Community Forums

deanrd · 03-22-2023, 03:46 PM

Hi All,

After a recent issue with low chassis battery and need to use boost switch I'm looking for a simple battery monitor for both house and chassis. My inside panel in hallway only shows house battery condition. I'd like something blue tooth to my phone or a small panel that works via blue tooth so I don't need to run wires from battery compartment. The charging indicator while running is one thing, but having something for a quick scan while either driving or parked to just give voltage readings for both battery banks would be handy. Any suggestions for something reasonably priced? <$200

I do have access in left front compartment to chassis and coach power cables.

Thanx - Dean

BayRunner · 03-22-2023, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deanrd

Hi All,

After a recent issue with low chassis battery and need to use boost switch I'm looking for a simple battery monitor for both house and chassis. My inside panel in hallway only shows house battery condition. I'd like something blue tooth to my phone or a small panel that works via blue tooth so I don't need to run wires from battery compartment. The charging indicator while running is one thing, but having something for a quick scan while either driving or parked to just give voltage readings for both battery banks would be handy. Any suggestions for something reasonably priced? <$200

I do have access in left front compartment to chassis and coach power cables.

Thanx - Dean

The Victron smart shunt has Bluetooth to monitor battery with your phone.

jacwjames · 03-22-2023, 07:11 PM

X2 on the Victron BMV712

I installed on last year, works great. Comes with a monitor but also on bluetooth which is great.

I have my rig parked in my garage, when I'm in my workshop I can check the status of the house and chassis batteries using my phone. This winter I decided to use a timer and charge the batteries 4 hours on Friday. The rest of the time the batteries are not being charged and slowly deplete. By being able to monitor I can confirm their state of charge.

shootist · 03-22-2023, 07:18 PM

About 30$ on Amazon for a Bluetooth one

Ray,IN · 03-22-2023, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacwjames

X2 on the Victron BMV712

I installed on last year, works great. Comes with a monitor but also on bluetooth which is great.

I have my rig parked in my garage, when I'm in my workshop I can check the status of the house and chassis batteries using my phone. This winter I decided to use a timer and charge the batteries 4 hours on Friday. The rest of the time the batteries are not being charged and slowly deplete. By being able to monitor I can confirm their state of charge.

Each battery type is rated for a number of cycles. This means each week, when they deplete, you are using one cycle. IMO it is better to maintain the charge constantly, or disconnect the ground cable so they do not deplete or require charging.
Plus, unless they are fully-charged at the end of those 4 hrs. they are sulfating and slowly being ruined.

paul65k · 03-22-2023, 09:16 PM

You can buy cheap or you can buy good..... but it's almost impossible to get both

The Victron Smartshunt and BMV712 are the best, both can connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone and they will monitor both your house batteries as well as your chassis or starting batteries (if applicable). If you don't have starting batteries (TT or 5th wheel) then the second channel can be used to monitor battery temp.

All the rest or simply cheaper substitutes.

The SS sells for around $125 and the BMV 712 (Which includes a remote gauge and extended BT range) goes for around $195.

deanrd · 03-23-2023, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul65k

You can buy cheap or you can buy good..... but it's almost impossible to get both

The Victron Smartshunt and BMV712 are the best, both can connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone and they will monitor both your house batteries as well as your chassis or starting batteries (if applicable). If you don't have starting batteries (TT or 5th wheel) then the second channel can be used to monitor battery temp.

All the rest or simply cheaper substitutes.

The SS sells for around $125 and the BMV 712 (Which includes a remote gauge and extended BT range) goes for around $195.

Amazon shows a BMV712 with shunt. Now to figure out how to run a cable from battery compartment behind rear axle to opposite side up front into drivers area.

Thanx - Dean

Old Mud · 03-23-2023, 08:59 AM

Dean, you can run it up inside the frame. You can also get some rugged wire like Marine wire. Tinned. It looks like romex but is much more substantial.

johnhicks · 03-23-2023, 10:07 AM

I know you have an elegant solution in mind....

My dash cigarette lighter is connected to the chassis battery and is live even with the ignition off. This plugs into it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ArtJoyce · 03-23-2023, 01:15 PM

Years ago I built a bud box simple battery monitor. It's simple just voltage meter with three voltage meters. I bought the three meters on amazon they are round LED and were maybe $3 each. I have one meter for the chassis battery bank, one for the house battery bank and one for the solar voltage pre-controller voltage.

I ran a common ground to all three meters and switch the ground so the meters are not on all the time.

I keep where the meters are are the chart of voltage to % of charge. I try not to allow the batteries to drop below 70% SOW, which should not use any of the battery discharge cycle.

Dodge Guy · 03-23-2023, 06:06 PM

I got my cheap 350A and me with shunt off Amazon for around $35. It’s cheap but works very good! I’m happy with it.

2cyber71 · 03-23-2023, 06:09 PM

Here is my advice after 24 yrs of RVing
Once your batteries hit 3 yrs old, replace them.
Cheap, $250 for two original Freightliner batteries
I just replaced mine this month. Even if they load test ok, get rid of them.
The day you have a dead battery out in the middle of South Dakota would be a very bad day.

tcg · 03-23-2023, 07:20 PM

I've got one of these, 15 bucks on Amazon. It's plugged into a 12 volt receptacle I can see from the cab and in the coach.

Not exactly high tech but it does the job.

Mark_K5LXP · 03-24-2023, 06:30 AM

If (big if) you're OK with just having a voltage indication (which is very indicative if you understand context during operation) then your options are both simple and inexpensive. To buy, install and mess around with apps and bluetooth is a lot of layers just to get a quick status. A couple of inexpensive panel meters or gauges checks the box. Since it's just voltage, you can likely pick up a monitoring point somewhere close to where you'd place them. The chassis battery is already being used in the dash, and house battery may be there too in the form of a switch to turn something on. In my case there's a dash control for the entertainment system and a ceiling light both powered by the house battery. I have a "real" battery monitor for the house by the entrance door but I have a couple inexpensive "gauges" on the dash just for the purposes you describe. Didn't even need to drill holes, they're small and light enough to attach with double side foam tape. The empty-full reading is of questionable value but just reading actual voltage is all I need to see. A two-pack of these is about ten bucks on amazon.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM