Hi Mike,
My modified Turngy Watt Meter ($24 + $25 shunt) is working great. Since February It's been living at the helm and under a Sunbrella compass cover while docked. I milled a box out of HDPE plastic and covered it with lexan and a gasket. I like the gasketed containers Arby uses for the Cycle Analyst but couldn't find one small enough.
I would highly recommend an instrument that gives you at a minimum - volts, amp draw and watts. I am finding it very useful to set the throttle on a setting that records 0 amps and play with that setting while watching the voltage reading. I find with as little as a 1/4" of throttle travel I can increase or decrease the voltage even at the 0 amp draw (I think the Watt Meter isn't all that sensitive at low readings). Basically I can find that sweet spot where I'm not creating much drag with the prop and also not using ANY electricity. Also with a small amount of travel in the other (regen - throttle down) direction I can watch voltage slowly climb.
Mark
Santa Cruz
--- In
electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "Capt. Mike" <biankablog@...> wrote:
>
> James
>
> Yep that was a lesson I learned. At least it was not as expensive as it could have been. I did actually try and cover the display with some shrink wrap when not in use and over the winter but it blew off at some point. I also installed a Paktrakkr inside the cabin which acts as a backup and so I can monitor from inside the cabin too. I just ordered another current meter (LED) which I am hopping will allow me to monitor battery current from the helm without lifting the cockpit hatch to look at it like I have to do with the XBM. I'll report back after it is installed and tested.
>
> Capt. Mike
> Sent from on board BIANKA
>
http://biankablog.blogspot.com>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Lambden <james@...>
> Sender:
electricboats@yahoogroups.com> Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:35:14
> To: <
electricboats@yahoogroups.com>
> Reply-to: electricboats@...: Re: [Electric Boats] Xantrex monitors
>
> Hi Mike,
>
>
> Being an electronics installer your latest post caught my eye and is something I have been concerned with for quite some time.
>
> Electronics mounted outside have to cope with extremes of temperature (-30 to 120F) , humidity (30% to 100%) , rain and sun damage. Quite often the gear can sweat inside, and any moisture buildup inside tends to stay there.
>
> If it is absolutely necessary to mount electronics outside, it is best to make a sunbrella cover to insulate your electronics from the elements. Its also better if the Sunbrella fabric is light covered so as not to absorb the suns rays. Going the extra mile, you can make a window in the cover, with flexible plastic, and clip on a sunbrella cover on top of that for when the boat is not used.
>
> The difference may be noticed in as little as a year or as much as ten years from the date of installation. This applies to all electronics, even if they are rated for outside exposure.
>
> Additionally, electronics should be mounted high and dry inside the boat and not underneath windows or anywhere there is a potential for leakage.
>
>
>
> James
>
>
> Propulsion Marine Products by
>
> Above the Waterline, Ltd.
>
>
http://www.propulsionmarine.com>
>
>
>
>
> On Aug 14, 2011, at 2:14 PM, Mike wrote:
>
> > Jason
> >
> > That's the beauty of a group like this some of us have made mistakes so others don't have to. In reality there was nothing wrong with my Xantrex XBM monitor as it was made by TBS which seems to be a reliable company from the Netherlands and made the units for Xantrex. The problem was I assumed that when the Xantrex literature says the units were "splash proof" that I could conveniently install it in the cockpit where the diesel gages use to be. Of course they did not mention that the sun would destroy the LCD in a little over a year. Where Xantrex did fail was their customer service as they would not repair the unit or sell me the part. Luckily, I found out about TBS and was able to order the new display from them for $15 (plus a wire transfer fee)
http://biankablog.blogspot.com/2009/12/going-electric-repairing-zantrex-xbm.html> > which was much better than Xantrex customer service advice which was to buy another $250+ monitor. My advice would be to do like Eric did and cut out the middle man and go with the TBS unit from the start.
> >
> > Capt. Mike
> > http;//biankablog.blogspot.com
> >
> > --- On Sun, 8/14/11, Jason Taylor <jt.yahoo@...> wrote:
> >
> > From: Jason Taylor <jt.yahoo@...>
> > Subject: Re: [Electric Boats] Xantrex monitors
> > To: "
electricboats@yahoogroups.com" <
electricboats@yahoogroups.com>
> > Cc: "
electricboats@yahoogroups.com" <
electricboats@yahoogroups.com>
> > Date: Sunday, August 14, 2011, 1:12 AM
> >
> >
> > And this kind of information is *exactly* why I love this group so much.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > /Jason
> >
> >
> >
> > On Aug 13, 2011, at 17:45, "Eric" <ewdysar@...> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> I lucked out, I chose the TBS E-Xpert Pro HV, with no pre-scaler for my 48V system. I am completely satisfied with the unit. The features and performance are everything that I could have hoped for.
> >>
> >> Fair winds,
> >> Eric
> >> Marina del Rey, CA
> >>
> >> --- In
electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "Tom" <boat_works@> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > The TBS monitor is also available in an -HV model, which can be used with 36-48V systems without the need for a pre-scaler.
> >> >
> >> > I am running 48V using a Xantrex Link-Pro with a Belktronix pre-scaler (about $25, if I recall correctly). This combination works well, but you do lose some of the functionality of the monitor with regard to the alarm settings.
> >> >
> >> > If I had known then what I know now, I would certainly buy the TBS unit.
> >> >
> >> > -Tom
> >>
> >
> >
>
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