Voltage meters

[Rapita]

On our B34 ,2000.We have voltage displays on;

original digital Bavaria control panel,
Garmin chartplotter
solar charger pwm controller display
The problem is that they all differ by up to 0.2v.We also have a test meter to check circuits,but which one can be trusted considering that 0.2v is a considerable amount of battery capacity?

Any comments will be appreciated.

[Happysailor]

I would suggest the voltage meter closest to the batteries. Due to wiring there will be a noticeable voltage drop..

[tiger79]

I would suggest the voltage meter closest to the batteries. Due to wiring there will be a noticeable voltage drop..

Only if there's a current flowing.

[tiger79]

I'd rely on the test meter; voltage displays on other things tend to be inaccurate.

[Yngmar]

Chartplotter voltage readout is only for troubleshooting issues with the plotter's power supply, not for monitoring your batteries. It measures what arrives at the plotter after the voltage drop in the wires, which will also vary with the plotters own power use.

Either use the Bavaria panel, a battery monitor (e.g. Nasa Clipper BM-1 or Victron BMV-712) or a multimeter on the batteries.

A shunt with ammeter is quite helpful as it will tell you how much power you're using (or charging) at any given time.

[tiger79]

A shunt with ammeter is quite helpful as it will tell you how much power you're using (or charging) at any given time.

I'd second that.  I have a Simarine Pico system, which is excellent.  It shows state of charge, charge/discharge current, voltage, battery temperature and barometric pressure (including trend).  It also has a lovely high-definition colour display - a refreshing difference from most battery monitors!

[Rapita]

Thank you everyone,I now know how to proceed.