Battery Monitors - Victron BMV-712 or AiLi Battery Monitor

[Perry Butler]

Just saw this AiLi Battery Monitor over on the Fiberglass Forum.

We own a Victron BMV-712 battery monitor. At $210 it is vastly overpriced. I wanted it for 24 hour history, and despite my conversation with Victron it does not show 24 hour history. It does bluetooth, so we can watch the charge from my phone as were driving down the highway, but that's just a cute feature. However, sometimes I'm just lazy and don't want to get my fat a$$ up, so I fire up my phone to read the monitor.

We do get some history with our Victron Smartsolar 100/20 that was purchased for $160 and can also read the 100/20 as were driving down the road. Since I buried the controller in back underneath the rear bench, next to the batteries, the bluetooth is handy.

FYI, we have a 170 watt solar panel permanently mounted on the roof and a 100 watt portable, for those rare times the 170 watt isn't in adequate sun. The Escape provided GoPower controller is still used for the 170 watt panel and the Victron 100/20 controls the portable panel. I'll be switching their roles around when I get the chance (like I don't have free time at the moment!).

If I had it to do over again (don't we all wish we had 20/20 vision) I would have purchased the Victron Smartsolar 100/20 and continued to use our simple/cheap 12v, plug-in battery monitor and the 100/20's bluetooth.

OTOH, if you're not purchasing a new solar controller the AiLi Battery Monitor is the monitor I would purchase.

Two good videos on the AiLi Battery Monitor:

RV Habit Install Video

Will Prowse $200 Victron Solar Battery Monitor? Try this $30 Chinese one instead!

I don't think Will set it up correctly and that was questioned in the comments. I'd set it up like RV Habit set his up.

Oh yeah, I mounted the shunt using velcro instead of screws, making it easy to get out of the way. After over 15,000 miles, vibrating down the road, the shunt stays securely in its place, not where it was easy to mount with screws, but where I wanted it.

First, there was duck tape, then along came velcro. Don't leave home without both!

Enjoy,

Perry