Charge/discharge meters

SubnetMask · Nov 6, 2022

Does anyone have any experience with this charge/discharge meter:https://www.amazon.com/Charge-Discharge-DROK-Voltmeter-Watt-Hour-Multimeter/dp/B07YWVCBRN/ref=sr_1_35?crid=15KI8IZIMQPXI>

If so, is it any good? If not, can anyone suggest something decent but not crazy expensive that'll track both discharge and charge (for LiFePo4 batteries)? The last one I ordered from Amazon I found could only monitor charge OR discharge depending on how it was connected, not both simultaneously.

Brainwater · Nov 6, 2022

For the price of this thing, you should just buy it, and let us know how it goes!.. I looks pretty cool!

Northernchateau · Nov 6, 2022

SubnetMask said:
Does anyone have any experience with this charge/discharge meter:https://www.amazon.com/Charge-Discharge-DROK-Voltmeter-Watt-Hour-Multimeter/dp/B07YWVCBRN/ref=sr_1_35?crid=15KI8IZIMQPXI>

If so, is it any good? If not, can anyone suggest something decent but not crazy expensive that'll track both discharge and charge (for LiFePo4 batteries)? The last one I ordered from Amazon I found could only monitor charge OR discharge depending on how it was connected, not both simultaneously.

I have not used that unit but I have used other stuff from that manufacture and didn't have any problems with them.

WoodySolarVan · Nov 8, 2022

You won't be able to view both charge / discharge separately. The diff is what is displayed.

I use similar DROK meters but I use shunt based for charging (seperate charge bus) and the Hall sensor for the loads (main bus). DROK uses that term loosely as I purchased the Hall sensor ones thinking it would give stats bi directional... So time is money and I just add a meter for each data point I want....

740GLE · Nov 8, 2022

Hall sensor? Or CT, current transformer (same thing as a clamp meter).

WoodySolarVan · Nov 8, 2022

740GLE said:
Hall sensor? Or CT, current transformer (same thing as a clamp meter).

SubnetMask · Nov 11, 2022

So I ended up ordering it - It is exactly as pictured in the amazon images, not a sensor like WoodySolarVan posted. That being said, I haven't tinkered much yet, but so far it seems like it'll work. As WoodySolarVan suggested, it doesn't show 'charge' and 'discharge' per se, but instead the differential, which will work for me, I think. The last one I tried would only register one direction. So if I have solar, or something else, putting in 15A, and I have a load drawing 20, assuming the charge is on the load side of the CT, it'll show 5A draw off the battery. The only part I am not sure of at the moment is the 'fuel gauge'. it's reading 0%, and from testing, I THINK I need to start with a dead battery and charge it through the meter to 'calibrate' it, but I'm not positive yet.

WoodySolarVan · Nov 11, 2022

Nah.you can put in the AH of the battery and it will automatically figure it out. Or on Fresh install it should be able to auto detect after 15min or so... At least that's how mine work.

Yours works the same as mine, just a different (and better) Hall sensor. I like the fact it can be programmed for triggering a relay.

If you want to test charge, put your charging (+) thru the sensor and nothing else. Vice versa for load. If you want to run both thru them you can zero one or the other by turned my off the load or charge and then hold bottom arrow on display for three seconds and it will add value of what is display to memory - turn on source being measured and the mem value is automatically ignored.

Documentation is a little hard to comprehend in my opinion but that should work for you.

SubnetMask · Nov 11, 2022

WoodySolarVan said:
Nah.you can put in the AH of the battery and it will automatically figure it out. Or on Fresh install it should be able to auto detect after 15min or so... At least that's how mine work.

Yours works the same as mine, just a different (and better) Hall sensor. I like the fact it can be programmed for triggering a relay.

If you want to test charge, put your charging (+) thru the sensor and nothing else. Vice versa for load. If you want to run both thru them you can zero one or the other by turned my off the load or charge and then hold bottom arrow on display for three seconds and it will add value of what is display to memory - turn on source being measured and the mem value is automatically ignored.

Documentation is a little hard to comprehend in my opinion but that should work for you.

You know, I didn't think of putting the charging through the sensor... technically, if the charging wire goes through the sensor as well as the load wire, the net effect should be the same - if 15A is going towards the battery through the sensor and 20A is going away from the battery, the 15A charge should nullify 15A of the load, so the sensor should still read 5A draw. In theory. I'll have to test that.

And yes, as MANY have stated, the 'documentation' is essentially worthless. Not uncommon for 'Made in China' devices like this.

Charge/discharge meters

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740GLE

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