Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > iRV2.com COMMUNITY FORUMS > iRV2.com General Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-19-2020, 03:22 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: SARASOTA, FL
Posts: 290
Battery Monitoring System Recommendations.

I have two 6 volt batteries wired in series to create 12 volts. I am looking for a battery monitoring system that will allow me to monitor the batteries individually. Can anyone make a recommendation on a decent monitor? Thank you.
Fredk20716 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-19-2020, 05:40 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
Once you wire 2-6 volt batteries in series and only use them as a 6 cell, 12 volt battery, they become one.

You only need to monitor the pair as one 12 volt battery.

That's unless your tapping into the interconnecting jumper for 6 volts to power something.

Why would you want to monitor each battery ?
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2020, 06:43 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
egwilly's Avatar
 
Forest River Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: So Calif
Posts: 3,522
The best way to check the health of each battery is to do a hydrometer check on every cell. You can also clip a multimeter on each batteries pos and neg terminal to get the voltage for that battery.

I really see no purpose in constant monitoring of each battery. The procedure above is what I do to check the health of my batteries a few times a year. That and adding distilled water when necessary.

Can the OP explain why they want to do this?
__________________
2020 Coachmen Leprechaun 270QB (COA Member)
Jeep Wrangler toad for the dirt
"Well done is better than well said"....Ben Franklin
egwilly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2020, 09:27 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,085
I agree with the above post. No need to monitor a pair in series assuming they are the same make, model, age, size, and type.

I have a high quality microprocessor 20 amp marine battery charger that would charge each battery separately. It would do that while the batteries are still wired in series and still under load. It would not display metrics on the two batteries.

You could use any good monitoring system set up for 12 volts. Add to it a $15 voltage monitor for each battery. The current through each battery individually will be identical since they are in series.

It is possible one could fail sooner than the other, but most likely the remaining one would be near failure as well.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!
__________________
Paul Bristol
Kodiak Cub 176RD
Nissan Pathfinder 2015
Persistent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2020, 07:01 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
ktn1966's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fairbanks, Ak
Posts: 718
So many people want to wire gadgets to the batteries, which are not really needed unless you are a power hog. We boondock primarily using 360 Watts solar panels and a generator for backup. Through common sense practices (turn off lights...) and maintenance your batteries will give you years of use.

For the typical user I suggest a hydrometer battery tester. Two reasons; first you are getting the most accurate reading straight from the cells, secondly it requires you to inspect the batteries. If you are not looking at your cables and post regularly corrosion can build up. The corrosion dampens the batteries ability to conduct electricity.

Battery corrosion is bad. Click image for larger version

Name:	6283713_atc_ac108a7062059_pri_larg.jpeg
Views:	28
Size:	13.9 KB
ID:	290341
__________________
Kip and Kirby the Wonder Dog
2014 F250 XL 6.2L
2018 ORV 280RKS
ktn1966 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2020, 02:06 PM   #6
Senior Member




 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,960
No way I know of to monitor individual batteries that are connected in series. To do so you would have to disconnect them and then attach a battery monitor to each individual battery. But why?
Just measure specific gravity of each cell with the tested posted above and be done with it.
__________________
Tim
Leesburg, FL '07 American Tradition 40Z Cummins 400 ISL
Towing a '14 Honda CRV
Both sold
2021 Vanleigh Beacon 41LKB 5th wheel
timjet is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
battery, monitor



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Best house Battery water monitoring/adding system ccrewstx Class A Motorhome Discussions 14 01-13-2019 11:56 AM
Monitoring black, grey,water levels with the See Level Monitoring system pmp440 Class A Motorhome Discussions 8 03-11-2018 08:48 AM
Monitoring wet bay temperature monitoring Unicorn Driver MH-General Discussions & Problems 9 01-07-2018 08:58 AM
Compatability of tire monitoring system and toad braking system. BBoatright Class A Motorhome Discussions 3 04-27-2016 05:02 AM
Valor Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) -- Does Anyone Have Recommendations? Dave1194 Class A Motorhome Discussions 1 01-07-2014 08:34 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.