Daily monitoring the off-grid system is crucial for the longevity of the system. Maintaining a sufficient battery charge will extend its battery life.
The displays need to be located where you will see them, as you will refer to them often, especially when you are learning to use all the components of the system.
Monitor charge and discharge of batteries
The battery monitor tells you what is currently happening with your battery and electrical system. This will tell you how much battery capacity is left, and will let you know when the bank is properly recharged. At a minimum, you need the following:
- The ability the see cumulative AmpHours into and out of the battery bank, in DC Amps, with at least one decimal.
- Battery voltage. Primarily, you will watch the voltage being applied to the batteries change as the different stages of charging occur.
Monitor battery status
Flooded-cell batteries require routine maintenance. You need to check the water level about once a month and the following tasks every 6 months: clean the batteries, test for resting voltage, equalize as needed and test the specific gravity of the battery cells.
Use a maintenance log to document each task. This will help you identify developing problems.
A detailed maintenance schedule can be found at Battery Maintenance.