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Battery Monitors

I make a commission for purchases made with the links below

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This device is mounted on or next to your battery and will measure how much current goes in and out, and will tell you the state of charge of the battery (the capacity) regardless of the voltage. It has a small monitor that you can mount in the living area of your vehicle.

​This system costs a good deal more than a basic voltage monitor because it gives you 100% accurate readings at anytime throughout the day. 


500A Victron Smart Shunt:
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1000A Victron Smart Shunt:

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Budget Battery Meter

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Dirt cheap bare bones monitor. I would still go with the shunt above due to the features, but if you are on a budget, this works fine.

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Hall Effect sensor capacity meter/battery Tester

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I love this thing! The test results I have from this meter have matched battery cell data sheets at specified temperatures. Super accurate, and super cheap. Just be sure to read the manual all the way.

The sensor needs to be pointed in the right direction. If you are doing a load test and the watt hour meter shows zero watt hours, flip the sensor around the other direction.

Also, clearing the screen can be difficult. Just click the bottom arrow until you do not see the marker on the screen, and press "ok". 

Besides that, you can capacity test/load test your batteries or equipment and measure the data over time. I love this thing!

Click here to buy it

Voltage Monitor

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This is a basic voltage monitor which will help you *estimate* the current capacity of your battery bank. If your battery bank is being charged by solar, this monitor is pretty much useless and will tell you that your battery is full (even if it is not). If you have a large appliance drawing a lot of power and you look at this monitor, it will tell you that your battery is depeleted (even if it is not).

So the only way to use this monitor is when everything is disconnected from your battery (or your solar power system is not producing power and all appliances are shut off). 

This monitor is a GREAT idea to have to avoid over discharging (depleting) your batteries during the night. If you have a lead acid battery, use your appliances at night until your batteries voltage is at 12.1-12.2 volts. 

Click here to buy now

Amp Meters/ Voltage Monitors

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Battery Shunt. This will tell you how much electricity your solar panels are producing and the voltage. This shunt will allow you to monitor power flow in only one direction. Many people typically set this shunt up so they can see how much power is coming from their solar panels (and measure how much power is produced over the course of a few months). It also shows voltage which can be useful to estimate battery capacity. 


Click Here to buy now

Amp Meter Only

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This is currently my favorite amp meter. For me, I do not care that much about the voltage or state of charge because my battery bank is larger than what I need (and I can typically guess how much power my batteries have). What I do like to know is how many amps are going in and out of my battery at the moment (which allows me to calculate consumption of my appliances instantly, or to see how much power my solar power system is delivering to my batteries).

I installed the amp meter ring over the main bolt on fuse on my battery bank.

Why I prefer this amp meter to the amp meter above is because it can tell me whether power is going into the battery or out (depicted by a small dot at the end of the numbers).  On my system, if power is going into the battery, I have a solid number without a dot at the end. If I am using power from the battery, I will have the small dot light up. This is very useful! And it is a very cheap way to monitor overall consumption.

Click Here to buy now

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  • Home
  • DIY Solar Packages
    • Vehicle Mounted 12v Systems >
      • The Minimalist (great for small vans and cars)
      • The Classic 400 Watt (RV's, Vans, Buses)
      • 400 Watt w/ Alternator Charging
      • The Off Grid King (Power Anything!)
    • 48V Offgrid System Blueprint
    • Complete 48V Solar Kits
    • All-in-One 12/24/48V Packages
    • Code Compliant 48V Offgrid System
    • Design Your Own Raw LiFePO4 System
    • Grid-tie Systems
    • Other Packages >
      • Solar Trailer
      • 2000 watt, 24v Solar System
      • 4000 watt, 24v Solar System
      • Milk Crate Solar Power System
      • 12v Solar without a Battery
  • Solar Batteries
    • 12V Lithium Batteries
    • 48V Server Rack LiFePO4
    • Raw LiFePO4 Cells
    • BMS
    • Sealed Lead Acid Batteries
  • Solar Components
    • 50-250W Solar Panels
    • 300W+ Solar Panels
    • 48V All-in-one Buyer's Guide
    • Inverters
    • Solar Charge Controllers
    • Battery Chargers
    • Wire and Connectors
    • Fuses and Circuit Breakers
    • Battery Monitors
    • Battery Capacity Testers
    • Automatic Transfer Switches
    • Battery Isolators
    • Tools
  • Plug-N-Play Systems
    • Full Size Systems
    • Ultra Portable Systems
  • Appliances
    • Solar Friendly Air Conditioners
    • 12v Fridges
  • DIY Solar Book
  • Videos
    • Electricity for Dummies
    • Solar Power for First Timers
    • General Solar Education Videos
    • DIY LiFePO4 Video Series
    • Solar Wiring Configuration Diagrams
  • The Forum
  • Help Section
    • How to Mount Solar Panels to a Vehicle
    • How to connect Solar Panels to your Solar Generator
  • Contact Me
  • Policies and Disclaimers