Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It --

[Dellmassive]

- New Gadget -

heres a new Battery monitor / USB power plug thing I've been testing..

not a new thing for me i know. but what caught my eye was the orange screen color and discrete size of it.

sometimes the normal blue display one needs a swap around .

its QC3 too, for faster charging (if your device supports QC3) !! - QC 3.0 USB can reach 5V/3A max , 9V/2A max, 12V 1.5A max

aceyoon QC 3.0 Car Charger, 3 Port 28W/5.4A Max Car Charger USB C + USB QC3.0 + USB Car Cigarette Lighter 12V-24V In Car Charger Voltage Display Compatible for Galaxy s20 s10 etc: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy aceyoon QC 3.0 Car Charger, 3 Port 28W/5.4A Max Car Charger USB C + USB QC3.0 + USB Car Cigarette Lighter 12V-24V In Car Charger Voltage Display Compatible for Galaxy s20 s10 etc at Amazon UK.

amzn.to

********************************

• Wide Compatibility: This car charger have 2 USB port and a type c port, can charge for 3 devices at the same time, it can intelligent distribute charging current. It can support charging Galaxy S9/S8/S8 Plus /S7/S6/Note 8/NOTE 5, XS MAX/ XR/XS/X/8/8 Plus/7, Power Bank, MP3, Game Player, Camera, PSP, Drvie Recorder, etc. Note: Type-C port do not support Sony, Google, Oneplus devices.
• Support Quick Charge: QC3.0 USB port + USB 2.0 port + Type C port, multi port to satisafy different charging demand. QC 3.0 USB can reach 5V/3A max , 9V/2A max, 12V 1.5A max. USB 2.0 can reach 5V/2.4A max. Type C port can reach 5V/2A max. 3-port's total current can up to 5.4A, supply power up to 28W. Attention: In order to achieve Quick Charge, charger cable/charger supply, charged device need to support QC3.0 too.
• LED Voltage Indicator: Adopt intelligent voltage detect chip, can detect car's battery voltage in time, voltage will be showed by LED screen. Attention: It will indicate output voltage during charging, and indicate car battery voltage during not charging.
• 12V-24V Car Compatible: This car charger is suitable for different size charging port, intelligent for 12V-24V voltage, compatible for most of car model, such as samll car, truck, etc.
• Intelligent Distribute Charging Current: Adopt intelligent chip, can change charging current according to device's electricity saturation, no hurt to battery and more safe. It also have over-charge protection, over voltage protection, over current protectiom, over load protection, etc, protect car and mobile phone device's safety.

*******************************

with nothing plugged in it shows you that battery voltage . . .






.


with something plughged in the display switches to show you the watts being drawn by the device . .

here 9.4W by my phonr on this port.





and 5.1W from this port.




im not to sure about the type-c port.

it does charge, but at the slower USB rate . . . . so its not a proper USB-C "PD" port.

 

[Dellmassive]

Thanks for the info @Dellmassive. All a great help.

The BM2 was delivered at midday today. These things are awesome. Imagine the kit needed to get that level of data logging alone, let alone presenting it in what is quite a well laid out app. All for £18.98 from the 'Bay. Astonishing.

Anyway, my Pork problems. The alternator was duff, 150K miles on a Cayenne V8 diesel, the regulator failed and was charging up to 16v, and of all things screwed the TMPS ECU. Sorry, no T6 content here.

I made some new brushes up, cut down from some Bosch ones, but they didn't help. The pattern spares availability is dubious, so I got a new OEM exchange alternator from the Germans. The biggest PITA is that the alternator is 180A, and is water cooled ! The engine cooling circuit goes through the alternator, albeit in smaller bore pipes. Secured by a single M6 bolt and pesky O rings. Every time I had the thing in and out, I had to drain and bleed the cooling system. That was the bit that was losing it's charm.

Fitted the new alternator, but the battery was fried. New OEM battery from TPS (same as Q7/Toerag etc), but whilst now regularly charging to exactly 14.8V, same as your T6 (reassuring to see from your thread), losing charge.

When I leave the car, draw is around 300mA, as the ECUs go to sleep after 20-30 mins, draw drops to 30-50mA, so it's not current draw or more fried electronics.

Battery coded when installed, by another mega £90 tool from the 'Bay that I've had some time, as even the domestic Durametric can't code Pork batteries, and it won't do it off VCDS.

It must be a duff battery. It has to be. It's been on a CTEK all afternoon;


View attachment 67070


It's just making sure that the battery is a fault. I might swap it with a battery from my wife's car. I thought I had finished swapping batteries from other cars back in the 90s... They have a mahoosive battery, AGM for start stop as OEM, although the first thing I ever did was disable start stop....

@catfood12 im soooooooooo sorry, i missed this post somehow.


glad to hear you like the BM2 units. . . . i love them.

as for the Car. . . . . can you post some more 24hr BM2 data logs for us to see pls?

as far as parasitic draw . . . "UP TO" 50mA is classed as acceptable (in the modern VW world)

things like the alarm, and modules looking for the key remote signal consume power, as DC-DC chargers in out T6`s.

anything above 50mA is classed as a problem, and will most likely store a fault code for "quiescent current draw"


thats normally why a 80% charged (or below) 75Ah T6 starter battery will go flat in 3 weeks . . . . especialy when you have DC-DC & Solar & Monitors etc etc etc connected.


so lets see some more BM2 readouts, which will show the rate of decay / drop in voltage.

 

[catfood12]

@catfood12 im soooooooooo sorry, i missed this post somehow.


glad to hear you like the BM2 units. . . . i love them.

as for the Car. . . . . can you post some more 24hr BM2 data logs for us to see pls?

as far as parasitic draw . . . "UP TO" 50mA is classed as acceptable (in the modern VW world)

things like the alarm, and modules looking for the key remote signal consume power, as DC-DC chargers in out T6`s.

anything above 50mA is classed as a problem, and will most likely store a fault code for "quiescent current draw"


thats normally why a 80% charged (or below) 75Ah T6 starter battery will go flat in 3 weeks . . . . especialy when you have DC-DC & Solar & Monitors etc etc etc connected.


so lets see some more BM2 readouts, which will show the rate of decay / drop in voltage.

@Dellmassive , sorry pal, missed your follow up. From you previous questions, as the battery lost power over around 48 hours, voltage 12.1v or lower, it really struggled or failed to start.

Repeated sessions on the CTEK showed this;



Then dropped to close to 12V within a day or so. This was a brand new AGM battery. I had begun to suspect the battery was faulty but wasn't 100% sure. After monitoring with the BM2, it was clear the battery was faulty. It was an ECP special, they did exchange with no issue. New battery fitted, no problem since.

Slightly annoying though, when coding the new replacement battery, I went through the options and found I could have coded a new lead acid battery in, instead of spending the extra and buying an AGM. Lead acid was half the price, I disabled stop/start as soon as I bough the car, and this is the second (third!) new battery since new in 2013. The AGMs seem to only last around 3.5 years...

I'm still in awe of these BM2 device for less than £20....

 

[Dellmassive]

@Dellmassive , sorry pal, missed your follow up. From you previous questions, as the battery lost power over around 48 hours, voltage 12.1v or lower, it really struggled or failed to start.

Repeated sessions on the CTEK showed this;
View attachment 69926


Then dropped to close to 12V within a day or so. This was a brand new AGM battery. I had begun to suspect the battery was faulty but wasn't 100% sure. After monitoring with the BM2, it was clear the battery was faulty. It was an ECP special, they did exchange with no issue. New battery fitted, no problem since.

Slightly annoying though, when coding the new replacement battery, I went through the options and found I could have coded a new lead acid battery in, instead of spending the extra and buying an AGM. Lead acid was half the price, I disabled stop/start as soon as I bough the car, and this is the second (third!) new battery since new in 2013. The AGMs seem to only last around 3.5 years...

I'm still in awe of these BM2 device for less than £20....

Good news,,,,, I was paying £50 for BM2s when they first come out.... good to see the price droping.

The ctek monitors were a fortune too..... think I'll sell them on now, I prefer the BM2 units.

 

[xswind]

Hi all,

I just got a 2nd BM2 for my starter battery, how are you guys connecting the BM2 earth connection on a euro 5 stop start battery?

I ask as i have connected mine not to the battery but to the chassis and even after a long run BM2 is reporting only 11.8v at rest but the van starts fine with i am getting no low voltage warnings on the radio so am wondering if i should connect the bm2 earth directly to the battery negative.

Would appreciate any advice or ecpierence

Thanks in advance

 

[mmi]

To get "meaningful" readings you should lock the van and let the battery "stabilize" a few hours. Then you should see voltages approx. 12.5 Volts and up (van still locked).

Depending on what consumers are still running there might be sigificant loads still on: ECU (15+ Amps), heater blower (several Amps), lights, radio, etc.

 

[Dellmassive]

Hi all,

I just got a 2nd BM2 for my starter battery, how are you guys connecting the BM2 earth connection on a euro 5 stop start battery?

I ask as i have connected mine not to the battery but to the chassis and even after a long run BM2 is reporting only 11.8v at rest but the van starts fine with i am getting no low voltage warnings on the radio so am wondering if i should connect the bm2 earth directly to the battery negative.

Would appreciate any advice or ecpierence

Thanks in advance

thats most likely a poor connection on either ring terminal. . .

have you got nice shiny metal at the connection points? (clean up with emery paper or other)

post a few pics so we can see.


you should always use a body ground . . . if you dont and bridge the shunt the van will not detect the load.

Though the BM2 draws such a low load that some people have gone direct across the battery with no ill effects.

 

[mmi]

Worth checking that the actual battery's negative connection is good and tight. Voltage loss there would be reflected in BM2's reading as it's connected to chassis.

Just checked a car with a loose terminal and was blaimed to have a faulty battery.

Before:


after cleaning and tightening the terminal:

Yes, the battery is not as good as new but works again satisfactorily.

 

[xswind]

Thanks to you all, i will take another look and get back to you

Much appreciate the replies

 

[Ads_Essex]

I just got a 2nd BM2 for my starter battery, how are you guys connecting the BM2 earth connection on a euro 5 stop start battery?

I ask as i have connected mine not to the battery but to the chassis and even after a long run BM2 is reporting only 11.8v at rest but the van starts fine with i am getting no low voltage warnings on the radio so am wondering if i should connect the bm2 earth directly to the battery negative.

Mine is on the battery only. It’s a Euro 5.
Haven't had the constantly low reading that you describe, though. But I do think my battery is on the way out.. After a fortnight it struggles to start.

 

[minicharli]

@Dellmassive i have fitted the BM2 to the van and if I understand I am to ignore the State Of Charge percentage and just go by the voltage ( currently reading 12.1v ). Is there something better on the market that can give me that figure ? I am always worried about running the van battery down when camping ( we have no leisure battery but are normally on EHU ) with running lights charging phones etc

 

[Dellmassive]

@Dellmassive i have fitted the BM2 to the van and if I understand I am to ignore the State Of Charge percentage and just go by the voltage ( currently reading 12.1v ). Is there something better on the market that can give me that figure ? I am always worried about running the van battery down when camping ( we have no leisure battery but are normally on EHU ) with running lights charging phones etc

Not realy without messing with the OEM monitoring. ( ie fitting a second current shunt to monitor the SOC, or an inductive shunt,)

The voltage is normally a good gauge on a SLA AGM .... anything below 11.9v is a problem with a static battery. In regards to starting the van.

So above 12.0v you should be ok.

If you have no need for a Leisure battery system as you normally camp with EHU, . . . . . .

Why not just fit a small 12v charger that will.keep the battery 100% when on hook up. . . . That way you have no chance of running the starter battery flat while camping?.

I would choose 3A upwards. So 3,4,5,6,7,8, 10A or whatever.

Have it wired into your EHU 240v so it starts charging when your plugged into EHU.


Can you post some pics of your setup? . . . . Anything extra wired to the van that draining the starter when camping? -- maybe post some BM2 24hr screen shots so we can see the rate of decline on the starter battery?


******************


have a look at the charger post:

Battery Chargers - How I Did It -

Battery Chargers - How I Did It - So its that time of year again, cold, rainy. . . . . . . flat battery =[ This time we look at Battery Chargers. Our vans will most likely come with a AGM style starter battery, for this type of battery we need a "Smart Charger" . . . . but what does this...

www.t6forum.com

*****************

id recommend any of the Victron, CTEK, NOCO 4A up chargers


**************

and have a look at some of these chargers:

https://amzn.to/2yWdYPb

https://amzn.to/2LGnrwp

https://amzn.to/3fVjVfN

https://amzn.to/2LCXsGp

NOCO GENIUS2UK, 2-Amp Fully-Automatic - NOCO GENIUS2UK, 2-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V and 12V Battery Charger, Battery Maintainer, and Battery Desulfator with Temperature Compensation: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

NOCO GENIUS5UK, 5-Amp Fully-Automatic - NOCO GENIUS5UK, 5-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V and 12V Battery Charger, Battery Maintainer, and Battery Desulfator with Temperature Compensation: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

NOCO GENIUS10UK, 10-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart - NOCO GENIUS10UK, 10-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V and 12V Battery Charger, Battery Maintainer, and Battery Desulfator with Temperature Compensation: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike



**************************************************
Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread
**************************************************
Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --
**************************************************

 

[minicharli]

Thanks @Dellmassive. Final question if I go for something like the Noco charger and I’m on a site with 10A supply I guess I have to be careful of the load I am drawing with other things plugged in at the same time ?

 

[Dellmassive]

Thanks @Dellmassive. Final question if I go for something like the Noco charger and I’m on a site with 10A supply I guess I have to be careful of the load I am drawing with other things plugged in at the same time ?

Yes, and no.

The 10A EHU supply is rated at 240v.

The 10A dc charger is rated at 12v dc.

So they are different because the charger drops the power down from 240a ac to 12v dc by a factor of about x10.

An example is my victron charger is charging this lithium 12v battery at 20Amps dc....

Yet it's only pulling 2amps from the 240vac mains socket...




So yes you need to be conscious of your total EHU...

But a battery charger on the van will only pull 0.4 - 2Amps from your quota.. (4-20A dc battery charger)...





....

 

[minicharli]

@Dellmassive got it. Thanks for all knowledge

 

[marksmithuk]

Those of you with a victron bmv, do you have to run a cable directly to the starter battery to monitor it, or can I just run a cable to the +ve input on my b2b charger that's next to the shunt ?

Cheers

 

[Dellmassive]

Those of you with a victron bmv, do you have to run a cable directly to the starter battery to monitor it, or can I just run a cable to the +ve input on my b2b charger that's next to the shunt ?

Cheers

Any +12v is ok. Doesnt need to go directly to battery.....

You can also connect BOTH red wires, that way you can monitor voltage levels on BOTH batterys, (one red wire feed to each +12v battery supply)
.

 

[Dellmassive]

Votronic Standby Trickle charger :



Dc-dc Charger (for Leisure Battery) -- How I Done It --
As you can see below...100% charging with everything off. The graph shows that I have just been for a drive and has been charging. Very accurate....drove to Tesco.....showing the rise in charge, levelled off whilst in shopping, then charging on way home, pretty pleased with it now.

www.t6forum.com


.

 

[Ayjay]

OK, silly questions time - but first, huge thanks to Dellmassive for yet another brilliant thread.

I've already got a couple of this little 12V plug in jobbies but I'm minded to go for the Quickylinks BM2 and looked on eBay to find that they are available for a range of prices ranging from £17 - £30 from UK suppliers. Does anybody know if there are any fakes around or is it just the result of a competitive market?​

Reading the thread, it seems like you can use multiple BM2s in the app (that said, I'm only really interested in 2 - starter and leisure batteries). Is that right?​

When it comes to hooking up to the starter battery on a Stop/Start Euro 6 T6, do you need to avoid connecting it to the battery negative terminal?​

Any advice would obviously be much appreciated.

 

[Big.mac]

OK, silly questions time - but first, huge thanks to Dellmassive for yet another brilliant thread.

I've already got a couple of this little 12V plug in jobbies but I'm minded to go for the Quickylinks BM2 and looked on eBay to find that they are available for a range of prices ranging from £17 - £30 from UK suppliers. Does anybody know if there are any fakes around or is it just the result of a competitive market?​

Reading the thread, it seems like you can use multiple BM2s in the app (that said, I'm only really interested in 2 - starter and leisure batteries). Is that right?​

When it comes to hooking up to the starter battery on a Stop/Start Euro 6 T6, do you need to avoid connecting it to the battery negative terminal?​

Any advice would obviously be much appreciated.

I bought my BM2’s on EBay for around £17 each. They connect just fine to the app and work well so I assume they are genuine.

There are two apps, the BM2 app which is free. This only allows you to connect to one of the BM2s at a time. The BM3 app is not free but allows you to connect to up to 4 simultaneously. I personally have not bothered with the paid for app.

I connected the BM2 on the leisure battery directly to the battery at both ends. On the starter I have connected +ve to the battery and the -ve to an earth, not the battery. There are two or three convenient bolts very close to the battery you can use, just clean up the surface to make sure you get a good connection.