Ablemail Battery Monitor

[LSNE]

Does anyone have any experience of these?

Bluetooth Battery Status Montitor

I've got my Ablemail AMS installed and I'm currently using a couple of BM2 monitors.
Just wondering if anyone has used one of these and if it gives more information than the BM2 software.

Cheers

 

[ianp63]

Hi,
I'm a step behind you but would be interested to hear anyone else's response to your question, or views on any alternative monitoring systems for starter and leisure batteries.
I have the Ablemail AMS 12-12-30 fitted and am just about to fit a solar panel, but I've been having starter battery drain problems which VW claim are due to the Ablemail. I can't find the specific reason for this but would like to add battery monitoring and/or a reverse charger (like the AMT12-2) to avoid problems in the future.

 

[Dellmassive]

bit of background for you:

• Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It --

• Battery Chargers - How I Did It -
• Which Jump Starter?
• Lithium Lifepo4 12v Batteries - - - Time For An Upgrade ? - - -
• Battery Charging - Main Battery Earth Point -
• Dc-dc Charger (for Leisure Battery) -- How I Done It --
• Stop/start...regen...smart Alternator... Dc-dc Charger For Leisure Battery Or Not?
• Full Van Ecu Reset (capacitive Discharge) -- How I Done It --

*****************************************************

SOLAR:

• Solar Pwm & Mppt Controllers - How I Done It -
• Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -
• What Solar Panel & Controller?
• Solar Panel Cutting Hole In Roof !!!
• 300w Solar Club -- How I Done It --
• Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -

*****************************************************

Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.

-- Dellmassive`s -- "How I Done It" -- thread -- ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...

www.t6forum.com

 

[LSNE]

Hi,
I'm a step behind you but would be interested to hear anyone else's response to your question, or views on any alternative monitoring systems for starter and leisure batteries.
I have the Ablemail AMS 12-12-30 fitted and am just about to fit a solar panel, but I've been having starter battery drain problems which VW claim are due to the Ablemail. I can't find the specific reason for this but would like to add battery monitoring and/or a reverse charger (like the AMT12-2) to avoid problems in the future.

Just a quick note for you.
I had my solar panel going through my Ablemail AMS but I disconnected it and switched back to a dedicated MPPT controller.
I found the efficiency of the Ablemail to be quite poor and effectively only charging the battery for three to four hours a day in bright sunshine.
When slightly overcast it would shut off completely.
This was one of the reasons that I was wondering about the interface, to see if I could change any settings.

I am currently awaiting delivery of a Victron Smartshunt to monitor the battery drain and usage.

 

[ianp63]

Thanks for that. I’ll get reading the <Dellmassive> info and look into fitting the solar panel. My system came recommended by <travelvolts> so I’m hoping for reasonable efficiency.

 

[Dieseldonkey]

I spoke with Ablemail late last year about this but the monitor was apparently still in development.

Here's a sunny day with my Ablemail. This was in April.

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Hi,
I'm a step behind you but would be interested to hear anyone else's response to your question, or views on any alternative monitoring systems for starter and leisure batteries.
I have the Ablemail AMS 12-12-30 fitted and am just about to fit a solar panel, but I've been having starter battery drain problems which VW claim are due to the Ablemail. I can't find the specific reason for this but would like to add battery monitoring and/or a reverse charger (like the AMT12-2) to avoid problems in the future.

What happens if you pull the two input fuses to the Ablemail? (Sense wire and main feed). Do you still get battery drain?

 

[Dellmassive]

this one . .

shows a low standby current. . . . . ?

AMS12-12-30 - Ablemail Electronics

www.ablemail.co.uk

https://www.ablemail.co.uk/sites/default/files/specs/AMS12-12-30E%20DATA%20SHEET.pdf

 

[ianp63]

I'm in the process of slowly checking this out, along with working on other elements of the van build. Everything is disconnected at the moment and has been for a couple of days to fit towbar and rear speakers, so I may find that out soon. I can see virtually no visible instantaneous drain to the Ablemail on my meter, but VW tested it over 24 hours or more to come up with their conclusion. A monitoring system will make it easier for me to see what's happening once I get that far.

 

[ianp63]

yes, about 1 or 2mA is all I've seen.

 

[Dieseldonkey]

It seems such a tiny current draw @Dellmassive . I've left the van for two weeks while on holiday with the Ablemail connected up. No issue with the starter battery. Any thoughts?

Just on a further note, I plugged in a victron charger into the vans cigarette lighter. Looks like the Ablemail picked up the higher voltage being supplied at the vehicle battery via its sense wire. The Ablemail then started charging the leisure battery while the victron was plugged into vehicle battery.

 

[Dellmassive]

@ianp63 maybe you could get a couple of "BM2 battery monitors" and see what if any drain yet get? - out of interest, what IS the amount of excessive draw? . or how long till a flat battery? . . . . VW must have logged a draw?

@Dieseldonkey yes, the quoted draw is very low. . . . . as you say the DC-DC will go into "auto vsr" mode and charge the AUX battery when the starter battery reaches about 13v.


the AMT12-2 looks very interesting, much better than the diode based revers charger from Votronic . . . . ill be looking into that shortly.

 

[LSNE]

Thanks for that. I’ll get reading the <Dellmassive> info and look into fitting the solar panel. My system came recommended by <travelvolts> so I’m hoping for reasonable efficiency.

Yeah, I got mine from Tavelvolts as well along with fitting kit.

I spoke with Ablemail late last year about this but the monitor was apparently still in development.

Here's a sunny day with my Ablemail. This was in April.

Yeah, I got that on a sunny day as well. It was when it became overcast that it would tail off. I spoke to Ablemail who asked me to strip it out and send it back to them for testing but I haven't got round to it yet.

 

[LSNE]

I'm in the process of slowly checking this out, along with working on other elements of the van build. Everything is disconnected at the moment and has been for a couple of days to fit towbar and rear speakers, so I may find that out soon. I can see virtually no visible instantaneous drain to the Ablemail on my meter, but VW tested it over 24 hours or more to come up with their conclusion. A monitoring system will make it easier for me to see what's happening once I get that far.

You don't have one of the Moll batteries do you?

How have you wired your sense wire?

 

[ianp63]

VW gave me minimal info. Just that battery is good and removing the Ablemail connection reduced the drain. Having taken it back previously for the same problem twice under warranty prior to my leisure system installation, I'm dubious about their conclusion. It was in the days before the lock-down too and now my warranty has just ended!! Definitely need to do some detailed monitoring myself.
If I left it for a week without use the starter battery would be dead. I'm now recharging both batteries and will then monitor manually until I get some bluetooth monitors. I like the idea of the Ablemail monitor, but it's still a couple of months away they tell me.
I have a Leoch Powerbloc GTP12110 battery, and my sense wire is plugged into the fuse panel under the glove box so only gets a voltage when ignition is on. I assume that's correct?