Battery System Monitor
Battery System Monitor
Find out how to monitor your renewable energy system battery bank
electronics | storageOnce you get beyond the simplest
renewable energy system, it is necessary to include some battery bank monitoring equipment. Batteries are one of the most expensive and fragile components of a renewable energy system, and so it is essential that their status is carefully monitored. It is also very useful to track the charge coming in from the various sources in a combined system - usually photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbine generators - in order to see from where you are getting power.
Probably the best known
battery system monitor is the
Bogart Engineering Tri-Metric 2020 Battery System Monitor. This device displays battery voltage, amps, amp-hours, battery percent full, and five other data functions, and works with systems from 12V to 48V for around £100. Great value as it costs the same as one decent battery and should increase the lifetime of your batteries:
Bogart Engineering have now introduced the new PentaMetric Battery Monitor which offers even more capability than the TriMetric.
Another alternative if you are on a limited budget is a simple
digital multimeter. Available from just £5, a digital multimeter can be used to measure the voltage of your battery bank, and the current (amps) being put into or drawn from the batteries when being charged or under load.
Article Last Modified: 20:28, 30th Mar 2006
Recommended Related Articles
People who read this article also enjoyed the following articles:
Adjustable Step Up Voltage RegulatorFind out more about a step up voltage regulator used to output a voltage higher than the input voltage
Article Last Modified: 11:42, 15th Dec 2007electronics | electric circuit | generalTL431 Battery Voltage MonitorMonitor the voltage of a battery or battery bank using an TL431 (aka LM431) shunt regulator
Article Last Modified: 16:42, 11th Jun 2007storage | electric circuit | electronicsEnamelled Magnet WireFind out more about the wire used to wind coils for generators and alternators
Article Last Modified: 14:34, 5th Apr 2007general | shoppingBuying Neodymium MagnetsBuying neodymium magnets in the UK
Article Last Modified: 10:15, 23rd Jul 2008general | wind | waveSolar Charge ControllerFind out more about Solar Charge Controllers
Article Last Modified: 15:43, 29th Jul 2008solar | electronics | electric circuitDIY 2kW Wind TurbineRead about a home built 2kW wind turbine constructed from scrap
Article Last Modified: 08:46, 4th Oct 2007wind | recyclingDIY Solar Panel KitsMake your own solar panels from as little as US$2.95 per Watt.
Article Last Modified: 14:51, 16th Jul 2007solar | generalMake a Simple Battery Status MonitorMonitor battery status with this easy electric circuit project - no skill required!
Article Last Modified: 12:33, 16th Mar 2007storage | electric circuitDC Voltage Multiplier Circuit PlansBuild a circuit to boost the voltage of a DC power source using a MAX756
IC Chip
Article Last Modified: 09:06, 10th Jul 2008electric circuit | electronics | educationStirling Engine Solar PowerGenerate electricity from a solar powered Stirling Engine
Article Last Modified: 13:39, 17th Apr 2006solar