Battery Voltage Indicator

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31 Oct 2012 21:18 #1 by dandjcr
dandjcr created the topic: Battery Voltage Indicator
Forum Home > OKA Maintenance > Battery Voltage Indicator

Hal Harvey
Site Owner
Posts: 510
Just sharing a cheap thing that I find really useful... ages ago I bought one of these from a Dick Smith electronic store. I'd clip it on to the battery that the console fridge ran off just to keep an eye on it - anytime I was walking past I could see at a glance if the battery was OK. It was so convenient I now have five of them - one on each battery when the OKA's in the shed, and a fifth on the boat.



They're at their best camped at night, when all the gear's been running, kids have the DVD playing and every electronic thing under the sun on charge, the fridge is left open and the lights have been running for four hours... you can still see if the volts are in good shape without even having to leave the campfire half the time. About $14 from memory. Magnetic back.


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Hal

September 6, 2011 at 9:37 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Dandj
Member
Posts: 367
Hal, I agree a display of voltage is vital to knowing the health and state of charge of the battery. Battery terminal voltage is related to the state of charge when measured after a period of rest (>1 hour).
The indicators you've used contain a voltage comarator which compares the battery voltage with a known voltage and lights LEDs accordingly.
I've gone one further and built a full set of monitors for my 3 batteries with LED bars and a cheap LCD display which are mounted on the dashboard so I know what's going on all the time.
Can't do that from the campfire though, I'll have to make an extension unit....



If anyone is interested in the other electronics mods I have added to our Oka, they are listed here.

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David and Janet Ribbans, Oka 148

September 7, 2011 at 8:00 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Hank Onthewater
Member
Posts: 79
Hi Hal and David
I agree: full batteries are important if we want to keep our luxuries. And to keep an eye on them some form of indicators are needed. LED and LCD panel meters are now dirt cheap ($20-$30 or under $10 from China). Got my panelmeters, but not built in yet, just waiting for inspiration for a good location (two voltage meters, one amp meter).
David, I like your electric/electronic, uh... can I call it gadgetery? Give me a few years I may compete with yours.
On slightly diiferent topic, where can one find rocker switches that fit in the OKA cut-outs?
Hank
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May fair winds be behind you, sun above, clear waters below, and a safe port ahead. And when in OKA van: replace "clear waters" with "firm ground".

September 7, 2011 at 9:15 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Hal Harvey
Site Owner
Posts: 510
Hank, I have bought some of the rocker switches from Alan at the factory, and he had a collection of different inserts; and they are also available from people like the 12 Volt Shop in a variety of configurations.

There are also online suppliers such as Custom Rockers (Australia) or Pedal 2D Metal (USA).


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Hal

September 7, 2011 at 10:02 PM Flag Quote & Reply

James & Usha (THEByleDuct)
Administrator
Posts: 161
Bunny burners!!! Thanks Hal - you have me a great laugh just now!
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OKA #072

September 7, 2011 at 10:17 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Hal Harvey
Site Owner
Posts: 510
A couple more we hope we never need...



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Hal

September 7, 2011 at 10:47 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Hank Onthewater
Member
Posts: 79
Thanks Hal for the info. I had to snigger as well, seeing the switches, however the cutouts for OKA are bigger then these are made for. Will contact them though.
Back to Volt meters: yes David, you can sit around the campfire and monitor your van's battery with this gadget.
www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/cell-phone/e951/?cpg=169NRP&link
Is there anything an Iphone can't do? (disclaimer: I haven't got one)
Hank
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May fair winds be behind you, sun above, clear waters below, and a safe port ahead. And when in OKA van: replace "clear waters" with "firm ground".

September 8, 2011 at 8:57 AM Flag Quote & Reply

Alister McBride
Member
Posts: 97
On the topic of voltmeters, i haven't done it with the Oka yet but had it in the old panelvan when i went around oz but i used an $11 multimeter hardwired to the battery bank. It's a digital display and can be turned off so not drawing even that minimal amount of power when not needed... It's not as 'sexy' as the above ideas and is a little bulkier... But if needed you can pull one off to fault find (although they're so cheap i just had another one for that!). However, i do like the idea of the led indicators on yours David!
Cheers,
Alister
September 8, 2011 at 10:03 AM Flag Quote & Reply

Dandj
Member
Posts: 367
Hank, I can now foresee the day when we won't even have to drive our Oka's anywhere. We'll just program the route into its onboard navigation system and monitor its progress from home on our iPhones.
NASA can do it...
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David and Janet Ribbans, Oka 148

September 8, 2011 at 4:31 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Nomad
Member
Posts: 30
Hank, I need to get a hold of a couple of switches also but do not have access to the OKA to measure the switches while I'm away working. I have come accross these and they look right..... But again I'm working from memory here. The company also has various inserts to suit.
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David & Christina Wight - Nomad Refrigeration - OKA267

September 8, 2011 at 7:04 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Hal Harvey
Site Owner
Posts: 510
I can't measure the cutouts at the moment either, but the ones Nomad has indicated are 44mm x 22mm; whereas the ones I linked to (standard Carling Contura size) are 1-1/2" x 7/8" - which is very close to 38mm x 22mm - so Hank's probably right with the bigger ones. Somebody will check I'm sure.
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Hal

September 8, 2011 at 8:16 PM Flag Quote & Reply

Hank Onthewater
Member
Posts: 79
Yes Hal, cutouts are bigger as you said: measuring 21.8 x43.7 mm
David, yes when we are getting too old to climb into the cab, we will drive the van via our phone, with boats you can do so already.
aps for Raymarine:
www1.raymarine.eu/news/view/?id=1179
Hank
--
May fair winds be behind you, sun above, clear waters below, and a safe port ahead. And when in OKA van: replace "clear waters" with "firm ground".

September 9, 2011 at 10:48 AM

David and Janet Ribbans - Oka 148
Oka148 profile here.
Visit our technical and travel blogs: here.

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07 Jan 2013 21:52 #2 by OKA in Africa
OKA in Africa replied the topic: Battery Voltage Indicator
I have finally installed a battery monitor which seems to work quite well. Its a Victron energy BMV-602S which does fit into the round standard cutout in the OKA dash.

http://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/bmv-600s%20and%20bmv-602s/

Thank you and best regards

OKA #327 in Africa
www.oka4wd.com/forum/members-vehicles-pu...47-oka-327-in-africa

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