Battery monitoring

[Dukedesmo]

Having had batteries die due to being discharged during winter months, I was looking for a simple monitoring system to warn me if my bike battery was running low.

I have a couple of trickle charger/tenders but don't like leaving them permanently connected and my old Guzzi, in particular seems to be more battery 'needy' than my Ducatis, being on it's third battery in the 10 years I've had it.

I saw this 'Ancel' battery monitoring device listed on ebay; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256906200373 and with 20% off due to some ebay promotion decided to try one.

Once connected to the battery, it monitors voltage, temperature and general battery health plus there are charging and cranking tests that can be run and this info is sent by by bluetooth to your phone so you can see the state of the battery without removing any fairings/tanks etc. to get a meter on it. It even 'remembers' where you last parked your bike and shows you on a map.

So far I am impressed, so much so that I bought 3 more for all my bikes and Land Rover, all (high-maintenance) vehicles that, at the moment are not being used so battery can be discharging.

The unit itself is very small and light and is simply connected to the battery and stuck onto it with double-sided tape (stuck on allows it to monitor the temperature), here's a picture of it stuck to my Monster's battery;

And here's a screenshot of the 4 batteries health from my phone;

And a single battery screen;

As you can see, the bike batteries are currently fully charged the Land Rover not so much but it's actually currently attached to an old battery that I'm using just for testing electrics and I have a new one to go once finished.

Not tested how robust they are yet, as in will they stand up to the vibrations etc. from a V-twin engine but so far so good.

Anyway, I thought this might be of interest to some.

 

[Nickj]

Same units available from source in china are something like $20 US with free postage.
Nice though.
I'd be tempted to at least use a thick vibration damping pad to attach it with, if the case looks like it might leak cover the PCB with liquid insulator (essentially thick rubber tyre glue) or fill the case with casting epoxy.

 

[Dukedesmo]

Well, I paid £14.39 each with the 20% discount so less than $20 and delivery in a couple of days.

The double-sided sticky supplied is fairly thick so I will see how it goes. My concern is that the vibrations may ultimately kill them, like the LED clocks that I have fitted that seem to last a couple of years before dying.

Can always, as you say, better isolate. I'm not bothered whether battery temperature is correct anyway, especially because engine heat will soak into it when running.

They're actually more useful to me during the winter when I'm not using the bikes.

 

[Max724]

I like gadgets like this, I just keep mine on trickle constantly and never had an issue. Although the MT has been a bit thirsty with the copious amounts of electronic funky stuff which is attached Thanks for the link, I might partake...

 

[Mr Gazza]

Well I find this most impressive. I'm very tempted to get one or maybe two for my Triumph and Guzzi, both 48 going on 49 years old.
I probably won't get one for laying up a bike, as my philosophy and practice is to disconnect them for storage and preferably take them off the bike. I will then store them off the ground, especially if the floor is concrete, although all mine are chipboard and insulated by design.
Making sure that they are maintained above freezing temp, which again all my sheds are, with thermostatic heaters.
I will check the voltage at the start of the lay up, making sure it is at least above 12V and top up if needed.
I'll then put a meter on every now and then and top up as needed, but have never had to. I would probably not attach any devices like a monitor, as they do draw a little current, probably negligible though?
I guess that's where the low voltage alarm might be handy, but I'm thinking it's only warning me that it's used current to tell me that!

My pet hate is (are?) those optimate thingies, which I call battery killers. I most certainly will never condemn any battery of mine to that fate, even though I do have one that came with a bike. If anyone wants to make me a offer for it, please feel free. It has a lead and plug ready to connect to your poor battery.

 

[Dukedesmo]

Well I find this most impressive. I'm very tempted to get one or maybe two for my Triumph and Guzzi, both 48 going on 49 years old.

I've not had chance to try it properly yet but the charging test could prove useful in diagnosing OBS (old bike syndrome) and determining if it's the battery, alternator, reg/rec, wiring etc. at fault especially as it's now 'built-in' to the bike and so can be run anytime without needing to get test meters out, remove seats/tanks/panels.

Also I have verified the voltage readings as being exactly (to the 2 decimal places shown) the same as a high quality, industrial standard voltmeter.

At £14 a pop, I couldn't resist.

 

[Mr Gazza]

My "old bike electrics nose" is pretty good when it comes to diagnosing olde charging system faults, especially when combined with an LED charge monitor light and a multi meter..
That said I think you've just about sold me your monitor. It could prove useful with learning about the Guzzi's rather weird charging system, which is not like anything I have encountered before.
I think it's on my shopping list for when I get a few spare pennies.

 

[jerry]

Now on Ebay £17.99 but make a £14.99 offer and its ok

 

[Mark64]

the Guzzi's rather weird charging system, which is not like anything I have encountered before.

The first time I toured France in the early 80's I saw an English guy charging a full size car battery in the campsite shower block, he said the Guzzi electrics were rubbish so he fitted a car battery and charged it every few days ;-)

 

[Dukedesmo]

The battery in my Guzzi is similar size-wise to a small car battery, 32ah and weighs 10kg.

 

[jerry]

£17.99 now,,,,, he wont accept any offers like £14.99 anymore

 

[Stu2]

Having had batteries die due to being discharged during winter months, I was looking for a simple monitoring system to warn me if my bike battery was running low.

I have a couple of trickle charger/tenders but don't like leaving them permanently connected and my old Guzzi, in particular seems to be more battery 'needy' than my Ducatis, being on it's third battery in the 10 years I've had it.

I saw this 'Ancel' battery monitoring device listed on ebay; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256906200373 and with 20% off due to some ebay promotion decided to try one.

Once connected to the battery, it monitors voltage, temperature and general battery health plus there are charging and cranking tests that can be run and this info is sent by by bluetooth to your phone so you can see the state of the battery without removing any fairings/tanks etc. to get a meter on it. It even 'remembers' where you last parked your bike and shows you on a map.

So far I am impressed, so much so that I bought 3 more for all my bikes and Land Rover, all (high-maintenance) vehicles that, at the moment are not being used so battery can be discharging.

The unit itself is very small and light and is simply connected to the battery and stuck onto it with double-sided tape (stuck on allows it to monitor the temperature), here's a picture of it stuck to my Monster's battery;

And here's a screenshot of the 4 batteries health from my phone;

And a single battery screen;

As you can see, the bike batteries are currently fully charged the Land Rover not so much but it's actually currently attached to an old battery that I'm using just for testing electrics and I have a new one to go once finished.

Not tested how robust they are yet, as in will they stand up to the vibrations etc. from a V-twin engine but so far so good.

Anyway, I thought this might be of interest to some.

Hi, Thank you for the info, and I am definitely going to give one a go! I could bore you with my valiant attempts to keep a battery alive over winter, I've tried leaving them on trickle charge in situ, intermittent charging at 2 Amps again in situ. However what currently works for my two bike batteries is to remove, store in a warm place, check voltage and intermittent trickle charge.

I do wonder sometimes how in the 70s/80s,the old school lead acid battery on my Suzuki GS 550 survived with one charge and left in the frost and snow over winter, yet always fired up and lasted years?

Stu2

 

[Mark64]

Things used to be made to last, nowadays they're made to expire just after the warranty...
Call me cynical if you like, just don't call me late for dinner ;-)

 

[mickj]

Things used to be made to last, nowadays they're made to expire just after the warranty...
Call me cynical if you like, just don't call me late for dinner ;-)

100% agree with you on that one. I bought a freezer second hand in the 80's which lasted us 27 years, when it died we bought another from the same company and it literally fell apart in less than 5 years.