Category Archives: battery management system

Cheap Battery Monitors

12 volt, 4X4, battery management system, battery mangement sytem, battery monitor, bluetooth, guide

Introduction
A summary of cheap battery monitors owners can use on their cars or battery boxes.

The original comparison is here (BM2 BLE, Kickass (who now re-badge an AncelBM200) and CTEK).

BM2 BLE (2 models)
The BM2 BLE Battery Monitor works with AGM, Flooded, Gel and Lead-Acid batteries.

A second model works with Lithium batteries (LiFePO4), but it looks the same as the base unit. Only the package labelling tells you which is which. Once out of the packaging both units look identical.

The BLE is widely sold under other names.

Software

The BM2 BLE comes with free software which can monitor 1 battery at once. You can buy third party software which will monitor up to 4 BM2 BLE monitors at once using the Multi-Batt Mon app (iOS only).

Other features

When installed on a car battery, the BLE can also perform a cranking test, an alternator charging test and keep a summary of trips taken.

Data storage

The device stores 30 days of data.

ANCEL BM200 (2 models)
The Ancel BM200 for Lithium Lead-Acid Batteries, including Flooded, AGM, GEL, EFB and LiFePO4.

One BM200 model works with the Ancel BM200 app.

The other model has an almost identical sensor paired with a head unit. However, the sensor has 5 “State of Health” LEDs across the sensor. Ranking the battery’s State of Health from REPLACE to GOOD, mirroring what you see on the head unit screen.

The app BM200 model does NOT work with the monitor with the paired head unit.

Software

The free app model can monitor up to 4 batteries at once.

The second BM200 model only works with the supplied head unit.

Other features

When installed on a car battery, the Ancel BM200 can also perform a cranking test, an alternator charging test and keep a summary of trips taken.

Data storage

The device stores 30 days of data.

ANCEL BM300 and BM300 PRO
There are two models, the Ancel BM300 works with flooded, AGM, Gel and EFB battery types, but NOT lithium.

The Ancel BM300 Pro works with flooded, AGM, Gel, EFB battery types and Lithium batteries. The BM300 Pro supports 6V / 12V / 24V systems.

The BM300 unit is psychically larger than both the Ancel BM200 and BM2 BLE battery monitors.

Ancel claims the BM300 Pro delivers over 99.6% accuracy. The Doc has one under going testing now on a battery box.

Software

The free software can monitor up to 4 batteries at once.

Other features

When installed on a car battery, the Ancel BM300 Pro graphs voltage, state of charge and battery temperature over time. It also has a find your car function and a cranking test.

Data storage

The device stores 72 days of data. The longest time of the models listed here.

SUMMARY
Any of these units do a decent job, acknowledging they are not precise but give a reasonable approximation of the state of charge and overall health of the battery.

The most useful feature, in The Doc’s opinion, is the app’s graphing function which reveals a great deal about the battery and the devices drawing power from it.

Battery box lid gas strut installed

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It was done some time ago, but The Doc forgot to post details to the blog.

A gas strut has been installed on the metal battery box lid in the Grenadier. It is now easy to open and close the heavy metal lid. Real easy, almost weightless.

Only one strut was needed – gassed at 50kg. The Doc decided against a second strut and he wanted the strut mounted on the outside of the box, to keep it away from the aux battery and wiring.

The Doc never knew there was a support to keep the lid up, until the installer showed him. When The Doc picked up the car the dealer had put a plastic tie on the cargo barrier and he used that. Both can be seen in the image below.

Now The Doc can mount small Molle bags on the spare areas of the battery box’s side, not taken by the gas strut.

Vista RV Crossover XLE

12 volt, 4X4, Anderson plug, Aussie made, Australia, battery management system, battery monitor, crimping, tips, wire, terminals, lugs, Uncategorised, , ,

The Doc’s new hybrid offroad caravan is nearly ready – just a shelf to be made and installed. Photos were supplied today of the van.

Electrics controlled by a REDARC TVMS with the REDARC Rogue added on for more circuits. 645W of solar panels, 400Ah of Lithium batteries and a 3000W REDARC Black Alpha inverter. It has the air suspension option as well. Tyres match the Grenadier, BF Goodridge KO2’s. Plus red go fast stickers. External kitchen with a small internal kitchen. Fridge can be used internally and externally (it is on draw).

The model name XLE signifies external fridge, verse XLI for internal fridge.

The Doc will install his JOOCLA Shower into the van.

Enjoy (The Doc is!).

Grenadier build – Travel Buddy Oven

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TRAVEL BUDDY OVEN
Tasks today:
1. Wired the 50-amp Anderson plug to the Travel Buddy Oven. Fitted the KAON insulated door to the oven.
2. Fitted the KAON Travel Buddy mounting brackets to the rear roof shelf. The backing plates had been wrapped in black fabric tape to stop any rattles and let the backing plates blend into the shelf.
3. Fitted the Travel Buddy oven to the KAON brackets.
4. Plugged in and tested the oven – all working! The oven can be plugged into the rear power outlet shown below.
5. Placed spit tubing over the power cable to protect it, then tidied up the run of the power cable to the power outlet. When not in use, the Anderson plug is velcroed to the roof shelf.
6. After fitting the Travel Buddy, the driver loses some rear vision, but it is limited to part of the small rear door on the passenger’s side (RHD).

POWER TO THE CAR TRACKER
7. Used my rear power outlet to recharge the car tracker battery, which normally lasts around 6 months. Worked out how to lay permanent power to the tracker, if needed.

REAR JACK
8. Removed the jack and stowed it in the rear drawer. The jack keeps working loose.

The build is coming together nicely now.

TRAVEL BUDDY NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL BUILD
The Travel Buddy was never part of the build, until The Doc fitted the rear roof shelf and thought of this upgrade. It offers some great options when driving around for better meals. When driving long stints The Doc tends to eat take away, now he can cook his own food.

TO DO
Building the fridge slide is the next to do. After that a visit to Expedition HQ for the final work and then off the remote Channel Country in South West Queensland and the dinosaurs in June.

MAYBES
Rocks sliders/steps (now done) and maybe a small front LED lightbar on the Roo bar (now done). Still thinking about a Redarc EGT and Boost gauge as well. EDIT: rock sliders and a 20 inch Viper lightbar were installed, see separate posts.

UPDATE
The Doc just did a short trip with an empty oven on. The Doc will place some insulation over the top of the oven, between the oven and the roof shelf. He wants to minimize heat transfer to the shelf. He is glad he did this test before using the oven in anger for 2-3 hours, there was more heat and heat transfer than he was expecting.

The Doc thinks over time the heat transfer to the shelf needs to be monitored. Reminded once again why The Doc does a shake down test after an install. A few tweaks and she will be good to go.

UPDATE 2
The shelf insulation worked. On the Eromanga trip the pie oven was used a few times. No problems with heat transfer to the shelf.

Grenadier – build trivia

12 volt, 4X4, Anderson plug, Aussie made, Australia, battery management system, review, Uncategorised, ,

Some fitout trivia:

  1. Aluminum drawers, not steel to save on weight;
  2. Double runners on drawers, as insurance against damage by corrugations (The Doc knows it works as my Patrol had the same for 12 years and it survived many, many corrugations);
  3. Removable bed extension, so anyone can access the battery box. Brackets on the cargo barrier for the bed extension, do not impede opening the battery box lid;
  4. Double drawers rather than a drawer/fridge slide combination, as The Doc mounts his fridge on the front passenger seat – not an option for most people;
  5. After seeing globalgregors Grenadier build, The Doc went for the deeper drawers, but the main reason was to give him more storage under the bed extension, an added benefit was more drawer space. Very happy with the results;
  6. The Doc may yet cut out part of the cargo barrier to allow him access to the rear between the two front seats;
  7. Drawer dividers not shown in the images, but they are important to have if the drawers are not full, to avoid things sliding all over the place. They just fit in where you place them;
  8. The vertical space to the battery box lid, is less than the vertical space to the seats in a 5-seater model;
  9. The stainless-steel water tank sits above and just behind the battery box. The tank sits in its own tray, that tray has drainage hoses to either side of the battery box, so any water leak does not spill onto the electrics in the battery box;
  10. The Doc did a lot of electrical work before the fitout, as the trim is now hard to remove in the rear (Dashcam, Anti Rust system wiring, Anderson plugs x 4 (including two solar plugs), Redarc TowPro, etc.);
  11. The water nozzle is gravity feed and accessible from the passenger door (RHD), but you can have a 12 volt version to some other location; and
  12. The Doc is pleased with the position of the twin air compressor. It was going to be wired to the spare stud on the 7-stud busbar, but the cable did not reach (the wiring cable length on the portable air compressor was already preset by ARB). We went to plan B, the spare stud on the 5-stud busbar as it was closer to the compressor. The Doc pointed out both options to ORS before we started (thank you INEOS for giving us this option). The twin compressor has two 40-amp circuits, so the wire ends in the battery box was not an option. Although they are fine for a single ARB compressor. The Doc bought an 80 amp ZCase MEGA fuse to use on the spare stud. The spare stud on the 7-stud busbar has a bolt, the spare on the 5-stud busbar does not (The Doc also sourced a bolt for the 5-stud busbar).

Grenadier build – drawers, wind and water

12 volt, 4X4, Anderson plug, Aussie made, Australia, battery management system, battery monitor, guide, NSW, Uncategorised, , , , , , , ,

Images from the Offroad Systems fitout. Description of the fitout here.

Grenadier build -Expedition HQ – Part 2

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The Expedition HQ package replaces the 13 pin Euro plug with a 7/12 pin flat pin plug and 2 Anderson plugs (one for the caravan/trailer and one for the solar blanket). This is what the rear now looks like:

The XHQ package is not spliced into the INEOS electrics, but uses its own control box, shown here:

The fuse labelled Anderson, bottom centre, is for the two Anderson plugs for the fridge running off the AUX battery (see more below). The small circuit breaker top right (just below the AUX Battery label) is for the REDARC TowPro and the large 50 amp circuit breaker, to the left, is for the XHQ Control Unit.

The REDARC TowPro head unit is up under the dash near the steering wheel.

In a 5 seater Grenadier the XHQ Control Unit fits next to the CTEK 120S. The CTEK 250SE then fits on top of the XHQ Control Unit. There is not enough vertical room in the 2 seater for the CTEK 250SE to be mounted on top, so an alternate place was found, near the aux battery. The metal lid in the 2 seater leaves less room above the XHQ Control Box for the CTEK 25OSE than the seats in the 5 seater model.

In The Doc’s 2 seater the CTEK 250SE was mounted on a Black Sheep charger bracket he already had (the two solar Anderson plugs are attached the CTEK 250SE’s solar inputs. (The solar input LED is not on as no solar panel was attached when the photo was taken):

In addition, Anderson plugs were installed into the side of the battery box and into the area near the jack. Here is the passenger side of the battery box, just below the lid hinge:

The Anderson plug near the jack will have this plugged into it, which will be mounted next to the drawers:

Out of picture is the Anderson plug that will fit into the jack area Anderson plug.

Grenadier build – Expedition HQ – Part 1

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Now a detailed breakdown of the Expedition HQ work.

When the REDARC TowPro was installed yesterday, at Expedition HQ, The Doc had the REDARC controller installed on a Lightforce Switch Fascia. You can see the steering column in the second image.

I will be installing a USB charging port in the LF Fascia powered by the driver’s side power socket.

The Doc may also install a REDARC Boost and EGT Gauge and its dimmer switch can be installed in the LF Fascia as well. A picture of the gauge, not the boring dimmer switch.

The LF Fascia can be used for other purposes, like a UHF pass through, compressor switch, etc. The Doc thought it best to have a fascia for future needs and not mess up the INEOS any more and The Doc has a neat and tidy solution for nay more switches.

Grenadier build – Expedition HQ install

12 volt, 4X4, Anderson plug, Aussie made, Australia, battery management system, Uncategorised, ,

The Doc had Expedition HQ, on the Gold Coast, fit the Redarc TowPro Kit, the 13 pin Euro plug was replaced by a 12/7 pin flat pin on its own wiring loom, various Anderson plugs were fitted (5 in total). Two for solar input, 2 for fridges and the last for towing, A CTEK 250SE was mated to the 120S and lastly the Clevershade 270 Awning was fitted. A long day and most of the changes are hidden.

The same Clevershade awning fitted to a LC300.