BEP 600-DCM2 Contour Matrix DC Monitor Not Indicating Volts or Amps

[RunAgroundHard]

I have a BEP Marine battery monitor. My 24V batteries were showing 26.1V, 0.0A on the Sterling Pro Charge Ultra screen, 4 x Trojan T105s, wired in series.

With the power switched on at the master panel, the BEP just shows the green start up screen with the BEP Logo. After about 5s it should switch to show V and A for the house batteries first, then when selected, the starter battery. I can’t get it to display anything except the start up screen. About every 5s the screen flickers, once, and continues to show the start up screen.

Ant ideas? Does this mean it’s totally shot? It’s been on the boat since I bought it, and is probably well over 20 years old.

Thanks.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

An update.

After two days, it started to work, but only showing the house batteries. For the engine start battery, it showed zero voltage, current et cetera.

I have decided to replace it with a Victron Smart Shunt but want a gauge on the boat independent from the App. My system is 24V with 4 x T105s wired in series and starter battery rated at around 775 CCA / 995 MCA for a Perkins 4236 engine.

I roughly estimate that I can burn 20A constant, and if plugged into shore power, could dump another 30A from the Sterling Pro Charge Ultra. The wind powered generator may shove another 8A in tops, and this winter solar panels will be installed. I have twin alternators running through a split charge diode that accepts both alternators and is then wired Regulation is provided by each alternator's built in regulator and maximum current is about 30A at 4000 rpm, hence likely significantly less than that at cruising rpm.

I some of questions: -

1. How do I size the shunt? Should I take into account the CCA / MCA of the battery? This would mean 20A consumer + 995 MCA + 30 + 30 = 1075A shunt. I have no idea what to include, advice appreciated.
2. The Smart Shunt doesn't need a gauge as it uses blue tooth to an App on the phone. However, Victron offer a Smart Gauge with Shunt. I want a gauge fitted to the boat, does the Smart Gauge offer the dame blue tooth functionality as the Smart Shunt?
3. Smart gauge or smart shunt, what is the best choice.
4. Can Axiom+ read shunt data via blue tooth? I don't think it can as it requires an App which is probably not available.

 

[PaulRainbow]

An update.

After two days, it started to work, but only showing the house batteries. For the engine start battery, it showed zero voltage, current et cetera.

I have decided to replace it with a Victron Smart Shunt but want a gauge on the boat independent from the App. My system is 24V with 4 x T105s wired in series and starter battery rated at around 775 CCA / 995 MCA for a Perkins 4236 engine.

I roughly estimate that I can burn 20A constant, and if plugged into shore power, could dump another 30A from the Sterling Pro Charge Ultra.

20A constant is a lot, as you're 24V 20A constant is a LOT, but you don't add 30A from the charger to it, you subtract the 20A from the 30A and have a net 10A going through the shunt to the batteries.

The wind powered generator may shove another 8A in tops, and this winter solar panels will be installed. I have twin alternators running through a split charge diode that accepts both alternators and is then wired Regulation is provided by each alternator's built in regulator and maximum current is about 30A at 4000 rpm, hence likely significantly less than that at cruising rpm.

Same deal, you won't have 30A from the charger and 30A from the alternators at the same time.

I some of questions: -

1. How do I size the shunt? Should I take into account the CCA / MCA of the battery? This would mean 20A consumer + 995 MCA + 30 + 30 = 1075A shunt. I have no idea what to include, advice appreciated.

No, you don't take the MCA into account. If you were using the domestics to start the engine in an emergency you take the current draw of the starter, but in normal use the starter current does not pass through the shunt, see my diagram in the other thread. Just get the 500A shunt.

2. The Smart Shunt doesn't need a gauge as it uses blue tooth to an App on the phone. However, Victron offer a Smart Gauge with Shunt. I want a gauge fitted to the boat, does the Smart Gauge offer the dame blue tooth functionality as the Smart Shunt?

The display connects to the shunt via a cable, but you still have Bluetooth. Might be worth just fitting the shunt and having an onboard tablet for the display ?

3. Smart gauge or smart shunt, what is the best choice.

See above.

4. Can Axiom+ read shunt data via blue tooth? I don't think it can as it requires an App which is probably not available.

No.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Okay that is clear and the CCA logic is obvious based on that drawing. I always have my iPad onboard for the back up plotter and pdf of boat manuals and Axiom repeater, so that is cost saving and also a direction I am going in anyway. I doubt, when my plotter fails, if I would buy another dedicated plotter.

Thanks for the information.