Battery monitoring

[1stmate]

Hello again all-

Well, thanks to the info I received from my last question, I've resolved the problems I thought I had! Turns out I’m just a boob sometimes…
ANYway, another connected question.
Now that the system is coming together, I'd like to be able to monitor the battery charge visually (i.e. a meter). Although the charge controller should do the job of preventing overcharge, I would like to be able to check the battery "fuel level" (% of charge) at a glance at a gage or meter.
Will a voltmeter serve this purpose? My experience is that a 12v battery will read 12v regardless of its charge level, unless it's completely dead.
So I know what I want to do, but what do I want for hardware?
Thanks in advance again!!!

Best,
1stmate

[fredfl]

don't know exactly how they work but many golf carts have monitors that indicate % of charge.

[kawalekm]

HI FirstMate
I would disagree that a 12V battery will read 12V. *I'd say that a fully charged 12V battery should read ~13.6 to 13.7 volts. *Are you using an older analog volt meter? *Get one of the new digital ones. *They give you readings to 1/100 of a volt and are more give a more accurate measure of battery charge.

The most fool-proof way though is to measure the specific gravity of the battery acid using a hydrometer. You suck up some of the battery acid with the bulb of the hydrometer, then read the state of charge on the little floating bar sticking out the top of the acid.

One thing I think every battery powered system operator should do is periodly top off battery pack with generator power to make sure all the batteries are equilized.
Michael

[BIGGKIDD]

I have used the mentioned method to check batteries many times but now I have sealed lead acid batteries. So how do you do a through check on them?

Thanks larry

[1stmate]

fred-
If you figure out what kind of meter it is, lemmeno! I've seen various kinds of ammeters on things, but I don't know what they are (to a non-electrician kinda guy) could they be, I dunno, ammeters?! Man, this has got me confused... ???

kawak-
You are correct in that I'm using an analog meter. I've learned since the original post that analog will work, but only if the scale is large enough to read the differences. Mine is about .5v in graduation, not nearly accurate enough to differentiate between "good' & "bad". I will check on digital models.

AND, somebody to please help BK?

[NotSoFast]

I know this is digging up an old post but I thought it might help help someone with what I've found.

I've been looking for an inexpensive voltage monitor for my battery system. After hours of looking, this came up. It seems to have gotten good reviews so I just bought one and it is on the way. It's called the VoltMinder Volt Meter (2 words) and the price is $24.95 at MDBattery.com With shipping (USPS Priority Mail was cheapest) the total was $32.90. YMMV

http://www.mdbattery.com/voltminder-digital-volt-meter-w-6-foot-cord-for-12v-batteries.html