot on my sanity. I too am plagued with how fast our battery charge goes down but am not too worried about it as long as I know everything is working properly.
Tom

[GoneFishin]

While here at the Indio rally we sprang for the $30 electric. But Quartzsite will be true boondocking test.

[AKBrick]

We ended up just boondocking it and using our generator and inverter. A great test for the MH. Actually, we had to. The breaker on the pole kept tripping because of everybody elses HIGH usage of power when the breakers could only take 15amps each. Oh well, we'll be spending most of our time at seminars anyway. Have a GREAT time Rick and Micky. We'll catch up to you again. Sorry it was a short visit yesterday and thanks for the pics.

AKBrick

[Robin_M]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AKBrick:
My wife keeps telling me to quit looking at and freaking out over the Battery voltage light guage,(Charge/Good/Fair/Low) while boondocking. She just wants me to watch the "MAGNUM" charger/inverter digital screen because that seems to be accurate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Your wife's a smart lady. You should listen to her.

[MonacoMama]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Your wife's a smart lady. You should listen to her. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That goes for all you men!

MM

[Robin_M]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MonacoMama:
That goes for all you men! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Especially Sacs.

[AKBrick]

Oh wow mannnnn, I guess I've been told! I need her opinions as she's usually the one who straightens me out. I can think of a few things in the past....let's not go there!
AK