Reddit reviews bayite DC 6.5-100V 0-100A LCD Display Digital Current Voltage Power Energy Meter Multimeter Ammeter Voltmeter with 100A Current Shunt

The 6v golf cart batteries from Costco or Sams Club are what people usually recommend. I have them and they work well.

Also, get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKYILS Single best upgrade I've done to my trailer.

Dangerous as is, the battery needs a large main fuse and a manual disconnect switch

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/blue-sea-systems--m-series-mini-on-off-battery-switch-with-knob-black--



Your inverter and fridge aren't fused.


10 gauge wire is not enough to run a fridge and an inverter I would suspect. Also, you might want to run the fridge and inverter on its own, proportionally sized fuse; that way the fuses don't have to be so massive, requiring less potential sparks and fire to blow the fuses. As it is, there's no fuse, and the inverter and fridge share the same cable; the most load hungry devices. That means the cable needs to be double thick from the battery to a bus bar, to the fridge and inverter. Otherwise you will have considerable voltage drop or possibly even melt your wires and cause a fire.


Same thing for the solar charge controller. According to this chart: http://www.affordable-solar.com/solar-tools/wire-sizing-charts/ you can only go 3.5 feet before you get more than 2% voltage drop with 10awg and 30amps - and it says that no more than 2% is acceptable. This might help: https://www.scribd.com/document/334383567/Solar-Setup-by-sprinterpirate



Also I see no battery/amp meter. This is limited to 100a but you get the idea: https://www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495073407&sr=8-3&keywords=battery+meter

And brokedown is correct, you can't just leave different types of batteries always connected whenever the engine is on. You need to disconnect it either with a programmed ACR or manually.

Ran an electrical system in my Subaru with an auxiliary battery charged off the alternator.

80 Amp isolator relay (switches charging on while car is running):
https://www.amazon.com/Stinger-SGP38-80-AMP-Battery-Isolator/dp/B001HC6UJ0

100AH 12V AGM battery: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C

2Ga Wire running the length from the Relay in the engine bay to the battery.

Kinda Extra things:
Kill Switch: https://www.amazon.com/Ampper-Battery-Switch-12-Disconnect/dp/B07413JWLD
100A inline Fuse
Multimeter (read current voltage, Amperage, etc): www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS/

You're most welcome! I bought the following:

4x100W Panels

Panel Mounting

Solar Panel Connectors

Tool Crimper

Assembly Tool

Panel Connectors

Power Information

CTEK Charger

CTEK SmartPass

200ah AMG Battery

Fuse Block

300W Pure Sine Wave Inverter

LED Strip

Dometic 35 Fridge


I bought all these items with research into my solar needs and following the advice from here in the vandwelling subreddit and also information I gathered from Amazon. I am probably doing a bit of overkill on my solar setup but I thankfully have the money to do it and don't want to mess with adding anything later.

I will have to do research myself on how to combine the four panels into the battery but that will be a few weeks away so I haven't done much in that area. I do plan to buy 10GA wire from Lowes and use the crimping tool and connectors to form my own wiring harness so it will be clean looking. \

EDIT: Adding info.

Nice work, this is like a bigger, better version of my light with 1' Q strips and a mix of spectrum. I also oversized mine some, 150 watts total in a 2'x2', and have it so I can turn on and off each group. I'm using just regular switches for the groups and I have to adjust the pot manually to keep the power where I wanted it using one of these to measure. Did you go a more advanced route? I'm working on upgrading and controlling everything via an arduino and using relays to turn the light groups on/off and for autowatering and a digital potentiometer for the % power.

I finished one grow with my light at full power in flower, but ~40 watts are side lighting, 10 watts per corner. My light is only around 10"-12" from the tops, and the side lights are only a few inches away. I didn't see any big advantage to the side light, I'm not sure if I'm going to keep them, but I'm using them again this grow. Maybe I'll move 2 up top and keep 2 low and see what the different sides look like.

I'm curious to try to learn more about if this is wasted energy and if so, how to tell

This style of meter is useful.

Just run each component individually to get current draw. Cannot vouch for accuracy but numbers I've measured match product specs, so there's that.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKYILS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Usually that's the case. But for this specific amp meter it needs to be on the ground. I tried it the normal way, and it would just give gibberish readings. It's really bizzare.

A bunch of the reviews are complaining about it

https://www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521581494&sr=8-1&keywords=amp+meter+solar


I think the ampmeter works by measuring the voltage change over a fixed resistance.

Edit: Just tested. Anything after the shunt isn't measured. There's probably some sort of correcting it does to take into account the load after the shunt. Probably so it doesn't measure itself. I dunno.

Edit 2: it's included wiring diagramhttps://i.imgur.com/uXCRNyY.png

Ac meter: bayite AC 80-260V 100A BYT-VAEM-034 Digital Current Voltage Power Energy Analyzer Meter Ammeter Voltmeter with Open-close Current Transformer Split Core CT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D8G9GPW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_v2hPzb2TNZDNP

Dc meter: bayite DC 6.5-100V 0-100A LCD Display Digital Current Voltage Power Energy Meter Multimeter Ammeter Voltmeter with 100A Current Shunt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_g3hPzbSXR3EHB

I made a Boombox out of a pair of coaxials I had laying around
pic

Amp

spectrum analyzer


6.5s

solar panel

buck converter

battery mount



I have a surplus of m12 tool batteries as well as some coaxials laying around I figured I’d make a portable speaker

With solar panels most output well over 18 volts. Which is fine for that amplifier but not for the battery. With a buck converter it takes it down to a more useable voltage for the lithium batteries.
If you wanted to run something like this on grid power you would need something like this I had planned on getting a 12 volt power supply like the one here later for home use but since with one 9AH lithium battery I have well over 12 hours of listening before the battery needs to be recharged/ swapped out.

Edit: also using this to monitor solar output

This is the meter, hookup is pretty easy. bayite DC 6.5-100V 0-100A LCD Display Digital Current Voltage Power Energy Meter Multimeter Ammeter Voltmeter with 100A Current Shunt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_Ou3gAb7RH4KPW

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B013PKYILS/ref=pd_aw_sim_469_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HG4PM9RREG7NGDCR0Z0V this is the dc ver but you wouldint need a 100 amp one

Okay, would this do it?

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

Attached in the same way like you recommended?

Also, I have no idea how much current will come out of this thing. Is there any drawback to getting a larger one?

Fridge consumption should be way under that. It sits idle most of the day. The 5.5a is a max rate I believe. At the bottom of this article, they address it a bit. https://www.4xoverlandadventures.com/2017-winter-fridge-shootout/3/

In theory, the solar should be more than enough I think. I think I am going to buy a meter or two so I can measure amp draw from the accessories and another to measure panel production. I wish there was a unit that just displayed both but I don't see one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKYILS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1T3LOAKNUUM9N&psc=1

How could you tell, if you used it? I did buy this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKYILS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Look at this one also. Voltmeter.

https://imgur.com/a/sraBw8u

Added some monitors and shunts to the previous setup. What do you think?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKYILS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Terminating 10# stuff
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XQ8Q1VM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and terminal fuse

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019ZBTV4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> shunt

cool I got this https://www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482213946&sr=8-1&keywords=shunt+12v

Battery Meter. Ive been toying with making one of these for a friend after I finish upgrading my camper. Someone else may be able to offer some more insight.

bayite DC 6.5-100V 0-100A LCD Display Digital Current Voltage Power Energy Meter Multimeter Ammeter Voltmeter with 100A Current Shunt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RRC2CbRANNKNH

That's what I used. I disassembled my power cord where it meets the wires coming out of the power supply. I had the current ring between the power wire. Was pretty simple to do and it keeps track of current and power and total power used.

You'll be surprised that the dial to output won't be linear.

Good stuff, thank you all. One more question though, regarding the battery monitor, in order to monitor the discharge rate and not go below 50%, do I need a victron BMV-700 ($150) or can I just use this bayite meter:
r/https://www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_107_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=331JX46ZCP7CH3YT868Q

There are a bunch of devices like this. For ac and dc. Amaz, ebay, etc

My solar controller gives me the data via the web. I use one of the above for monitoring what goes to the inverter. i could put in a ac ammeter. hmmm. Probably will at some point.

you would put one between your solar controller and batteries ... and another between battery and inverter.

not sure how to send the data to the web.

Ive found this on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Anyone have thoughts on this? Ive you read the reviews, in reference to van power, they're generally positive.

Something to consider with a PVC shower, is supplementing your heat. Best way I've found to do so is to use a heating element like this one and couple it with a temp controller. This runs off 12v DC so you'd have to take into account electrical capacity, but I figure I could run that while on the move so the vehicle alternator takes the load, or from an onsite generator if you're in a fixed location.

Disclaimer: I have not run this yet, I'm still in the planning phases of a PVC shower. This was found through research.

This is what i use to monitor my power usage. It has an alarm feature that goes off when you hit a predetermined/adjustable voltage level.


bayite DC 6.5-100V 0-100A LCD Display Digital Current Voltage Power Energy Meter Multimeter Ammeter Voltmeter with 100A Current Shunt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PKYILS?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf