There are many upgrades you can make to the battery system, but the simplest and most useful is to add a 12V battery monitor. Let's take a look at what a battery display is and how it can help you get the most out of your battery system.

What is a battery monitor?

People usually think of a battery monitor as a fuel gauge for a battery. However, they do much more than provide the charging state of the battery system. Battery monitors can also collect and display useful data such as battery voltage, power consumption, estimated remaining run time, current consumption, battery temperature, and more.

How battery monitors work.

There are two types of battery monitors, shunt based and voltage based. The simplest type is the voltage-based monitor, which is typically standard in most mobile power applications. This type of monitor only measures the real-time voltage of the battery and uses it to estimate the charging state of the battery.

Voltage-based monitors are not very accurate, as the battery's real-time voltage fluctuates based on temperature changes and other environmental conditions. If you change the battery type, the voltmeter may even be completely inaccurate.

The splitter monitor is more accurate because it measures the actual energy flowing into and out of the battery. These battery monitors require a shunt on the negative side of the battery terminal. The shunt measures the real-time voltage and current consumption of the battery system.

The battery monitor uses these measurements to calculate charging status, power consumption, estimated remaining run time, and other useful information about the battery system.

Battery monitor and. Battery management system (BMS).

Lithium batteries have an integrated battery management system (BMS) that helps optimize their performance and protect them from operating under safe conditions. The BMS are the control centers for individual batteries in the system, not the entire system.

The main function of a battery management system is to prevent overcharging and overdischarging, which can damage the battery and shorten its life. The BMS also calculates the remaining power, watches the battery temperature, monitors the health and safety of the battery by checking for loose connections and internal short circuits, and balances the power of all the batteries in the battery.

If unsafe conditions are detected, BMS shuts down the battery to protect the lithium-ion battery and the user.

The BMS collect much of the same information as the battery monitor. However, instead of displaying the information to the user, BMS uses it to optimize the performance and health of each battery.

The more you know about battery systems, the better decisions you can make to optimize your battery usage. If you want to get the most out of your battery system, Battery Monitor is a simple, inexpensive and fantastic upgrade to consider.