Need recommendations for a simple battery capacity display

[WildBunch]

I have a 110 ah Lithium battery, with Victron smart shunt, DC-DC Orion, 75/15 MPPT solar unit etc.
I can monitor all performance parameters via the Victron app. But it would be useful to have an instantaneous display in the hab area.
Ideally I would like a simple and cheap volt & battery capacity digital display unit . I have seen one such unit on the "tinternet", for £ 6.00 approx.
You need to be able to set the battery, size, type,full voltage to get the % capacity.
I could use a Victron BVM-712 smart battery monitor to do this & much more. But this would be overkill as it would duplicate the app & will cost over £100.
Please let me know if you have used or can recommend a suitable instrument.

 

[WildBunch]

[Broken Link Removed]

That is not correct, the Smart Shunt or BMV712 will give you accurate information by measuring the current in and out of the batteries.

Hi Lenny HB.
I already have the Victron Smart Shunt which is great and I can monitor all the parameters via the app. I am just looking for a cheap instant display of voltage / % capacity. The BMV712 would just duplicate the app at a high cost. I have now purchased a £8 Voktta battery volt & capacity meter. I am currently checking it out on my variable power supply at home. As expected the voltage is OK & the % capacity works. But does not seem very accurate, but good enough for the money. I need to check it out, in comparison to the Victron app, once connected in the van via a low value fuse.

 

[headlight]

[Broken Link Removed]

Hi Lenny HB.
I already have the Victron Smart Shunt which is great and I can monitor all the parameters via the app. I am just looking for a cheap instant display of voltage / % capacity. The BMV712 would just duplicate the app at a high cost. I have now purchased a £8 Voktta battery volt & capacity meter. I am currently checking it out on my variable power supply at home. As expected the voltage is OK & the % capacity works. But does not seem very accurate, but good enough for the money. I need to check it out, in comparison to the Victron app, once connected in the van via a low value fuse.

I'm assuming this £8 volt and capacity meter just uses battery voltage for it's readings ?
If it does its capacity readings will be very inaccurate as voltage is not an accurate way to determine SOC of a lithium battery.

 

[WildBunch]

I'm assuming this £8 volt and capacity meter just uses battery voltage for it's readings ?
If it does its capacity readings will be very inaccurate as voltage is not an accurate way to determine SOC of a lithium battery.

Yes I do understand.

 

[Guigsy]

If you've already got a Victron shunt, does it have the VE direct port? I hooked a £5 micro controller up to a Victron solar charger and got the data out very quickly. I had it sending to a Raspberry Pi, which is probably overkill for you. It wouldn't be hard to put the data straight on to a display. Probably less than £20 in parts.

Caveat: I'm not sure if it can send data out of the VE port at the same time as using Bluetooth. It probably can, but check.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[headlight]

Yes I do understand.

I read a couple of reviews of the meter you bought where they said within a week of setting it up the readings were totally inaccurate.
I have just fitted lithium.
I already had a Victron smart shunt, Victron MPPT, B2B and my battery has an app.
I, like you, fancied a display to save me opening the apps but with lithium the only accurate way to monitor the battery is via a shunt so I have stuck with the smart shunt app.

 

[the1andonly]

If you've already got a Victron shunt, does it have the VE direct port? I hooked a £5 micro controller up to a Victron solar charger and got the data out very quickly. I had it sending to a Raspberry Pi, which is probably overkill for you. It wouldn't be hard to put the data straight on to a display. Probably less than £20 in parts.

Caveat: I'm not sure if it can send data out of the VE port at the same time as using Bluetooth. It probably can, but check.

Yes it does, i checked for someone else as i sugested an arduino mega that i use with other stuff including a BMV712 on VE bus.