[Neddy]

Here is a selection of currently available low cost Battery Monitors. Prices range from $27 to $77, include freight, and are in NZ dollars. For comparison purposes, all costings are of 100 amp models.

(1) $30. 78 x 42 x 26mm. Shunt based.
Displays all 5 desired parameters simultaneously. Volts. Amps. Battery %, Battery AmpHours and Battery Charge Bar-graph.
But on a fairly small display screen.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/DC-120v ... 0000000000


(2) $54. 60mm diameter. Shunt based.
Shows Battery % bar-graph and any ONE of Volts, Amps, AmpHours and Battery %.
Would be better without the 0.1% battery detail.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/350A-DC-8-80V- ... SwrxFdUC2R


(3) $47. 79 x 43 x 25mm. Shunt based.
Shows Volts and Amps OR AmpHours OR Battery %
Cannot show my two priority parameters together – Battery % and Amps

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-200A-V ... itleDesc=0


(4) $47. 87 x 49 x 14mm. Hall sensor. Wireless.
Shows all parameters all the time.
Plus a LOT of other stuff, so display is very cluttered.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Monito ... 100623.m-1


(5) $52. 92 x 58 x 32mm. Hall current sensor.
Bluetooth connectivity. This opens up a lot of possibilities.
“Industrial” display with 3 layout options – but none of them contain all 5 of my preferred parameters.

50.JPG (9.43 KiB) Viewed 4171 times

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-Wireless-Bl ... SwcLxYGu6W


(6) $49. 98 x 54 x 21mm Shunt based. Wireless or cable connectivity.
Displays Volts, Amps, Battery% and % bar-graph.
No AmpHour display.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/DC-120v ... ceBeautify


(7) $37. 76 x 40mm Hall sensor.
Nice clear display
Missing my all-important Battery % readout, though – and has a couple of useless kW additions.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-LCD-Ha ... Desc=0%7C0


(8) $66. 52 x 36 x 16mm. Shunt based.
Has all 5 important parameters.
Has a couple of unwanted extras, so more cluttered than it need be.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/80V-50A ... autifyAB=0


(9) $27. 48 x 30 x 23mm. Hall sensor.
Top line shows Volts. Bottom line shows Amps OR AmpHours OR Battery %
My preferred Battery % and Amps combination not possible.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Monito ... m570.l1313


(10) $33. 65mm diameter. Shunt based.
Shows all 5 important parameters. Volts, Amps, Battery %, AmpHours and Battery bar-graph.
Has NO unwanted extra parameters.
Display seems to lack contrast, but could be just the photo.

10b.JPG (12.55 KiB) Viewed 4000 times

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/produc ... 2d75tONNfy


(11) $77. 94mm x 55mm. Shunt based.
Shows all 5 important parameters Battery % (emphasized), AmpHours, Volts, Amps and Battery bar-graph.
Extra large display screen.
Plus a couple of unwanted extras.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100V-10 ... autifyAB=0

[Nut17]

Wow Neville. Amazing selection but a bit difficult to make a decision. We need some keen operators to do some testing.

[NeilV]

Damn! Just bought a second (3) but if I was still looking numbers (1) and (6) would be my pick.

(1) for price and multiple simultaneous displays

(6) for smart/neat look, and also multiple displayed items.

[Kumarakid]

I have a number 3 that is surplus to requirements, brand new if anyone would like to purchase in New Plymouth.

[Neddy]

I have added a couple more options - that's 11 now!
For myself, ideally, I want a monitor that primarily features Battery % clearly and prominently, but with Amps, Volts, Ah remaining, and a battery % bar-graph all showing simultaneously on the same screen. While several of the listed monitors display those 5 parameters, only #11 emphasises the one I am most interested in - the Battery % figure. #11 also has by far the largest display screen so is the least cluttered.
I still like 2, 6, 8, and 10, though!

Neville.

[Mark]

Are the "Hall" sensors likely to be as precise as the shunt-based models?
I like the wireless models, although it seems the bluetooth model still needs to be connected to its "terminal" by cable.
#4 is also wireless AND Hall - so no wiring needed at all!!

[rawill]

Yes, without looking in detail at the others, looks like 11 will be the way I will go fitting up my old 78 Canter Camper.

[Neddy]

Are the "Hall" sensors likely to be as precise as the shunt-based models?

I would hope that the Hall based units would be a bit less sensitive. Some shunt based meters read to 0.01 Amps and take 5 readings a second!

"I like the wireless models, although it seems the Bluetooth model (#5) still needs to be connected to its "terminal" by cable.
Yes. The Hall sensor is connected to the display by cable, but the display unit also has a "Built-in Bluetooth module, wireless bluetooth is supported. All readings can be shown on PC software and Android APP. " Sounds interesting.

"#4 is also wireless AND Hall - so no wiring needed at all!!"
Interested? It would be really good if anyone buying any of these units could then post a review of their findings.
I will do one for #11, so that's a start.

Neville.