I have 2 of these - one 100a one for my RV and 50a one for my e-bike - the only bad thing I can say is at night when the propex heater comes on it lights up like a Christmas tree - I paid just £18 for the smaller and just short of £20 for the bigger - I have become addicted to watching the amps climb and fall when I'm on hills on the e-bike and in the RV how much is coming from the 280watt solar panel - I discovered I get up to 0.5amp from moonlight : )
Lol moon power brilliant . And yes I TOTALY agree the brightness should be allowed to turn on and off cos man it’s beyond bright you can’t even dim it which is a massive downfall . Thanks for watching mate
This worked for mine, thanks! I put mine in the instrument panel of my Class A and the pulsing light was annoying while driving. Exactly the info I came here looking for. Now that is resolved, I have zero complaints about this monitor, excellent value for the money.
Thanks for this video. For a while now I've been trying to find a gadget like this, as I just need to see what is happening to the battery Whilst parked up. And, under £40? Magic! Thanks again. Nicely explained too!
Nice video's. Love also what the both of you did @ Will's whereabouts. I will use the DIY vids to help me built my own 4x4 off road camper. Greetz from the Netherlands
Hahah! I do that all the time - forget what everything is called. Great video mate. I don’t know anything about battery’s but I think you educated me today. Good music too. ✨✨✨
Just wondering if you still have one of these installed with your newer van with your victron / newer mppt charge controllers that connect to your phone?
iv seen a few people saying you can hold in the 2 butons and it dimms down , but iv not tried this to be honest , i know there dose not seem to be any thing in the instructions about it , not that i csn remember mate , sorry for the usless help there
@@UrbanVanlife it's OK Neil, I realises that when it sits dormant for a short while it dulls, it o ly appears to be bright when it is drawing amps or charging, I was mainly concerned about night when we were in bed it would be too bright. Missing your vlogs big guy
@@UrbanVanlife I've just bought mine and installed it in my van : I confirm you can dimm it by pressing right and left button for 3 second. You may light it back by the same operation. Not discussed in any instruction manual, but the fact is it works !...
I tried one of these cheap ones and didn’t like it, it seemed to monitor the battery ok but I couldn’t control the backlight properly, depending on the status of the charging would affect the backlight, I think when you were putting amps back into the battery the backlight would pulse on and off and couldn’t be disabled,.. I wanted the monitor display on my main control panel in the living area and didn’t want it flashing coz would annoy the hell out of me.. so bit the bullet and got the Victron BMV 712, more expensive but good bit of kit and like all the extra features
Most seem to be back lit green but yours is blue. Just wondering if you can change the back lit colours or it it just luck of the draw whether you get a green one or blue one?
Great video! You mentioned that it detects charging with a plus or arrow… Curious, when it comes to connecting a DC isolator or DC to DC charger for recharging from the alternator, does the positive wire go to the positive post on the battery and the negative wire go to the P- on the shunt rather than connecting to the negative post on the battery so that it can monitor power in?
Thanks for a great, no nonsense video mate! I'm stumped on which one I need to buy for our system - there's 3 available models... 0 - 50A, 0 - 100A and 0 - 350A? Any help would be appreciated, I'm sure it's a very straightforward answer!
@@UrbanVanlife Our system has 1 x 155AH battery, a DC-DC charging unit and a 180W Solar panel. We won't be using an inverter. Average 24hr power usage is 52 AH. If at any given time our system isn't drawing more than 50A, does that mean the 0-50A model will be sufficient?
i take it that this don't have a memory, i wanna install this on my e bike.i can connect this regular and power it up by ignition relay to turn off and on, .but i'll need to reset it every time. any thought on memory ?thanks
i love the idea of that mate but im not sure to be honest , may be a little led amp meter ot volt meter would do the trick so you know whats left in the tank
Hi was going buy one of these but have just fitted another 100 watt flexible panel on my roof box and got another epever mppt controlllers but no display .but already got renogy mppt rover mppt with 3x30 panels on campervan roof .as renogy got Bluetooth adapter that goes to my phone I can see when batteries are boosted by ☀️.so DO I NEED Ali’ meter you think.I have dc to dc charger also when van running which is my daily commute .
@@UrbanVanlife Thanks Man. I just got and installed a similar one from Ali-express. its telling me how much capacity is left in aH and time based on the battery setup done. And it tells me the wattage net (e.g input vs output).
Hi. Great video thank you. The monitor seems to be ‘monitoring’, but the percentage left in the battery hasn’t dropped at all. Not has the amperage. Any ideas why ? Thanks.
thata very odd . firstly check all you negatives are all conected to the shunt and the other side to the battery also check you have set the battery AH size , it that dose not fix it , try disconnecting it for 30 min reset and re attach
@@UrbanVanlife so sorry. Realised the negatives from the battery and shunt were the wrong way round. 🤦♂️ Seems to be okay now ! Thank you Am I right in thinking that this obviously won’t measure the battery being charged - only the consumption ?
My question: when do you tell it batteries 100%? When at 14.2v? When it settles back down to 13.6? And how would I set up a system to only drop to 20% SOD and only charge to 80% SOD? Do I need to DIY with a customisable BMS? Also, is it possible to turn the damn backlight off? Mine never stops shining, and it happens to shine back onto our projector screen which hinders clarity also.
id personaly go for13.6 to 13,8 for a full system mate , it depends on drain , leve the batterys over night and check the volt in the morning and see what the differance is
I’ve had this in my van for ages, I have 200 amps of battery and 300w of solar. I have never managed to get it to show any draw or anything below 100%. Am I missing something?? I’ve tried resetting it, I’ve had it all out and refitted it?
Hi, thank you for explaining. But one thing that seems very dangerous to me. That is the supply wire from the battery to the shunt. If there is a short circuit in the print, Than you have the maximum battery flow over that wire. Is it not wise to install a small wire fuse in between? Greatings Sjoerd
Good video. I bought a cheap one that only gives me power going out and was planning on buying that very model you got. My problem is I have 2 batteries and a 2000w inverter running a fridge that doesn't go through my fuse box so how do I wire mine up and get an accurate reading of load
Ok so if I’m correct the fridge is running off the invertor which is running off your leisure bats . If that’s the case it should pick up the pull from what’s going to the invertor . If that’s how you have it set up
@@UrbanVanlife thanks, turns out I'd already set mine up correctly, I was just doubting my myself. I put the negative from my fuse box and the inverter on the load side of the shunt. I just don't trust the cheap monitor I bought, gonna but the aili one soon 👍
For the negative I used an earth strap which is 300amp . And for the small 12v I used some cable from an old extension lead . Obv it’s 240 cable but my thinking was the connections are only small so it would be better , but you could use 5mm vehicle electrical cable . Hope this helps bc
@@UrbanVanlife Just ordered one! You said the lcd was very bright, if I put a switch to turn off the unit when not required will I loose my settings? ps you got my sub.
I don’t think it can be mate have you set it all to the correct power of the battery . May be it’s a slightly faulty one or may be a full reset . Unplug for 30 seconds reset and see if that helps bud
Hi mate how do I use this in conjunction with a solar panel ...... would I wire my panel through the solar charge controller then to the leisure batteries or through the charge controller then via the batt monitor then to the batteries cheers Gordon
Hi bud ok on the simplest of ways it goes in between your battery negative and your fuse box Not the solar just have that going to your battery’s as normal but every thing on the load side of the system that’s where this goes so it can monitor the draw off the battery’s and it will also monitor what’s going in as well . So like I said from negative or Earth to fuse box .of negative from battery to shunt then from the other side of the shunt to your negative on your fuse box or your negative bar
Quick question. My AC charger kicks in and charges the battery but not showing the positive blinking coming in. My battery charger negative is connected to the correct side of shunt. Very odd? My solar panel negative is connected to same and that shows the positive on the screen when it kicks in. Any ideas? I just installed on my sailboat.
Hmmmm I Wounder if it’s something to do with the earth with it being on a boat I know some mppt conttrollers require both pos and Neg for Charing going in to the unit and then to the battery’s . Not sure if it’s that’s but it shouldn’t be . Are all your negatives connected to the shunt
@@UrbanVanlife yes all connected. I did reset it now working. What is really important that I found out is setting the threshold for the batteries. Since mine is 12v I set it at 10.8v
Thsts good it’s now working . And yer them little settings we forget tend to be the reason . I do it all the time mate cos I refuse to read instructions lol . Glad you figured it out mate
@@UrbanVanlife I'll definitely get one , but need all the spare pennies at the moment , just been told by the mechanic I need a new clutch , flywheel and best to do the gearbox bearing's aswell ... ouch !! €1500 😱😱 T5 1.9
Thank you I found this interesting and put together very well How hi do the Ah settings go because iv got 370ah so what amp would you recommend to buy. If it do go up to 370ah Looking forward to your reply Dave,,
Yer man you should be fine with that . Just set the amp hrs up to 370 when your programming the unit . Also may I add I’m extremely jealous of your 370 . That’s is for watching they will go up to 1000ah as well so not that you need it but you could add more battery’s
Thanks for sharing! Question: Is the face of the monitor waterproof? I'm thinking of installing one of these through an exterior panel. Naturally the body would be sealed behind the panel but would the exposed control face be rainproof?
I’d say yes cod ther are no gaps where the lcd or the buttons are but if might be worth asking the maker . But I’d say it would be splash proof or even rain proof . As long as you seal the sides and body I can’t see there being any problems mats p
@@jeremytam8219 I can conform this! Thanks for the info. Mine is installed in my bedroom so I can keep and eye on it before I go to bed was driving me crazy till I found this comment.
Hi Neil, I've just fitted one of these but it only shows the draw of my fridge and water pump. It doesn't show the draw of my lights, sockets or heater. Also it won't show any in coming power from my solar or hook up. I'm baffled???
Great video mate but I've got the following issue: whenever my batteries are charging, the display back light of my Aili voltmeter is blinking like hell. Is it the same with yours?
Oh no that’s not good mate . Mine dose not blink it just stays on witch is annoyingly bright . If it’s blinking there could be a problem . Id check all connections and do a reset mate if not send it back if you can mate . Hope you get it sorted , let me know what the outcome is
Yer I’d tent to agree there . There only a cheep unit and do a fantastic job for what they cost I’ll have to admit thst much . But the back light can be a down fall . We just put a cover over it with Velcro lol
Nice video! I have 2 questions: 1 Did you install the batterycharger directly on the battery or after the shunt? 2 If you have a lead acid battery, do you uncharged it until 20 to 50%? Or does the unit correct it to 0%? Because lead acid battery's can't be fully uncharged, do they? (sorry for my poor English)
My charger goes to the shunt mate . Abs once I do a full charge I ALLWAYS check abs see if it needs resetting to full . There a great unit but there basic but that dose not mean there good cos for the price there brilliant
@@UrbanVanlife thanks for the video m8.. Do you mean the - ve charger side goes to the B- or to the P- side if the shunt? And presumably the positive side of charger straight to +ve side on battery? Many thanks. Im almost there its just mine didnt show the up or down arrow and wouldnt show any charging happening
Thanks mate . That storage thing is so good and so handy as well . This is the one we got of it’s any good to you . QEES Tool Roll Bag, Heavy Duty Durable Wrench Roll with 5 Zipper Pockets, Canvas Pliers Organizer, Socket Organizer, Tool Pouch Sling, Car Seat Back O www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PMH3MBZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_gFeFAWuv5GZaD
the old one didnt give me amp hrs , didnt tell me what was being drawn off , never told me the percentage of power left in the battery and only gave a volt display , and if you go and by one from the link ill let you know if im canvassing or not . lol
Hey pal love the vid ..seen alot off you on wills vids also Im currenty setting up a carava n for family adventures didnt go for motorhome 😢 Anyway i have a separate battey set up aside for the standard caravan battery 130amp battery power to a 100amp breaker then to a renogy 1000w inverter.. Which power a double plug socket .. I want to fit one off these or similar buget battery monitor How would i do it Thanks
Wow you are so technically I have no idea what to do with something you just changed or replaced but when you know how this all works and why and how to do this can makes everything so much cheaper. I absolutely love see this I and it looks great new friend here and your welcome at my place. I am Wildeys/Myriam ✌❤
Wildey's Paranormal Place hey there thank you for the lovely kind words . And hey together we will get there there thanks for stopping by and saying hello . And welcome to the mad house
Hi mate - great video 👍 I am planning to get one of these installed on my build.. One question on the wiring for the shunt… Where I have common Earth on the chassis of the van… does the shunt go between that circuit or the shunt directly to the common Earth on the van? Thanks in advance 👍
@@UrbanVanlife - sorry to ask again 😃 So when you say “system” I have common bus bar where all my negatives terminate… so can the shunt go to this? Again thanks in advance!
Clear. Simple. Logical explanation. Idiot proof for novices like ma. A question if I may. I have bought a 350amp version of the bus bar. I have 2x 100ah batteries. My question. Does the bus bar get warm. Mine doesn’t have the plastic mount so I plan on putting cable clips either side of the neg wire connections to suspend it. A cable tie would help even more if it doesn’t get warm. Thanks. Oh, and greetings from kiwi land!🇳🇿
iv not noticed it get warm to be honest and with it being the negative id probably say no . but it was a thing i thought as well . so iv been checking on the temp when we have been out and about and using the battery for heavy use , but iv not noticed any change at all , thnaks for the question and hi hi hi kiwi crew hope your doing good
PLEASE HELP!!!!! I have a problem with mine... I have the 350 amp version. Have it hooked to 2 - 6 volt 235ah VMax batteries, so 12 volt 235ah. Works fine until I turn on my 2000 watt inverter & use my microwave. It pulls just over 100 amps. Only use it for less than a minute, 2 max. After I'm done & shut off the inverter, my gauge reads 0ah & 0% capacity. I have the gauge set to 235ah. I think it is a faulty gauge. Does it every single time.....any ideas? Thx
Hmmm I’m going to be honest here mate I have no idea . Appart from setting the parameters in it and all that . When you use the microwave what’s your better on volt wise after it . They do pull off a massive amount ya no
Yes, the battery voltage drops down during a high demand like that. I'll have to check & see how low. But yes, after use, the batteries come back up to about the same b4 I started. I will try it & see.....stand by. Thx
Started with a full battery at 13.7 volts just after disconnecting solar panels from battery. Turned on inverter, then turned on my small microwave. Microwave was pulling 112 amps. Voltage was showing 12.1 volts when microwave was running. Then after about 25 seconds of running the gauge reset to 0 ah & 0.0% capacity. Battery has then settled to 13.2 volts after a few minutes of no load.
It’s all and good being cheap but what is the accuracy of the unit? I’d still prefer to pay the extra and get something I know is going to be accurate and you forgot to mention all the other features that the Victron BMV-712 has like the ability to set low voltage, high voltage alarms etc.
To be honest Iv rested this a few times with a proper volt meter and it’s spot on for accuracy and for the price for people on a budget it’s a great addition . I will be adding the victron unit to the van cos Iv upgraded my solar to a mppt my vicrton so I want to now test there one
Urban Explorer how accurate is the amperage? The reason I came across this video is because I was looking to see what people have done with the cheaper units. I work with Victron stuff a lot so I know how good the product is. Solar and traveling in Australia is a big thing. Just a note, if you go a Victron smartsolar reg with the BMV-712 you can get them to talk to each other which can make your solar charge more accurate especially if there is any resistance in the cable from reg to battery. Good luck with it.
NotAnotherUsername20 I have 2 of them, they are spot on. If you feel more comfortable shelling out a heap more dosh, Knock yourself out. I prefer to spent my saved cash on something useful, like🤔 beer.
Iv had my cheap one off amazon in for 3 years mate and to be honest it works fine . If there fires and set up properly then you really have no worry’s . I mean you ALLWAYS have worry’s with every y thing you fit but Iv honestly never had any issues with any of my installs to be honest and Iv never known any one to have a problem . With expensive or self installs
@@UrbanVanlife yeah a lot of people use them ,but im going to be putting a 320w panel on my van tomorrow ,il prob buy the epever one think its a hundred quid
Paul Mooney dude you have to do what you feel best with vans . I ALLWAYS tell people go with what you feel best there is really no Wright or wrong . It’s ultimate what the person feels mate . We all do things different . But come back and let me know how it goes man and even drop a link to the stuff you use I’m all for people helping people man . But defo come and let us know your thoughts on it
Hey. Great video! I've just bought one of these for my 100A lithium battery. Do you by chance know if my battery needs to be 100% full when I set the amperage / % ?? I fiddled around with it and feel like the 100% reading might not actually mean "100%". Whoops! For example, when it read 94%, I held the amp % button and it changed to 100% ... uh oh! Maybe its something simple I'm missing? Any help would be so greatly appreciated!!
Thanks! What if I also have a DC to DC charger charging my (lithium) battery? It doesn't go through the shunt because it's just a positive wire from car battery > DC to DC charger > aux battery. Is there a way to get my battery % to read correctly? When my car is on, I know the battery is being charged but the percentage in this monitor doesn't go up..
@@wheres.bonnie I think this is the answer to your question Bonnie. Your leisure battery/batteries are getting the positive from the DC to DC charger but the ground from the DC to DC charger is going to a ground on the vehicles chassis somewhere, probably close to the DC charger. Then the leisure battery is grounded to the chassis completing the circuit. OR, you have it straight to your negative on the leisure battery. Anyway, For the meter to work showing the charge from the DC to DC charger, the ground from the DC to DC charger needs to go to the outer side of the shunt and the positive to/beside the red wire on the middle of the shunt B+. That's what I'm seeing when referring to the wiring diagram from this and the Victron meter schematics. I hope this helps Bonnie, if not you then someone else. Sorry I'm a bit late replying though 🙄😆👍
The cheap meter doesn't account for charge efficiency, peukert constant, or battery temperature. All things that will make this meter extremely inaccurate within 3 charge cycles.
seems to work fine for me mate and if tested it agains a multi meter and it always gives the correct reading , but what do you expect for £38 even is it was slightly off .
You shouldn’t have to cos every thing is rendered in Adobe auditions so all the levels are equal and don’t clip over -6db . Plus I allways fade in abs out of the music . ?
I was watching ,... Until that ( MUSIC ) ! OMG , I am so sick of having to listen to music while watching a video ! I just can't do it , I wont do it ! Not ever again ! Wow don't I hate that ! I mean WOW , I hate ,.... HATE that ! I don't know why , But I do hate it like I can't even explain .
An important note on these is all batteries have self discharge rates (my LiFePo4 cells
Great advice!
I have 2 of these - one 100a one for my RV and 50a one for my e-bike - the only bad thing I can say is at night when the propex heater comes on it lights up like a Christmas tree - I paid just £18 for the smaller and just short of £20 for the bigger - I have become addicted to watching the amps climb and fall when I'm on hills on the e-bike and in the RV how much is coming from the 280watt solar panel - I discovered I get up to 0.5amp from moonlight : )
Lol moon power brilliant . And yes I TOTALY agree the brightness should be allowed to turn on and off cos man it’s beyond bright you can’t even dim it which is a massive downfall . Thanks for watching mate
The led can be turned off, hold the two outer buttons for 3 seconds and the blinking is disabled. Do it again to re-enable it
iv triedd that on mine and nothing , amy be i have the faulty one
This worked for mine, thanks! I put mine in the instrument panel of my Class A and the pulsing light was annoying while driving. Exactly the info I came here looking for. Now that is resolved, I have zero complaints about this monitor, excellent value for the money.
Thanks for this video. For a while now I've been trying to find a gadget like this, as I just need to see what is happening to the battery Whilst parked up. And, under £40? Magic! Thanks again. Nicely explained too!
Thanks Chris not sure what the price is now though as this video is a couple of years old 😬
Brilliant mate. Thanks for the heads up I was just about to buy the Victron for £200. Martin From the Wirral
think they have put the price up on it as well mate , the rats lol
Nice video's. Love also what the both of you did @ Will's whereabouts.
I will use the DIY vids to help me built my own 4x4 off road camper.
Greetz from the Netherlands
Hi there …. Neil said if you need a hand we don’t mind popping in when we are over there 😊
@@UrbanVanlife thanks still need to buy the van first and plan what i want in it👍👍
All part of the fun 🤩
Hahah! I do that all the time - forget what everything is called. Great video mate. I don’t know anything about battery’s but I think you educated me today. Good music too. ✨✨✨
Oh mate my mind just went blank lol . Thank you sir for watching . And hey I’m glad some one learnt some thing bud
Just wondering if you still have one of these installed with your newer van with your victron / newer mppt charge controllers that connect to your phone?
No we don’t have one of these in the newer van
Hi great Video pal
do you know if this will work with my 2x 205ah battery?
no reason it wouldnt mate its rated for a large load and i would not have an issue with doing it with 2 3 or 4 batterys
I have the same shunt my question is when the batteries are fully charge does the shunt show battery at 100% as mine doesn’t thanks
It should show 100% . Try re celebrating it once your at full and see how it goes .
I have put the negative to the shunt now , works great
Just revisited this to fit my own I've had for months, good clear instructions, can I switch it off or dull the screen?
iv seen a few people saying you can hold in the 2 butons and it dimms down , but iv not tried this to be honest , i know there dose not seem to be any thing in the instructions about it , not that i csn remember mate , sorry for the usless help there
@@UrbanVanlife it's OK Neil, I realises that when it sits dormant for a short while it dulls, it o ly appears to be bright when it is drawing amps or charging, I was mainly concerned about night when we were in bed it would be too bright. Missing your vlogs big guy
@@UrbanVanlife I've just bought mine and installed it in my van : I confirm you can dimm it by pressing right and left button for 3 second. You may light it back by the same operation. Not discussed in any instruction manual, but the fact is it works !...
great video! I run 2 separate 12v Lithiums on a boat. what's out there other than 2 of these, to show state of both? cheers!
Thanks for watching mate I hope it’s been of some help . There a brilliant little device
Have you fitted the same to your Crafter? Had any issues?
Thanks
No mate we actually whent all posh and fitted the victron BMV
@@UrbanVanlife any reason why? Was the £38 on not up to it?
I tried one of these cheap ones and didn’t like it, it seemed to monitor the battery ok but I couldn’t control the backlight properly, depending on the status of the charging would affect the backlight, I think when you were putting amps back into the battery the backlight would pulse on and off and couldn’t be disabled,.. I wanted the monitor display on my main control panel in the living area and didn’t want it flashing coz would annoy the hell out of me.. so bit the bullet and got the Victron BMV 712, more expensive but good bit of kit and like all the extra features
we had the same problem with our backlight as well , which is a total pain, and in the new build like you we got the bmv from victron
Most seem to be back lit green but yours is blue. Just wondering if you can change the back lit colours or it it just luck of the draw whether you get a green one or blue one?
The blue one is the victron one the and green is the aili one . We have the victron one in the new van cos a lot of our Battery equipment is victron
what if you have multiple batteries? like I have four connected to an inverter, do I connect the inverter to this or all four batteries? Thanks mate!
Connect it to the negative on the battery’s mate NOT YOUR INVERTER
Great video! You mentioned that it detects charging with a plus or arrow… Curious, when it comes to connecting a DC isolator or DC to DC charger for recharging from the alternator, does the positive wire go to the positive post on the battery and the negative wire go to the P- on the shunt rather than connecting to the negative post on the battery so that it can monitor power in?
Nice work thanks buddy!
Thanks for watching mate
Thanks for a great, no nonsense video mate! I'm stumped on which one I need to buy for our system - there's 3 available models... 0 - 50A, 0 - 100A and 0 - 350A? Any help would be appreciated, I'm sure it's a very straightforward answer!
What size is your system mate
@@UrbanVanlife Our system has 1 x 155AH battery, a DC-DC charging unit and a 180W Solar panel. We won't be using an inverter. Average 24hr power usage is 52 AH. If at any given time our system isn't drawing more than 50A, does that mean the 0-50A model will be sufficient?
i take it that this don't have a memory, i wanna install this on my e bike.i can connect this regular and power it up by ignition relay to turn off and on, .but i'll need to reset it every time. any thought on memory ?thanks
i love the idea of that mate but im not sure to be honest , may be a little led amp meter ot volt meter would do the trick so you know whats left in the tank
Hi was going buy one of these but have just fitted another 100 watt flexible panel on my roof box and got another epever mppt controlllers but no display .but already got renogy mppt rover mppt with 3x30 panels on campervan roof .as renogy got Bluetooth adapter that goes to my phone I can see when batteries are boosted by ☀️.so DO I NEED Ali’ meter you think.I have dc to dc charger also when van running which is my daily commute .
Does this show how much the solar panel is putting in?
No mate just how much is left in the battery
@@UrbanVanlife Thanks Man. I just got and installed a similar one from Ali-express. its telling me how much capacity is left in aH and time based on the battery setup done. And it tells me the wattage net (e.g input vs output).
Hi. Great video thank you. The monitor seems to be ‘monitoring’, but the percentage left in the battery hasn’t dropped at all. Not has the amperage. Any ideas why ? Thanks.
thata very odd . firstly check all you negatives are all conected to the shunt and the other side to the battery also check you have set the battery AH size , it that dose not fix it , try disconnecting it for 30 min reset and re attach
@@UrbanVanlife so sorry. Realised the negatives from the battery and shunt were the wrong way round. 🤦♂️ Seems to be okay now ! Thank you
Am I right in thinking that this obviously won’t measure the battery being charged - only the consumption ?
My question: when do you tell it batteries 100%?
When at 14.2v?
When it settles back down to 13.6?
And how would I set up a system to only drop to 20% SOD and only charge to 80% SOD?
Do I need to DIY with a customisable BMS?
Also, is it possible to turn the damn backlight off? Mine never stops shining, and it happens to shine back onto our projector screen which hinders clarity also.
id personaly go for13.6 to 13,8 for a full system mate , it depends on drain , leve the batterys over night and check the volt in the morning and see what the differance is
Do you run the wires to the leisure battery only or main starter battery or both?
I’ve had this in my van for ages, I have 200 amps of battery and 300w of solar. I have never managed to get it to show any draw or anything below 100%.
Am I missing something?? I’ve tried resetting it, I’ve had it all out and refitted it?
Hi, thank you for explaining. But one thing that seems very dangerous to me. That is the supply wire from the battery to the shunt. If there is a short circuit in the print, Than you have the maximum battery flow over that wire. Is it not wise to install a small wire fuse in between? Greatings Sjoerd
That’s probably a brilliant idea mate
Good video. I bought a cheap one that only gives me power going out and was planning on buying that very model you got. My problem is I have 2 batteries and a 2000w inverter running a fridge that doesn't go through my fuse box so how do I wire mine up and get an accurate reading of load
Ok so if I’m correct the fridge is running off the invertor which is running off your leisure bats . If that’s the case it should pick up the pull from what’s going to the invertor . If that’s how you have it set up
@@UrbanVanlife thanks, turns out I'd already set mine up correctly, I was just doubting my myself. I put the negative from my fuse box and the inverter on the load side of the shunt. I just don't trust the cheap monitor I bought, gonna but the aili one soon 👍
Oh mate I second guess my self all the time . But glad you sorted it mate . If it’s working then all is good
what mm2 cable should i get to connect the battery to the shunt? (200ah Lead acid)
For the negative I used an earth strap which is 300amp . And for the small 12v I used some cable from an old extension lead . Obv it’s 240 cable but my thinking was the connections are only small so it would be better , but you could use 5mm vehicle electrical cable . Hope this helps bc
Hi, I have scanned your video list but can’t find one on your batteries. Can you point me toward the appropriate video.. cheers
i dont have one in the battery in the t4 mate ,as its a small van and just has a 120 amp hr leisure battery
@@UrbanVanlife: Cheers.
great vid, what shunt do I need for a 150 amp battery?
That one will do you perfect for that size bud
@@UrbanVanlife Just ordered one! You said the lcd was very bright, if I put a switch to turn off the unit when not required will I loose my settings? ps you got my sub.
Hi. I get a discrepancy in the voltage readout as compared to my multi meter. Can this be corrected?
I don’t think it can be mate have you set it all to the correct power of the battery . May be it’s a slightly faulty one or may be a full reset . Unplug for 30 seconds reset and see if that helps bud
Hi mate how do I use this in conjunction with a solar panel ...... would I wire my panel through the solar charge controller then to the leisure batteries or through the charge controller then via the batt monitor then to the batteries cheers Gordon
Hi bud ok on the simplest of ways it goes in between your battery negative and your fuse box
Not the solar just have that going to your battery’s as normal but every thing on the load side of the system that’s where this goes so it can monitor the draw off the battery’s and it will also monitor what’s going in as well . So like I said from negative or Earth to fuse box .of negative from battery to shunt then from the other side of the shunt to your negative on your fuse box or your negative bar
Urban Explorer
Cheers mate
If you have a solar controller...do you connect the negative from the controller to the P on the shunt...or to the battery?
Thanks,
Ian.
Ian Burgess I whent direct to the battery ian and mine seems to be working perfect . Hope this helps
All neg leads need to go to the shunt for accurate readings.
Quick question. My AC charger kicks in and charges the battery but not showing the positive blinking coming in. My battery charger negative is connected to the correct side of shunt. Very odd? My solar panel negative is connected to same and that shows the positive on the screen when it kicks in. Any ideas? I just installed on my sailboat.
Hmmmm I Wounder if it’s something to do with the earth with it being on a boat I know some mppt conttrollers require both pos and Neg for Charing going in to the unit and then to the battery’s . Not sure if it’s that’s but it shouldn’t be . Are all your negatives connected to the shunt
@@UrbanVanlife yes all connected. I did reset it now working. What is really important that I found out is setting the threshold for the batteries. Since mine is 12v I set it at 10.8v
Thsts good it’s now working . And yer them little settings we forget tend to be the reason . I do it all the time mate cos I refuse to read instructions lol . Glad you figured it out mate
Great vid ... I'll add it to the wish list ...
Rob Con cheers man . There a great buy for the price as welll and Iv seen them for as low at £28 as well at times
@@UrbanVanlife I'll definitely get one , but need all the spare pennies at the moment , just been told by the mechanic I need a new clutch , flywheel and best to do the gearbox bearing's aswell ... ouch !! €1500 😱😱 T5 1.9
Rob Con oh man that sucks . Sorry about that mate . Vans are good when there good but when they go bad man do they hit the wallet
@@UrbanVanlife " That's van life " 😂
Thank you I found this interesting and put together very well
How hi do the Ah settings go because iv got 370ah so what amp would you recommend to buy. If it do go up to 370ah
Looking forward to your reply
Dave,,
Yer man you should be fine with that . Just set the amp hrs up to 370 when your programming the unit . Also may I add I’m extremely jealous of your 370 . That’s is for watching they will go up to 1000ah as well so not that you need it but you could add more battery’s
Thanks for sharing! Question: Is the face of the monitor waterproof? I'm thinking of installing one of these through an exterior panel. Naturally the body would be sealed behind the panel but would the exposed control face be rainproof?
I’d say yes cod ther are no gaps where the lcd or the buttons are but if might be worth asking the maker . But I’d say it would be splash proof or even rain proof . As long as you seal the sides and body I can’t see there being any problems mats p
what is the max amp hours that can be connected to this battery meter? I have a system with 2000 amp hours in storage. Would this unit work?
They do three kinds . 50a 100a 350a hope this helps
@@UrbanVanlife thanks!
New subbie. I'm really thinking about getting this battery monitor. The price is so attractive. Great video 👍
There really handy to have as well . Even the cheep ones do what you need them to do .
@@UrbanVanlife yeah, I don't need the Bluetooth monitoring. I'm 💯% that the Ali will work just fine for my setup. Thank again. 😊
Might be a daft question but does it show the total capacity of the battery or just the useable capacity?
What’s left while use in mate . And then state of charge
Hey thanks for making this video. Does the led light stay on all the time when in discharge or charge mode?
unfortunately mate yes it dose and man its bloody bright , we covered ours with a cloth
If you hold the two outside buttons () for about three seconds, the led light is disabled
@@jeremytam8219 I can conform this! Thanks for the info. Mine is installed in my bedroom so I can keep and eye on it before I go to bed was driving me crazy till I found this comment.
Hi Neil, I've just fitted one of these but it only shows the draw of my fridge and water pump. It doesn't show the draw of my lights, sockets or heater. Also it won't show any in coming power from my solar or hook up. I'm baffled???
That’s really strange . Wounder if it’s a faulty unit
Doh!! I had two other earth cables attached to the negative terminal. Once I diverted them to another earthing point it all worked great.
I was going to say was any thing earthed else where but thought Nop only I’m that daft . I’m glad there is others like me
Love the video. And you got a new subscriber! 😊
Thanks buddy welcome to the mad house
Just ordered one from amazon 👍
Now i'm a bit confused, theres a guy in the states who sez the led light goes out when not charging, looks the same Aili. Which one will I get??
i know ours is on all the time mate , its a bloody pain
@@UrbanVanlife mine come on when the charge or drain exceed 50ma
Seems a good investment for your van Neil. 👍
Yer mate there a great bit of kit . It’s alleAys good to know how much power u have left
Great video mate but I've got the following issue: whenever my batteries are charging, the display back light of my Aili voltmeter is blinking like hell. Is it the same with yours?
Oh no that’s not good mate . Mine dose not blink it just stays on witch is annoyingly bright . If it’s blinking there could be a problem . Id check all connections and do a reset mate if not send it back if you can mate . Hope you get it sorted , let me know what the outcome is
Urban Explorer it slow blinks when it’s charging. It says so in the instructions.
If it doesn’t blink when charging I would say that’s a problem.
Does anyone know why I can only get charge OR discharge reading ( depending on wiring ) not both ? Any ideas people ? Cheers.
are alll you negative cables going directly to the shunt mate
@@UrbanVanlife yup. Think so. Then cable from the shunt to the monitor. And then from there to the battery. 🤷♂️
@@UrbanVanlife ah. Friend sorted it out- you were right in asking- the solar negative was still going to the battery. 👍
I just ordered one. I was thinking to add a switch, or would I lose my settings? You got my sub though.
i think you would lose the settings but im not sure , and thank you for joining
I was tempted to add a switch too, but found it has very little draw, probably similar to a wall clock operated with a AA battery.
Yer I’d tent to agree there . There only a cheep unit and do a fantastic job for what they cost I’ll have to admit thst much . But the back light can be a down fall . We just put a cover over it with Velcro lol
Nice video!
I have 2 questions:
1 Did you install the batterycharger directly on the battery or after the shunt?
2 If you have a lead acid battery, do you uncharged it until 20 to 50%? Or does the unit correct it to 0%? Because lead acid battery's can't be fully uncharged, do they? (sorry for my poor English)
My charger goes to the shunt mate . Abs once I do a full charge I ALLWAYS check abs see if it needs resetting to full . There a great unit but there basic but that dose not mean there good cos for the price there brilliant
@@UrbanVanlife thanks for the video m8.. Do you mean the - ve charger side goes to the B- or to the P- side if the shunt?
And presumably the positive side of charger straight to +ve side on battery?
Many thanks. Im almost there its just mine didnt show the up or down arrow and wouldnt show any charging happening
Nice video mate. Another thing to consider for my van. Can I ask what is the back of passenger seat storage that you have, any links mate? Cheers 👍
Thanks mate . That storage thing is so good and so handy as well . This is the one we got of it’s any good to you . QEES Tool Roll Bag, Heavy Duty Durable Wrench Roll with 5 Zipper Pockets, Canvas Pliers Organizer, Socket Organizer, Tool Pouch Sling, Car Seat Back O www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PMH3MBZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_gFeFAWuv5GZaD
Cheap is good !!!
whats wrong with your old one neil??or you canvassing on the side...great video...cheers
the old one didnt give me amp hrs , didnt tell me what was being drawn off , never told me the percentage of power left in the battery and only gave a volt display , and if you go and by one from the link ill let you know if im canvassing or not . lol
@@UrbanVanlife cheers neil much appreciated.....
Hey pal love the vid ..seen alot off you on wills vids also
Im currenty setting up a carava n for family adventures didnt go for motorhome 😢
Anyway i have a separate battey set up aside for the standard caravan battery
130amp battery power to a 100amp breaker then to a renogy 1000w inverter..
Which power a double plug socket ..
I want to fit one off these or similar buget battery monitor
How would i do it
Thanks
There easy to fit . But all your neg needs to go to it . But easy to follow off the instructions buddy
Wow you are so technically I have no idea what to do with something you just changed or replaced but when you know how this all works and why and how to do this can makes everything so much cheaper. I absolutely love see this I and it looks great new friend here and your welcome at my place. I am Wildeys/Myriam ✌❤
Wildey's Paranormal Place hey there thank you for the lovely kind words . And hey together we will get there there thanks for stopping by and saying hello . And welcome to the mad house
Hi mate - great video 👍 I am planning to get one of these installed on my build.. One question on the wiring for the shunt… Where I have common Earth on the chassis of the van… does the shunt go between that circuit or the shunt directly to the common Earth on the van? Thanks in advance 👍
The shunt goes direct from the battery to the system mate then earth the battery to the chas
@@UrbanVanlife - sorry to ask again 😃 So when you say “system” I have common bus bar where all my negatives terminate… so can the shunt go to this? Again thanks in advance!
Clear. Simple. Logical explanation. Idiot proof for novices like ma. A question if I may. I have bought a 350amp version of the bus bar. I have 2x 100ah batteries. My question. Does the bus bar get warm. Mine doesn’t have the plastic mount so I plan on putting cable clips either side of the neg wire connections to suspend it. A cable tie would help even more if it doesn’t get warm. Thanks. Oh, and greetings from kiwi land!🇳🇿
iv not noticed it get warm to be honest and with it being the negative id probably say no . but it was a thing i thought as well . so iv been checking on the temp when we have been out and about and using the battery for heavy use , but iv not noticed any change at all , thnaks for the question and hi hi hi kiwi crew hope your doing good
Hi!! Just wondering if you need a fuse on the small positive cable that connects to positive of battery to the green connector?
im pretty sure it had a small inline fuse on the cable mate , but if not yer id add one , but im 99%sure it had a fuse on it
can i use a cat five cable to extend the cables
It’s not a cat 5 cable it’s different connections mate but your could solder a cable up and extend it that way that would be easy to do
PLEASE HELP!!!!! I have a problem with mine... I have the 350 amp version. Have it hooked to 2 - 6 volt 235ah VMax batteries, so 12 volt 235ah. Works fine until I turn on my 2000 watt inverter & use my microwave. It pulls just over 100 amps. Only use it for less than a minute, 2 max. After I'm done & shut off the inverter, my gauge reads 0ah & 0% capacity. I have the gauge set to 235ah. I think it is a faulty gauge. Does it every single time.....any ideas? Thx
Hmmm I’m going to be honest here mate I have no idea . Appart from setting the parameters in it and all that . When you use the microwave what’s your better on volt wise after it . They do pull off a massive amount ya no
Hang on 2x 6volt battery’s
Yes, the battery voltage drops down during a high demand like that. I'll have to check & see how low. But yes, after use, the batteries come back up to about the same b4 I started. I will try it & see.....stand by. Thx
Started with a full battery at 13.7 volts just after disconnecting solar panels from battery. Turned on inverter, then turned on my small microwave. Microwave was pulling 112 amps. Voltage was showing 12.1 volts when microwave was running. Then after about 25 seconds of running the gauge reset to 0 ah & 0.0% capacity. Battery has then settled to 13.2 volts after a few minutes of no load.
Also, yes I have 2 - 6 volt 235ah batteries in series to make 12 volts.
Unit arrived today , initialled & set up. My back light goes out when not charging! Ha, Ha!
Nice work!
Cheers bro
It’s all and good being cheap but what is the accuracy of the unit? I’d still prefer to pay the extra and get something I know is going to be accurate and you forgot to mention all the other features that the Victron BMV-712 has like the ability to set low voltage, high voltage alarms etc.
To be honest Iv rested this a few times with a proper volt meter and it’s spot on for accuracy and for the price for people on a budget it’s a great addition . I will be adding the victron unit to the van cos Iv upgraded my solar to a mppt my vicrton so I want to now test there one
Urban Explorer how accurate is the amperage? The reason I came across this video is because I was looking to see what people have done with the cheaper units. I work with Victron stuff a lot so I know how good the product is. Solar and traveling in Australia is a big thing. Just a note, if you go a Victron smartsolar reg with the BMV-712 you can get them to talk to each other which can make your solar charge more accurate especially if there is any resistance in the cable from reg to battery. Good luck with it.
NotAnotherUsername20
I have 2 of them, they are spot on. If you feel more comfortable shelling out a heap more dosh,
Knock yourself out.
I prefer to spent my saved cash on something useful, like🤔 beer.
Nice one ! Have u an alternative to a victron or epever solar controller? Would not use cheap chinese ones as afraid they go on fire
Iv had my cheap one off amazon in for 3 years mate and to be honest it works fine . If there fires and set up properly then you really have no worry’s . I mean you ALLWAYS have worry’s with every y thing you fit but Iv honestly never had any issues with any of my installs to be honest and Iv never known any one to have a problem . With expensive or self installs
@@UrbanVanlife yeah a lot of people use them ,but im going to be putting a 320w panel on my van tomorrow ,il prob buy the epever one think its a hundred quid
Paul Mooney dude you have to do what you feel best with vans . I ALLWAYS tell people go with what you feel best there is really no Wright or wrong . It’s ultimate what the person feels mate . We all do things different . But come back and let me know how it goes man and even drop a link to the stuff you use I’m all for people helping people man . But defo come and let us know your thoughts on it
@@UrbanVanlife just subscribed nice channel pal cheers
Paul Mooney thanks mate much appreciated .
It is 20 dollars on ali
Sebastian cheeper than amazon
good job!
Thank you! Cheers!
WiFi meter...yes please! 😂 lol JK give me the cheap one! Nice video Neil! 👊🏽
😂😂😂😂😂 I was like wtf then lol . Thanks mate you got me there bro
I am number 23 because of the music. sorry , But it was me.
thats ok mate likes and dislikes are the same thing , to the algo there engagement its only a vanity metric
Hey. Great video! I've just bought one of these for my 100A lithium battery. Do you by chance know if my battery needs to be 100% full when I set the amperage / % ?? I fiddled around with it and feel like the 100% reading might not actually mean "100%". Whoops! For example, when it read 94%, I held the amp % button and it changed to 100% ... uh oh! Maybe its something simple I'm missing? Any help would be so greatly appreciated!!
id set it after a good run mate so you know the battery isat 100% i dont think you cn go wrong then , thats my thoughts
Thanks! What if I also have a DC to DC charger charging my (lithium) battery? It doesn't go through the shunt because it's just a positive wire from car battery > DC to DC charger > aux battery. Is there a way to get my battery % to read correctly? When my car is on, I know the battery is being charged but the percentage in this monitor doesn't go up..
Only what your pulling off generally goes to the shunt mate .
@@wheres.bonnie I think this is the answer to your question Bonnie. Your leisure battery/batteries are getting the positive from the DC to DC charger but the ground from the DC to DC charger is going to a ground on the vehicles chassis somewhere, probably close to the DC charger. Then the leisure battery is grounded to the chassis completing the circuit. OR, you have it straight to your negative on the leisure battery.
Anyway, For the meter to work showing the charge from the DC to DC charger, the ground from the DC to DC charger needs to go to the outer side of the shunt and the positive to/beside the red wire on the middle of the shunt B+.
That's what I'm seeing when referring to the wiring diagram from this and the Victron meter schematics.
I hope this helps Bonnie, if not you then someone else. Sorry I'm a bit late replying though 🙄😆👍
Some saving that
It is isn’t it . And we all love to save money dude
Show me someone that doesnt
The cheap meter doesn't account for charge efficiency, peukert constant, or battery temperature. All things that will make this meter extremely inaccurate within 3 charge cycles.
seems to work fine for me mate and if tested it agains a multi meter and it always gives the correct reading , but what do you expect for £38 even is it was slightly off .
victron not only is a rip off, mine failed also, yacht application.
If you need an MPPT charge controller then check this vid - ruclips.net/video/ZOUd0S7ww7E/видео.html
Could you even try to sync sound levels? If not, stop using music. Have to fiddle the volume every 20 time you speak.
You shouldn’t have to cos every thing is rendered in Adobe auditions so all the levels are equal and don’t clip over -6db . Plus I allways fade in abs out of the music . ?
@@UrbanVanlife Try to listen for the volume change at 1.57
Well I’m sure it’s not the end of the world mate . Sorry it ruined your day
39 pounds vs 200 pounds? No brainer! Plus I'll probably won't have WiFi when I'm way out there lol
that was my whole thinking as well mate , thanks fo the comment
I was watching ,... Until that ( MUSIC ) ! OMG , I am so sick of having to listen to music while watching a video ! I just can't do it , I wont do it ! Not ever again ! Wow don't I hate that ! I mean WOW , I hate ,.... HATE that ! I don't know why , But I do hate it like I can't even explain .
im guessing you dont like the music but im quite unsure , could you please clarify
I like the design of that one. Most seem to be big blocky things. Sent you a message on Instagram. :)
yer its a great littel unit . ill go over and check it in a min guys
Looks sweeet. Saving u a bit of $$$$. You have some dirt on your face.
Yer man it’s a money saver that one . And ppppft go stroke your puppy lol