brettos01

Found this at www.jaycar.com.au

Could save your boat one day!!!

The LED light glows green, when the reciever battery is ok!

The LED turns red if battery is to low (or getting to low to be reliable) (adjustable trigger voltage capable).

Hope this helps, Regards Brettos.

iowapiper_rcp

I used to have a meter like this on my ofna buggy 4 or 5 years ago. Mine was a LED bar that was probably 2 inches long, by about 1/8 inch high. It has green, yellow, and then red leds. When green it was good to go, yellow meant you better be looking at replacing batterys, and red was too low to run. Was the best money I had speant, but this one is ALOT cheaper, I think i paid 25 or 30 for hat little meter, and it pluged right inline with the battery pack.

brettos01

I guess it used a lot more power to run that 10 LED board as well!!!

Regards Brettos.

Macleod

I use this to monitor reciever power. Doesnt make any difference to the runtime of the boat.

brettos01

Hey Ross, Thanks for the input.

This post is in the "nitro boat" section, we are talking about reciever battery monitoring.

Anything electronic connected to the batteries will add additional drain, reducing the longevity of the battery.

The battery monitor you have shown has 10 LED's, the one I have shown has one LED, do the math.

Also how much do they cost? $20-$25. Mine is only $8.95. Nice looking unit though.

Regards Brettos.

Macleod

Brettos01,

Thanks a lot, Im not stupid[:@]...I know this is the "nitro boat" section, I was talking about reciever battery monitoring (Thats what I read you all were talking in this tread).

I was talking about run time as in the reciever battery (IE: if they reciever batt goes flat you go nowhere), not electric motor batteries and I use the monitor in my NITRO boat.

It only runs ONE LED at a time.......How can it draw more power than yours......[&:]
It only cost me $17.00 AUD.

Sorry for the input.............[:@]

brettos01

No need to jump on me. All I wanted to do is clarify what you were trying to say.

I checked the GWS site but they don't quote the current drain, if they did I am quite sure it would be more than 3mA quoted by Jaycar and it's still "half the price".

I said it looks nicer than the Jaycar one! What else can I say except sorry if I bothered you.

Would hate to step on your foot in a waiting line.

Still regards Brettos.

Macleod

Im normally quite easy going, Until I got told by you that I was in the wrong section and that I was talking about something other than reciever batteries.
Thats when I jumped back.

I was just trying to share what I find the best. The one I use gives you more of a idea on how the power levels are. Yours gives you little idea of the current voltage levels. I have already researched the one from jaycar, but found it didnt give me a true indication of the voltage levels and found it would be hard for most people without a multimeter to adjust the trigger level. Why not spend $8 more? For what a 10-15mA increase in current draw.For what a few seconds of use.

Also I have made mods to the unit so it doesn't draw any current while the boat is running. Why have it running while it is on the water ?????

And you never ask me to clarify what I was saying...!!!!!
Only thing you asked was the price....

brettos01

Sweet Ross, now I understand the logic and you make wonderfull sense.

Thanks for that! It's what forums are all about.

OPPS! I'm sure you know that already.

Do you have any models that you would like drawn?, with a picture to suit the model as a background.

I would gladly do it for you, I am a pensioner and have lots of time to kill and I love working on graphics.

I don't charge anything, never will.

What's your favourite model, the one you built by hand that is a joy to use, the one that stands out!
Post a 800X600jpg of it, side view.

Once again thanks, for the detailed proof of why reliability and performance, don't come cheap.

Regards Brettos.

PS: I am (rebirthing a 1971, 21" mono boat) perhaps that is why I am bias toward the older cheaper system.

crossflow235

Found this one at Hobby People for 12.99 US. I am assuming its the same device. I like the multiple Leds as well, No need to calibrate and wonder if the calibration has drifted due to those nasty gremlins called "vibration"!!! also like the idea of knowing how low the charge is vs go no go. I would think that the one led doesn't give you enough info to determine if batts are on the edge or how close to the edge the batts are.

Here is the link..

http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/444763.asp 5 Cell

http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/444762.asp 4 Cell

I like the idea of multiple leds but still prefer using a Batt load meter (if you already have one). It will show you the condition of the batts under a load, not at a non load condition. Can be a big difference with Nicads. Learned that the hard way a long time ago. Tower hobbies used to sell the load meters, I am assuming they still do but not shure how much they are

Anyway just my .02