Do you have a SmartGauge?

[WotEver]

If you do, and if it's a recent purchase, have you ever checked its voltage accuracy?

it appears from anecdotal reports that since Merlin took over production the calibration of some (many? all?) units leaves something to be desired. They should display the battery voltage with an accuracy of 0.05V. We've seen reports here of 0.3V high, 0.3V low, and recently 0.5V high. Tommy Leyland had one which was nearly 1V out and caused him many problems. 

So, if you have one and have a way of confirming the voltage display accuracy please do so. If it's inaccurate then PLEASE RETURN IT TO MERLIN FOR CALIBRATION. 

Not only will you end up with a display which actually does what it says on the tin but hopefully you'll assist other boaters when Merlin finally replace whoever is calibrating SmartGauges with someone capable of doing their job. 

[bizzard]

I haven't got one and I don't want one. Me dosh is staying in me pocket. I'm Smart, I am.

[Neil2]

Aren't these things about £120 for gawds sake?  What can you say.

 

 

 

[Machpoint005]

54 minutes ago, bizzard said:

I haven't got one and I don't want one. Me dosh is staying in me pocket. I'm Smart, I am.

Ditto. Lights go dim, batteries need charging. It works for me!

[MtB]

On 10/04/2017 at 11:31, Machpoint005 said:

Ditto. Lights go dim, batteries need charging. It works for me!

Clearly not an off-grid liveaboard then...

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, bizzard said:

I haven't got one and I don't want one. Me dosh is staying in me pocket. I'm Smart, I am.

That's as may be, but how do you know how smart you are unless you have a properly calibrated gauge?!

[Victor Vectis]

1 hour ago, bizzard said:

I haven't got one and I don't want one. Me dosh is staying in me pocket. I'm Smart, I am.

Yeahbut..............

...............wot gauge are you?

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, Sea Dog said:

That's as may be, but how do you know how smart you are unless you have a properly calibrated gauge?!

That's obvious. He's only a 'W'  away from being a poorly spelled Wizard, and everyone knows they be smart. 

[Naughty Cal]

9 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Clearly not an off-grid liveaboard then...

What did liveaboards do before the smart gauge was invented?

[rusty69]

Just now, Naughty Cal said:

What did liveaboards do before the smart gauge was invented?

Live in a house! 

[MtB]

On 10/04/2017 at 11:55, Naughty Cal said:

What did liveaboards do before the smart gauge was invented?

Twerp about measuring specific gravities or buy a lot of new batteries.

Oh, and do without a telly, electric kettle, much light, etc etc etc.!

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Twerp about measuring specific gravities or buy a lot of new batteries.

Oh, and do without a telly, electric kettle, much light, etc etc etc.!

Or learn to use a voltmeter and ammeter. 

[mrsmelly]

40 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

Aren't these things about £120 for gawds sake?  What can you say.

 

 

 

As a full time liveaboard a monitor is more than helpful, as a hobby boater I wouldnt bother. I have a nasa bm jobbie I wouldnt have a smartgauge as they arent smart enough and dont give in/out amp useage which I find immensely useful.

[MtB]

On 10/04/2017 at 12:06, rusty69 said:

Or learn to use a voltmeter and ammeter. 

The trouble with a voltmeter is the reading is meaningless unless the battery is rested for an hour or two before taking the reading. Awkward if not impossible on a full time liveaboard especially in winter. Even then it is not easy to interpret the results. 

Some sort of meter claiming to do this accurately would immensely useful.

[Naughty Cal]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

The trouble with a voltmeter is the reading is meaningless unless the battery is rested for an hour or two before taking the reading. Awkward if not impossible on a full time liveaboard especially in winter. Even then it is not easy to interpret the results. 

Some sort of meter claiming to do this accurately would immensely useful.

Why?

23 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Twerp about measuring specific gravities or buy a lot of new batteries.

Oh, and do without a telly, electric kettle, much light, etc etc etc.!

So much the same as with a smart gauge then?

[rusty69]

3 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Why?

So much the same as with a smart gauge then?

Only if it's faulty. 

[tomsk]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

The trouble with a voltmeter is the reading is meaningless unless the battery is rested for an hour or two before taking the reading. Awkward if not impossible on a full time liveaboard especially in winter. Even then it is not easy to interpret the results. 

Some sort of meter claiming to do this accurately would immensely useful.

Just send them back for recalibration Mike.

Pursuing any other avenue or making endless catty remarks is just pointless and doesn't address the issue, for you or any other unfortunate purchaser.

Either contact Merlin or wrap-up and accept you have been turned over.

 

[MtB]

On 10/04/2017 at 12:26, Naughty Cal said:

Why?

 

Because unlike Smartgauge buyers, you are really brainy and clever.

 

On 10/04/2017 at 12:26, Naughty Cal said:

Why?So much the same as with a smart gauge then?

 

Actually no. Once you understand the probably imperfections in your Smartgauge you can account for them. My other thread is there to educate people in this.

Smartgauge haters all seem to be non-liveaboards who don't understand the need. 

On 10/04/2017 at 12:32, tomsk said:

Just send them back for recalibration Mike.

Pursuing any other avenue or making endless catty remarks is just pointless and doesn't address the issue, for you or any other unfortunate purchaser.

Either contact Merlin or wrap-up and accept you have been turned over.

 

 

Another one missing the point. 

[tomsk]

4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Because unlike Smartgauge buyers, you are really brainy and clever.

 

 

Actually no. Once you understand the probably imperfections in your Smartgauge you can account for them. My other thread is there to educate people in this.

Smartgauge haters all seem to be non-liveaboards who don't understand the need. 

 

Another one missing the point. 

What is your point Mike?

You seem to be the only one able to discern it.

What you are doing seems to be the consumer version of cutting your nose off to spite your face.

[rusty69]

7 minutes ago, tomsk said:

What is your point Mike?

You seem to be the only one able to discern it.

What you are doing seems to be the consumer version of cutting your nose off to spite your face.

You have to read the other thread to see what Mikes point is. 

[tomsk]

Just now, rusty69 said:

You have to read the other thread to see what Mikes point is. 

I'll have a look and try to understand.

[tomsk]

5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

You have to read the other thread to see what Mikes point is. 

I have had a look and am now fairly convinced that Mike is either managing a concerted kamikaze campaign against the SG, railing at its uselessness at what it claims to be its USP (a spectacular volte-face if so), or he has indeed gone potty.

Either way I still feel sending them back for full refund/calibration or chucking them in the cut and getting on with life would be a better use of his time.

[BruceinSanity]

Meanwhile, back on topic, yes I have an SG, fitted from new in the boat so now seven years old, the early days of Merlin, I think? I've since added a BM2 as I am, or was, a battery neurotic* and a liveaboard, though not so much in the winter these days.

The two gauges are pretty much in agreement, allowing for rounding in the displays. The SG is good for monitoring discharge and the NASA unit for judging when to stop charging. By contrast, the Tracer MPPT  remote panel consistently overestimates the voltage and current going into the battery, but fortunately that's not what I need it for, obv.

*Since replacing the Trojans with Alpha sealed units I've stopped worrying. When they're dead, they're dead.

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, tomsk said:

I have had a look and am now fairly convinced that Mike is either managing a concerted kamikaze campaign against the SG, railing at its uselessness at what it claims to be its USP (a spectacular volte-face if so), or he has indeed gone potty.

Either way I still feel sending them back for full refund/calibration or chucking them in the cut and getting on with life would be a better use of his time.

Oh, I interpreted it differently.

I thought Mikes point was that because his gauge appears to be inaccurate that others who read this forum and may also have a gauge that they rely on for longevity of their battery would benefit from checking it's accuracy. 

[tomsk]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Oh, I interpreted it differently.

I thought Mikes point was that because his gauge appears to be inaccurate that others who read this forum and may also have a gauge that they rely on for longevity of their battery would benefit from checking it's accuracy. 

I understand this.

I do not understand his reticence in contacting the supplier for resolution though, at all.