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Micahbigsur@msn.com



Joined: 27 May 2019
Posts: 484
City/Region: Big Sur
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sierra
Photos: Sierra
PostPosted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 6:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are right, if you put a shunt on the house bank negative, discount the ACR, you will know your total draw but I also want to know the distribution of the different draws in the system and the smart meters seem to be about hours not so much real time and a hot vs. cold day or any other glitch or draw can throw me off.
My solar controller has it's own "smart meter" but at any point of charge the amp. output is controlled by the battery state of charge, I wish it had a test to a load switch so you could measure your full solar amperage output at any time, as it is you only know when the batteries are in full bulk charge.
Maybe if smart meters had a simple rotary, labeled switch instead of endless menus and press and hold ways of navigating I could deal with them. (I am of the old school and maybe stupid to begin with school)
I like discreet and simple stuff.
I have a couple of left over high amperage shunts I think I will order a Blue Seas Ammeter that is a match for my volt meter that I can use on my negative so I will at least know my total draw. That will work in conjunction with my clamp on Blue Seas DC ammeter which I find is most essential, useful, AND SIMPLE. (Can easily measure any draw in real time on any wire).
I will still have to make sure the values of the shunts match the value the ammeter reads or I will be adding or subtracting zeros.
Going back to my original premise, if you know your house bank resting voltage before dawn and your late mid day voltage every day after charging and you are happy with them, that is all you really need.

I hope this post makes some kind of sense......

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Micah Curtis and Dana, RN
2003 C-dory 25 Sierra, 200, 9.9 and 2.5 Suzukis
2012 R25 SC Sequoia (2015-2018)
1978 Folkes 38 SV Audacious (2006-2015)
Micah, KJ6GUF, Dana, KJ6GXG
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Micahbigsur@msn.com



Joined: 27 May 2019
Posts: 484
City/Region: Big Sur
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sierra
Photos: Sierra
PostPosted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ssobol, you are right, about 2 charging systems confusing and canceling each other out.
On my sailboat it took me a while to sort out that while motoring the alternator voltage regulator was attenuating its charge because it sensed the higher voltage in the bank being provided by the solar charge. The easy fix was to turn off the solar system.
My current shore Pro Mariner charger and the Morningstar solar controller seem smart enough to be able to work together but I have been turning the solar system off while at the dock.
All 3+ charging systems are not designed as integrated systems yet, alternator, solar, battery charger plus using a generator into your shore battery charger. On my Honda 2000 generator, it would not run the shore battery charger as it has a safety feature that senses a good neutral back to the power plant, as per Google and the internet I combined the ground and neutral lugs In a purposed extension cord and with a sense of trepidation plugged it in, and it worked perfectly.
But if all these systems are designed separately this way it is no wonder things are hard to track down and solve.

I will say again, if you check your house bank voltage while everything has been turned off long enough for them to be "at rest" and know your banks amp hour rating using a battery % table to you can easily find out how many amp hours are in your batteries tank "SOC"
If you check battery voltage while charging and it is say 14.2 and above but below 15.1you know your batteries are low enough to need the full output of whatever is charging them. If it is say 13.2 or nearby, your batteries are charged and in the float stage of charge, 12.2 and under, getting too low for comfort and if it is in this range a lot you are starting to shorten your battery life and if it is going down below 11.55 you have a problem. All these need to be steady state, not momentary.
Anyway, personally, having a simple mind, I am much happier without my old "smart meters"!
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