Monitor trailer batteries

[surly]

We have two batteries in our trailer and a 100w Renogy panel with their 10a charge controller.
I'd like to know the state of the battery and possibly upgrade the charge controller to handle another 100w panel.

Can the/a charge controller keep track of the batteries state for my information? Right now I'm referring to the voltage on the controllers display. I'm not sure if this is a best practice.

Would something like the National Luna single battery monitor be a good choice?

Thanks for the help!

 

[1Louder]

The controller that is sold with the Renogy 100 watt suitcase gives great information on battery status. You might consider changing to that controller. There are plenty of simple LED voltage gauge which you could add to each battery for a couple of bucks or add the NL Single battery monitor to each battery. Biggest difference is the NL has an optional alarm when voltage gets low. This is the controller I am referring to: http://www.renogy.com/renogy-viewstar-20-amp-pwm-solar-charge-controller-with-lcd-display/

It shows the efficiency of your panel and current loads on the battery as well as state of charge.

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

Look into the Bogart Engineering Trimetric monitor and solar controller. I have the monitor, really a good system

http://www.bogartengineering.com/products/

 

[surly]

If my batteries are in parallel should I be using two battery monitors?
I was figuring on one for the bank.

That is the 20a Verizon of the 10a Renogy charger I have now. Seems to be working okay, other than being only 10a ��

 

[CaliMobber]

X2 on the bogart. Its by far the best system. You fully charge the batteries and then it monitors how many amps leave the battery and then puts back the same amount so its totally full.

 

[Borrego60]

http://www.renogy.com/renogy-viewsta...h-lcd-display/ I have 2 of these. One in my truck and one on the off road trailer. Working great no problems noted and very easy to install. See short post.http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/162805-Solar-project-for-the-Tundra

 

[surly]

Nice. Pretty much like what I've got going on now.

 

[verdesardog]

this is what I have in my trailer to monitor two blue top batteries:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKYILS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

If you want to upgrade to a larger charge controller go with something like MorningStar ProStar MPPT charge controller. For battery bank state of charge monitoring something like BlueSea M2 SOC meter.
http://www.morningstarcorp.com/products/prostar-mppt/
https://www.bluesea.com/products/1830/M2_DC_SoC_Monitor

May seem a bit overkill but your batteries will thank you and the knowledge you gain about your total system will help you operate more efficiently.

 

[unseenone]

I like (and have) the Morningstar MPPT-- it is a nice piece of kit, however it does emit some serious HF interference. On the vehicle and trailer I use the Morningstar PS-30-M which gives you the meter, ability to add temp and voltage sense as well. They run quiet as a mouse.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

I would have thought the PWM would have more RFI than the MPPT. This is disturbing news for me. Might be curable if it is being emitted from the wiring.

 

[4x4junkie]

I would have thought the PWM would have more RFI than the MPPT. This is disturbing news for me. Might be curable if it is being emitted from the wiring.

MPPT controllers definitely seem noisier (that, or Morningstar just doesn't shield them as well as they do their PWM units).

I had to disassemble the plastic case from the heat sink of my SunSaver MPPT and line the inside of it with copper foil tape (bonding the tape to each (-) terminal and in between where it mounts to the heat sink), and then install .01µF capacitors across each wiring connection to get rid of the interference (common mode chokes and caps alone didn't really do a whole lot for it).