Adding a Battery Monitor, which one?

[Wprather]

I'm thinking of the Victron 712 but would love feedback on this one as well as any others I should consider. I have a 2018 Rockwood Roo 233S, no solar at the moment but want to add in the future. Mostly want to use the monitor to better manage AH usage, charging, etc., while boondocking. But would like to get a monitor that will be future proof.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[Splitshaft]

I wish I could advise and had experience with battery monitors. Over the many years of dry camping I have just learned my electrical capacity or reserve by checking the "idiot" lights and paying attention to how my electrical system is performing. Some folks are so concerned about never depleting the batteries below 50-percent. Where I'll go as low as needed to get me though a cold night. Forget amp-hours, I want my family and kids to be warm and comfortable. They are not missing their favorite TV program because we would deplete the batteries an extra 40-amp hours. I am certain the 100's of battery aficionados on this site will advise very well. I'll add more battery capacity before I ever add a battery monitor.

[babock]

I love my Victron 712.

In addition, if you ever add a Victron Solar controller later, it shares the battery voltage with the controller so it acts as a remote sense for the solar controller.

I got my 712 from these guys for $185
https://www.continuousresources.com/...or-w-bluetooth

Currently shows $206.55 including free shipping

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by Wprather

I'm thinking of the Victron 712 but would love feedback on this one as well as any others I should consider. I have a 2018 Rockwood Roo 233S, no solar at the moment but want to add in the future. Mostly want to use the monitor to better manage AH usage, charging, etc., while boondocking. But would like to get a monitor that will be future proof.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Originally Posted by babock

I love my Victron 712.

In addition, if you ever add a Victron Solar controller later, it shares the battery voltage with the controller so it acts as a remote sense for the solar controller.

I got my 712 from these guys for $185
https://www.continuousresources.com/...or-w-bluetooth

Currently shows $206.55 including free shipping

Ditto. Victron 712 is the latest model. You can control it from your cell phone with bluetooth.

[wahoonc]

I like to know what is going on with my '"stuff" and have some warning BEFORE I end up cold at night because I ran out of LP or battery power.

You won't go wrong with a Victron, especially if you are going to be adding solar in the future.

Aaron

[ScottBrownstein]

Love the Trimetric, but then I am a little "techie" and like its total feature set. Victron seems to get good reviews. Both units have companion solar controllers that cooperate.

[richp]

Hi,

Ditto on the Trimetric. Mine is paired with their solar 2030 controller, and it is a fine package.

Some day I might decide I need everything in my rig controlled/monitored via Bluetooth, but I am amazingly content without it...

FWIW.

Rich Phillips

[bob5560g]

I boondock 90% of the time and I love my Victron. I bought it for exactly the reasons you mentioned, except I have no plans to go solar.

[mlmay12]

Originally Posted by Wprather

I'm thinking of the Victron 712 but would love feedback on this one as well as any others I should consider. I have a 2018 Rockwood Roo 233S, no solar at the moment but want to add in the future. Mostly want to use the monitor to better manage AH usage, charging, etc., while boondocking. But would like to get a monitor that will be future proof.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Like everyone else here I too love my Victron 712. Using phone bluetooth feature is awesome. Here are pictures of the gauge and shunt.

[TitanMike]

Another vote here for the Victron.

The inexpensive ones that are available will work but leave most people wanting when it comes to doing much more than measuring current, voltage, and roughly calculating watts and amp hours.

The Victron will be great if you add solar in the future. One neat feature included in the victron is a relay that can be programmed for a multitude of tasks. It can control alerts for over/under voltage, low state of charge, etc. There are over 60 different "functions" that can be set by the user including history like deepest discharge, highest voltage, lowest voltage, and so forth.

May not need most of those features at first but they are still there for when you need them. Price is a little more than some but not unreasonable. As we say in my other hobby "buy once, cry once". Buy less and you'll cry every time you realize it doesn't do what you now need/want it to do.

[aeblank]

I have the Bluetooth victron stuff. While cool, after a while it's not needed at all. It's a "set it and forget it" system.

[mlmay12]

Originally Posted by aeblank

I have the Bluetooth victron stuff. While cool, after a while it's not needed at all. It's a "set it and forget it" system.

Its great for zeroing out the capacity every couple weeks to get the most accurate readings.

[babock]

Originally Posted by mlmay12

Its great for zeroing out the capacity every couple weeks to get the most accurate readings.

I have Battleborns as well. It gets zeroed out every time the batteries get 100% charged. If it doesn't, you don't have the settings correct.

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by mlmay12

Its great for zeroing out the capacity every couple weeks to get the most accurate readings.

My contention is that except in the beginning.....who cares. Like not having a tachometer....ya just know.

But again, I have the whiz-bang of Bluetooth stuff and I wish my inverter had it, at times. But it's only been on/in there for a week and a half.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by aeblank

My contention is that except in the beginning.....who cares. Like not having a tachometer....ya just know.

But again, I have the whiz-bang of Bluetooth stuff and I wish my inverter had it, at times. But it's only been on/in there for a week and a half.

At first I thought like that. Then I found how useful the BT feature is. Not just for setup but ongoing monitoring. If I'm sitting in my recliner at a campsite, charging batteries from a running generator, a glance at my smartphone tells me when I've hit 100% charge and can go shut off the generator. All without getting out of my recliner unless it's time to shut off. Some gensets have remote controls so those guys don't even have to do anything but push the off button.

At my house I get enough range out of the BT I can check on the battery and charging system from my house. It's never a bad idea to "check in on things" from time to time.

[Paulie1138]

TriMetric here.

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

At first I thought like that. Then I found how useful the BT feature is. Not just for setup but ongoing monitoring. If I'm sitting in my recliner at a campsite, charging batteries from a running generator, a glance at my smartphone tells me when I've hit 100% charge and can go shut off the generator. All without getting out of my recliner unless it's time to shut off. Some gensets have remote controls so those guys don't even have to do anything but push the off button.

At my house I get enough range out of the BT I can check on the battery and charging system from my house. It's never a bad idea to "check in on things" from time to time.

Fair enough. I'm solar, so it turns itself on and off.

Also, I have to futz with the Bluetooth most of the time. Start the app, it won't connect, close app, turn off bt, turn it on, start the app, wait for it to connect... Switching apps makes it need to reconnect, too. So anyway, that removes much of the "just hop on and look" aspect.

I did like looking at the charging current while in the truck "driving". But that was the temporary location. In the permanent location the range doesn't seem to be there. Bleah...

[Wprather]

Thanks everyone for all your feedback!! I've reviewed youtube videos for both the Victron and the Trimetric. Both look great. I've decided I'm going with the Victron w/Bluetooth mostly because I like all the capability the app gives you.

Thanks again!

[richp]

Hi,

I confess that comfortable reliance on my Trimetric controller and monitor, and 600 watts of solar, has made the need for constant tinkering with my system recede to the background of day to day living with my system.

Sure, I glance at the monitor in the morning and evening as I walk past it. But my only direct intervention in the system is to command equalization every now and then, and top off the batteries after equalizing -- something no Bluetooth can do anyway.

FWIW.
Hi
Rich Phillips

[DES-1]

Originally Posted by mlmay12

Like everyone else here I too love my Victron 712. Using phone bluetooth feature is awesome. Here are pictures of the gauge and shunt.

Love your weboost install. I’ve had one in our Suburban for a few years. We get 20 megabit or more downloads where others have no cell service. I plan to put one in our trailer with a 30’ telescopic pole to get the antenna as high as practical. Our phone hotspot will give us connectivity to all our gadgets.