Inexpensive Battery Low Voltage Monitor

Further to some recent posts about monitoring batteries, low voltage, etc... I thought I'd throw this out.

The C-I Volt-Amp meter is great. However, if you don't have a Trimetric in the galley (I don't) it's not always easy or convenient to see what your battery's State of Charge may be. The meter could be buried behind pots and pans in the right bin. Ours is. And under a lid. With things piled on it. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

When I was charging from shore power, and our V-A meter went dark (and I didn't want to pull the trailer out and fix whatever the problem was) I plugged in one of these to galley 12V socket: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0773BYS6P?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Obviously, its primary duties are as a USB charger port, and to display SOC. But until our battery dropped to 9.9V, and I saw it flashing wildly, I didn't know that this was also a Low Voltage Monitor. It is pre-programmed to flash when your battery hits 12.0V. Which conveniently just happens to be the Danger Zone for the majority of C-I batteries that are neither Lithium or a true Deep Cycle. 12.0V is also a pretty safe cut-off even if you do have either of those premium enhancements. Metal, solid and heavy. Not a cheap piece of plastic.

An inexpensive piece of insurance that could alert you to a problem before it gets out of hand.

(still looking, though, for a quality, simple-and-safe-to-install Programmable Low Voltage Disconnect. Dustin?)

 

I should add that this is not a direct replacement for the C-I meter as it does not show if you are connected to shore power and are actually charging the battery, and the amps going into the battery. It only shows the amps going out to whatever USB device you have plugged in.