New Toy for monitoring electrics

[Binder]

As any freshwater fisho who uses an electric knows, monitoring your batteries is pretty important, unless you like rowing.

I have been wanting to get a decent clamp meter capable of measuring over 50 amps DC for a while, just to check what the draw down of each of my electric motors. Seen a couple that looked alright, but was hanging out for a good bargain.

Bloke I buy cable and Anderson plugs off every know and then has me on his mailing list, a few weeks ago in his weekly newsletter I spotted he has a new product. It measures everything I could want to know, and it was under $50! So I got one. Less than half the price of a clamp meter that would have done what I wanted, and as this was all I wanted it for, bargain!

Tried it out yesterday after a trip on NPD. Didn't have it rigged for in line use on the dam yet, (Anderson plugs each end) so I used it to check the battery charge cycle when I got home. (Good enough, what goes in will be more or less what went out, my batteries are always on charge)

Basically the battery bank that feeds the 36 took almost exactly 50ah on the charger, All the way to the island and back, with a bit of dodging about checking pots and looking for fish tossed in. Happy with that, it is a 160amp hour bank, so hardly making it work at all.

Next trip I have the Anderson plugs on each end and I will run it inline on the 54 riptide maximiser to see what it draws for the same trip. As the 36 is old technology, be interesting to see what the 54 uses in comparison.

Also checked out each of my battery chargers when first put on the low batteries. the two 10 amp ones were very close - delivering 9.79 and 9.89 amps each, the 12 amp unit reading right on 12 amps. Gotta be happy with that!

I'm going to love playing with this thing and you lot are gunna get sick of hearing about it! :evil:

[rayke1938]

[ebay]310793428333[/ebay]

Cheers

Ray

[Binder]

Looks like the same unit, even better deal!

I might even get a second one so I can leave them in line permanently.

[Binder]

Well I was that impressed with the first one, I did buy a second one, from the supplier Ray listed above, got here today, only 7 days since I bought it, gotta be a record for overseas post, particularly this time of year!

It is identical to the first one I bought, only difference is the name on it, all the rest of the writing is identical colour, font, placement etc.

Just got to find time to take them fishing now!

[rayke1938]

Still waiting for mine.

Cheers

Ray

[Binder]

Well got some data from my trip saturday

GPS says round trip just under 11k.

55 maximiser stern mount used 90 amp hours, was drawing 42 amps on maximum

55 bowmount maximiser used 50 amp hours, was drawing 30 amps on maximum

36 stern mount not metered for trip.

Big difference for two motors rated the same.Swapped them around and charged through the meters, they pretty much verified the each other, the charge up readings were similar to the discharge reading.

[Binder]

I have not been happy with my 54lb Minkotta since it came back from BLA, apart from the 6 weeks without a motor and $300 they charged me for the repair, it only had about half the grunt it used to have before it died. Only runs at the same speed as my 36 kotta.

I saw Dinga are selling out watersnake venom 54lbers for $200 delivered. I thought I can buy one of those cheaper than what BLA charge me to look at the kotta! So I did.

Took it out for its maiden run today. it draws 30amps, speed is 0.2k an hour faster with 2 up than the kotta with one up. And that is using 10amps less juice.!

Guess what, the kotta has now been retired to the shed as a spare.

Interestingly enough, the 36 kotta mentioned above is an oldie, not variable speed, I have checked it out as well now - it uses 30 amps as well.

[rayke1938]

The only thing wrong with the snakes is that the prop is fragile compared to the kotas but the price of a new prop complete with shear pin ,nut and nut tool is only 30 bucks or 5 bucks for spare shear pin,nut and tool. Last time i got a shear pin for my kota it costs 5 bucks.

Cheers

Ray

[Binder]

yeah, i noticed a few small notches in the prop already. Will have to order a spare to carry I reckon.