ESAM Battery Monitor, other electrical questions

[cheoah]

My boat came with an early model of a battery monitor- ESAM, I think it was made in PNW, maybe Portland. The panel is larger than modern ones, and has a rotating knob for V and A BAT 1, BAT 2, etc. Uses PEukert, has ALT and TEMP options, and a couple of fuses all to itself.

On my last cruise this spring, an alarm started going off for high voltage. The ESAM is indicating 15.03 V or something, and the Balmar AR-5 is reading 14.8 during the bulk phase. This is all from memory, so correct me if I'm wrong here with phase, etc.

Is it true that flooded deep cycle can take this for short periods with a smart regulator? I was singlehanding so I could not pull out the fluke on the ICW and check, but I had depleted the house bank and I was cruising at high RPM's. I had recently added these new 105 AH batteries for my house bank, replacing two 10 yo gels, and changed some jumper settings on the ESAM for capacity and type, maybe? OK maybe type was just on the Balmar, the ESAM is old enough that I'm not sure they had a type option. At any rate, the high voltage thing is new, the alarm is shrill, and can only be eliminated by pulling one of the fuses. As a result, the unit only displays V.

Questions:
Could older technology have alarms that come on a lower V? Did I dream this whole high voltage on modern chargers/regulators thing up?

Does anyone have experience with this unit? It is not nearly as simple as new ones.

I think mine has two shunts, perhaps one for the alternator? What is the deal with the alternator shunt?

Can I use my existing shunt and save some money and buy just a, well just the whole battery monitor I guess it is. I guess that doesn't make sense. Just don't want to spend $200 I don't have to, but this ESAM thing is a little complicated and spread out for a battery monitor.

My new Kyocera 130 is going to crank some V I think, with an MPPT, so trying to dtermine if I'm cooking my house bank. Temp is fine, Balmar reads 14.8, but I have yet to put the multimeter to it.

Long post, thanks for input-

Chase

[GordMay]

ESAM = Electronic Contract Manufacturing and Electronic Manufacturing
2100 NE Spalding Avenue, Grants Pass, OR 97526
Phone: (541) 476-9162
Fax: (541) 476-6325
Email: info@esam.com
Web ➥ Electronic Contract Manufacturing Services: electronic sub-assembly, electronic equipment assembly: USA

[cheoah]

Hi gord, thanks for the reply. I think the unit may be called an ESAM but the company is something different.

Chase

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by cheoah

Is it true that flooded deep cycle can take this for short periods with a smart regulator? I was singlehanding so I could not pull out the fluke on the ICW and check, but I had depleted the house bank and I was cruising at high RPM's. I had recently added these new 105 AH batteries for my house bank, replacing two 10 yo gels, and changed some jumper settings on the ESAM for capacity and type, maybe? OK maybe type was just on the Balmar, the ESAM is old enough that I'm not sure they had a type option. At any rate, the high voltage thing is new, the alarm is shrill, and can only be eliminated by pulling one of the fuses. As a result, the unit only displays V.

I don't know the battery monitor, but it could be just its reading the 14.8 from the balmar and alarming, the tolerance maybe enough. The Balmars are set too high too in my opinion. ( they come that way)

Questions:
Could older technology have alarms that come on a lower V? Did I dream this whole high voltage on modern chargers/regulators thing up?

well yes and no, there has been a gradual creep up in regulation voltages and many "smart "alternators set the voltage high to "show" you how hard they charge, its not necessarily right.

Does anyone have experience with this unit? It is not nearly as simple as new ones.

I think mine has two shunts, perhaps one for the alternator? What is the deal with the alternator shunt?

unlikely its an alternator shunt.

Can I use my existing shunt and save some money and buy just a, well just the whole battery monitor I guess it is. I guess that doesn't make sense. Just don't want to spend $200 I don't have to, but this ESAM thing is a little complicated and spread out for a battery monitor.

hmm no not really , shunts are specific to their monitors, there are some common standards like 50mv/Amp etc but in general No is the answer.

My new Kyocera 130 is going to crank some V I think, with an MPPT, so trying to dtermine if I'm cooking my house bank. Temp is fine, Balmar reads 14.8, but I have yet to put the multimeter to it.

Long post, thanks for input-

Chase

No it should be fine MPPTs are just like any other charge controller, they will have an set point for absorption, it can be changed usually.

Id multimeter everything first, just to remove some variables.

Dave

[cheoah]

Thanks Dave - will do

[mitiempo]

Cheoah

All battery monitors I know of come with the appropriate shunt - at least Xantrex and Victron do. The best value in a good monitor is the Victron BMV-600 - 149.99 at Jamestown Distributors
Victron BMV 600 Battery Monitor