How to Monitor RV Batteries On A Budget.

Monitoring your RV Batteries is a must if you use your RV off grid, but battery monitors can be very expensive. We have a small list of budget Rv Battery monitors that will fit whatever size system you have or are planning and will be a big upgrade to a voltage based monitor. Having a monitor that will calculate amp hour or watt hours is a huge improvement to an RV. It is an RV modification worth doing. Here is the list of Battery monitors we talked about.
Option#1 with 100 amp shunt amzn.to/2yyRqQn
Drok Hall Sensor 200 Amp . amzn.to/2T02Zti
Aili with 350 amp shunt . amzn.to/2ZFc7WI
DPDT Switch for Monitor #1 amzn.to/2KfxUzh
My favorite BMV-712 . amzn.to/2yzh08b
Here is our Amazon page for our favorite gear. We will be adding more products as we find more products we use and love. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
www.amazon.com/shop/jaredgillis
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Passport America WE USE THIS ALL THE TIME. passportamerica.com?rfsn=2638351
Harvest Host Link harvesthosts.refr.cc/jaredgillis
Membership link
/ @allaboutrvs

[@AllAboutRVs]

If you are looking for my favorite battery monitor here it is. amzn.to/3n4PJqk. It gives so much info and is easy to set up and the quality is amazing!

[@user-tj5nk7lb8l]

You dont consider how these cheap option dont have a convenient way to mount the shunt (unlike the Victron). Do you just leave the shunt hanging in mid air?

[@jacktyler7599]

An Excellent Combo: Great explanation plus illustration of why a Battery Monitor is essential, followed by the best summary of truly affordable monitors that I've seen on KZbin. This is a gem.

[@rolfschubert1853]

Thanks for giving a clear, no nonsense explanation of the monitors. It's refreshing to watch someone who can produce a video without resorting to drama. You've earned another subscriber, just wish I'd have seen this particular video one day sooner. I would have ordered a different monitor.

[@jackcoleman5618]

Once you started talking about the switch...I Lost Ya !!

[@karenovershiner5119]

Super grateful for the beginner basics. I am brand new RVer, with an older class C. Lots to learn, and so glad I found you and your channel. God bless!

[@RMalsawmtluanga]

Not into RVs but the quality of information on this video is a pure gem.

[@twochordthom2172]

Best RV channel I have seen. You are a great teacher, very good at this. Excellent explanation of things. You should get paid for this.

[@dougbas3980]

I have watched several of your RV battery posts and I am an electrical engineer with an RV. You provide excellent info. I do the AGM for my occasional boon-docking. Well done!

[@JamesDean-ow7qo]

Thanks. This is the best of DIY; actually showing people how to do it themselves without mistakes.

[@johnsholian4318]

I’ve learned a lot watching your channel and will be exploring one of these options. Just in the process of wiring up a small portable solar setup on our new trailer so it seems like the perfect time to add a monitor to the shopping list. Thanks Jared!

[@MrRodgomez]

You are the consummate RV authority. I understand why you have the following that you do. It’s so apparent that you know exactly what you are talking about. Bravo!!!

[@tswitz65]

Nice job Jerod. Not only with the information but the time in presenting the information in the mockup and the diagrams you have appear on the screen. Always enjoy your videos. Thank you!

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you!

[@camrodger5381]

This video is a perfect example of why your channel is so informational and educational. Thank you so very much!

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you!

[@303nitzubishi4]

Great video. Energy monitoring and management are difficult concepts to explain, this demo will answer alot of basic questions for ppl. I have all three of the meter types you showed here, they all work great and serve their purpose. My next project is to install one on my engine alternator output and set up the field current wire to a relay so I can disable the alternator when my solar is putting out enough to run the chassis while on the road (old GM CS series alternator). Handy little devices

[@GunnerBoomer]

Great info, thanks! Nice to know there are lower cost items that can meet our needs. The tutorial and switch wiring animation are great too - excellent work.

[@douglasrk44]

Really enjoy your clear presentation. All the info we need with no extra words 👍

[@sparkmiester]

Your videos are always helpful and timely. Many thanks

[@SojourningHope]

Your videos have been saving our family's life. We got evicted and are moving into an unfinished skoolie in 2 weeks. Thank you for these, may God bless you and your family.

[@danielmclendon8346]

Gatdangit, Jared Gillis! Once again, another one of your videos came in clutch! Super appreciative! Clever trick with the double polled/double throw switch. Maybe one day we'll see you on the road. Jared Gillis, THE RV GOD WITH ALL OF THE ANSWERS!

[@martydouglas1802]

This is good! I bought this monitor for my electric boat and didn't know that all I needed was a switch to check charge/discarge. Thank you!!

[@Robert-yq3os]

Excellent ! I am fitting out a small van and there is so much information to take in for the beginner I am. Thanks to your video, I understand a lot better how this little device I bought works, and that I will install asap. Thanks again.

[@rickw4022]

As usual, a very well done explanation of things of which I have little expertise. Outfitting our 5th Wheel with a second battery for the occasional overnight boondock. Your information is very helpful in my planning and power usage strategy. I am going to try out the Aili with 350 amp shunt. Thanks so much!!

[@Scoopy4444]

Hi ! I'm looking to buy an RV but first I watch your vids and it helps me alot to be aware what I need to know and do on how to / what to look for before making the rights decisions. Thank you very much for your infos. Montreal, Quebec, Canada ✌

[@powertool4uau]

This could possibly be the best most informative clearest well explained video ever produced and put on the net AAA+++

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you

[@ZonaJim]

As a retired electrical engineer - Kudos to you!

[@BobBohner4851]

Best explanation in utube. Thanks for getting me to the right unit with the right capabilities!!!!!

[@leighsheppard8614]

Great information. I always love your highly informative videos.

[@peterraymond3653]

Awesome, thank you. Explained everything I needed to know for our RV

[@timstevens9992]

By far the best video I've seen on the subject. Thank you.

[@nannermakuk]

Your videos are so clear and informative. Thank you so much!

[@robertkaplan6600]

Awesome as usual...I am in the process of trying to figure this stuff out. Thanks

[@grantspapa9537]

Very good how-to in this video and easy to understand instructions for installing a monitor.

[@b4804514]

Hey Jered Your videos are excellent please keep educating us.

[@gaetansimard1594]

This is the best video I ever saw about battery monitors. I bought a 30$ one, I could not convince myself to pay over 250$ for a fancy one. All we need is a volt-meter and an energy meter or counter. Even if it drift a bit what we need is not necessary something very accurate but give us an idea of where we are and what is the actual consumption. With The solar controller and a clamp amp meter we have all the information that we need to figure were we are. Thanks for your time doing this very useful video.

[@fishhuntadventure]

It was a good video. But the apostrophe in “RVs” just bothers and annoys me The $250 one? Never! The $30 one, then you have enough left over to buy that meter he has :) But actually my solar charge controller gives my charge input and I just reset that datapoint every day. However, it doesn’t have the ability to monitor the cumulative draw of the inverter. Which could prove useful.

[@eagle1532]

I bought 2 of them from Amazon, they work pretty good, just a shake off of being 100% accurate

[@spinningedge8790]

Love your videos looking into buying a used RV.

[@rogerespinoza9367]

Great info yet again Jared Thank you for sharing all your knowledge.

[@Hiroak]

Just watched your battier video was was think the $250 option was a bit much for my 03 Rialta, then you posted a video of the exact three cheaper battery monitors I was looking at, it's like your the Alexa of RVing you always know what I need. Thanks.

[@cribbage1686]

Always appreciate your videos.

[@alanmcrae8594]

Excellent presentation that is very clear and easy to understand. No distracting music in the background. Devices clearly shown, demonstrated and Amazon links posted in the video notes. Other KZbin presenters take note - this is how to do it if you want 100K views and a grateful audience. Teach the world!

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you that is very kind.

[@vincentrvlife2393]

Thank you so much for this video. I learned a lot as I decide what monitor to choose for my system.

[@cynthiaincolorado3373]

Great video as usual, thank you!

[@RoadDogMedia]

Timing could not have been better for me! Just bought the first cheap battery monitor in the video and played around with installing it with some success but now I'll be wiring in the DPDT switch for my application! Thank you so much! My significant other balked at spending $300 Canadian for the Victron at this point so this will appease my inner mad scientist.

[@AllAboutRVs]

That’s great!

[@TQMouse]

I have learned soo much from you and mark!!!!

[@daveyusa1884]

great demonstration and explanation, thanks. i have 4 of the "small ones". one for battery in, one for battery out, one for solar in, and one for inverter out. BUT, what you brought to my attention is the shunt limit of 100A! my inverter output exceeds that, and while i have not had a problem with it, i may switch that monitor to the mid grade one you demonstrated. I also put an on / off switch (same one you show) to turn the monitors off, for 2 reasons: 1) to stop the small draw when not in use, and 2) to stop the monitor glow when i am sleeping at night as 4 of them does light up a dark room. much thanks again.

[@paparentman]

I just stumbled on your video. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. I have solar on my trailer with a trimetric monitor and solar panel controller. But I also keep a solar panel on the cab of my truck to run a battery I use to run my Engle refrigerator. I’ve wanted to be able to monitor it for a while with more than voltage. This is the solution I am looking for. I’ve considered it but I have never taken the time to put together where to find what I needed. So thank you for your video. I assume you have others that are going to be just as informative and I have subscribed.

[@Alpha-ms9nj]

Just the info and instructions I was looking for. I didn't realize this type of monitor was a one way only, but the switch idea is great and I will be using it like per your instructions to monitor my battery on my small 200 watt solar setup that I am building for the first time. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, it is very much appreciated for noobs like me.

[@heatherk8931]

Do you see what the brand is? He forgot to put the links in description. Th thank you, best wishes

[@crystalherrin7858]

Great video as always! Great information! Thank you! I always look forward to your videos!

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thanks!

[@chevy6794]

Very informative info. Most of it I already know but I really like the way you take the time to explain it in the simplest way possible for the less informed. For that I will subscribe to give you more exposure. The switch idea is excellent and I will use as I have the same battery monitor. Thanks.

[@benjaminmagee9427]

You sir, have created an excellent video and I applaud your help!

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thanks!

[@barnabycauwood3983]

you explain everything so clearly. Really informative.... thank you

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you

[@crazybull299]

Love the video. I highly recommend windscreen toll tags to save messing about with tickets and payment cards at the toll booths.

[@aubreyj.tennant1123]

Excellent review! Simple and clear! 😊

[@user-iz4pk2uq4x]

Very clear and organized.

[@BillMcDaniel74]

Good Job Jared, always a question people have about Rving

[@natez_868]

Awesome video!!!! What I discovered with the cheap meter is if you put the negative wire from the charging source, in my case the charge controller, on the opposite end of the shunt, leaving everything else exactly as the wiring diagram on the meter, the meter no longer goes to zero when the battery is charging. It shows the total draw from the battery. This works better for me because it tells me exactly how many kWh is drawn from the battery regardless of it being charged and my solar system tells me the kWh produced. From there I can compare the difference between both so I know my energy consumption vs energy produced by my solar system.

[@DirtyPlumbus]

Thanks for this. I've been gathering a supply of portable power stations and putting them to use but I'm ready to start building a more permanent system and moving into building a battery bank. This will certainly make it easier to get going.

[@tommydoyle7582]

Great info.Thank you.

[@adlcm67]

Last part was Great..!!

[@ScottyP5947]

You make terrific videos. Thanks for your contribution!

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you!

[@rickrangel]

WOW!!! I don't know why your video came up, maybe because I'm an RV owner. That's KZbin for you. But DANG!!! I really like the way you explain things. You are absolutely a genius when it comes to this stuff. I want to thank you. I should get a battery monitor battery, as I don't have one. Come to think of it, I will get one. I have two, both batteries are like 8 years old. I'm almost sure I will need to replace them very soon. This will be a good time to get a battery monitor on a new set of batteries. Once again, thanks and you just got a new prescriber to your channel.

[@rickcardona1026]

Loved the video great details to. 👍 Just needed to know where the switch wires go to.

[@TeachandTugTravels]

Thanks Jared. I’ve been wanting a battery monitor and you helped me decide what to get at a reasonable price. Now I can move on to solar panels. Thanks again for another awesome video

[@jennaparicio3738]

Thank you! You did an awesome job with explaining what the numbers one the monitors mean and how to calculate them. I learned so much and I only had to watch it once to understand it! lol

[@AllAboutRVs]

Glad it helped

[@youngseanconnery8577]

love your channel, thanks for the vids!

[@matthewmurafa5629]

Another great informative video!

[@salembaabbad8783]

You actually answered my questions with out asking you 😃, thanks 🙏 sur

[@Lex10999]

Your videos are Awesome Thanks so much.

[@reostertag]

Thanks so much for the education!! Great video!!

[@soilliam]

Great explanation skills thanks for the info

[@Lucas-pv2wn]

Well done, and super helpful!!👏

[@neubert500]

Excellent video with great explanation. Thank you Sir

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you!

[@jacksmith3951]

cool nice video love how you stay it very well done nice video

[@normferguson2769]

I bought the monitor (off Amazon) that you recommended for my 5th wheel. We have 30 amp service at our seasonal campground and on hot days panic to not burn out or trip appliances. It was difficult to run the wire out of the breaker box and up inside the 2” thick wall. I mounted the readout in the main room. Took me several hours. It is on 24 hours per day and our only issue is that it becomes a very bright blue nightlight for people sleeping on the pop-out bed below it. It gave us a real readout on what appliances really draw. More stuff can be used when we run the A/C than we thought before.

[@jimbobxcityguy5338]

Thanks. Your a Wizz kid. Being 71 yrs old I had to watch the end for the switch setup to get it. Ha. Probably have to watch is a few times more to get this monitor in.

[@glennmiddleton5634]

Thanks!! My new RV supposedly has a Bluetooth monitoring system. But I need something that actually works so I can monitor my battery / solar when boondocking. The Drok unit looks like a great option.

[@JerryEricsson]

Great video, that said, I believe I would fuse the positive side between the monitor and the battery, near the battery to protect in case of a short. Just a thought, I guess it comes to mind since when we travel in our Class A (we used to snow bird but had to take a couple of years off due to illness in the family) we usually spend nights while en-route at truck stops, parked between semi's. My daughter, who lives with us, is on the Ambulance Squad as an EMT. She had to respond at 5:00 AM to a truck fire at the local grocery store/fuel stop at the junction of the two highways that transect our little village. A trucker had been asleep in his sleeper when his heater apparently shorted out, caught the truck on fire, and they had to remove his chard body from the remains of his tractor. Not a pretty sight, but you take the job and you deal with what comes, much as I did when I too worked as an EMT while on the Police Force for 24 years. Fuses can, and do save lives, especially in a rig where you intend to spend time sleeping.

[@alanpetersen4615]

Good story!

[@marshallhall6449]

Great video I continue to share your useful information thank you

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you!

[@donwatterson8343]

Keep the videos coming, lots of good information. I am exploring expanding my 100watt factory installed solar arrangement and want to add 300more watt solar panels and two 12v 100amp lithium batteries to my 2022 Winnebago 2108FBS trailer

[@taylorreed3243]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

[@crashwrench]

Hi , Might Want to add a couple of " In Line Fuses " To the Wiring At The Source Prevent a Short / Fire . Also a Weather / Marine Type Water Proof High Ampere Circuit Breaker At The Batteries . For Mounting The " Shunts" Find Something Other Than Directly To A Piece Of Wood . These Shunts Can Get Very Hot Under A Load .

[@thomasdipaolo2349]

Great info. Thanks

[@markgosser9578]

Bought the cheapest monitor for my camper batteries, thanks for video!

[@benkanobe7500]

Thank you. We just invested in Twelve, 1200Ah AGM batteries to begin creating our house system. My wife and I are just playing with it (Panels, Charge Controller, Inverter, .....) using just one of the batteries just in case we screw up and kill the one. We started by charging the one battery with our panels through our configured CC and then disconnecting the battery and bringing it into our house. We then connected the inverter (2000W Modified Sine Wave) to the battery. So just the inverter and battery and a calibrated Fluke Multimeter monitoring Battery Voltage at the battery terminals where the inverter was connected. We then plugged our Entertainment System (Giant Flat Screen, .....DVD, Channel Box, ..... Surround Sound Amp, .....) directly to the inverter AC out. We continually watched about 3.75 hours of Movies and such and monitored our battery voltage very carefully starting from 13.2 resting Voltage. Within the 3.75 hours, the underload voltage of our battery dropped to 12.46 Volts and we freaked and disconnected it. After 30 minutes of resting, the battery voltage at the terminals with inverter disconnected was 12.84 Volts. By the battery manual, this indicates a fully charged battery.(??) We were confused until we watched some other KZbins, but it all came together watching yours and have now ordered 2 of the inexpensive shunt monitors through your link and will play with those until we purchase the BMV you recommend. We think with the shunt monitor we will be able to correctly (safely) use much more of our battery capacity than we did cutting off at 3.46 loaded volts by monitoring Watt-Hours used as a percentage of fully charged Watt-Hours. **** Is monitoring the "before and during" Watt-Hours with the above monitor a safe and reliable method of monitoring the capacity (usage) of our batteries? We want to get the maximum cycle life from our batteries and so only want to discharge them about 20% per discharge cycle.**** Thank You!!!

[@benidosoto4462]

Great video , very informative

[@cleaverp]

Very useful video. Thanks.

[@ryancousins]

I purchased two of the cheap monitors a couple years ago and have one coming in from the solar panels and another heading out from my battery. It’s not the most elegant solution but it works well. I can see how much is going in and goi g out at the same time without switching back between screens so that is pretty nice.

[@TahoeRealm]

Awesome video thanks very much!

[@NomaddUK]

Thanks for that. I now know way more about monitors than before. Subbed also. Can you tell me if I use a split charger will there be any issue with it charging a battery that may already be full?

[@leerunion2623]

Thank you for the information.

[@alanpetersen4615]

Not Sponsored? You must not be sponsored, because this is an incredible video instructing the common layman how to hook up sophisticated monitoring for very small amount of $$$. I loved this video, and commend you for giving us people on a tight budget, a chance to hook up great power and voltage monitoring at affordable prices. This is an example of helping our common man, or neighbor, on how to wire things up, like the big boys do, but on a very tight budget. Hooking up a switch to allow the viewer to see both power out versus power in is a lot of help.

[@lionridds]

Awesome video! Easy and simple to understand. Now hopefully I don’t blow my third battery monitor 🫣

[@moseyingwiththemalys3357]

Nicely done. TY.

[@Thick_Cut_Bacon]

Thank you...very helpful

[@rollingrandy9041]

Thank you for making this intelligent video! I’m going to do just what you’ve demonstrated. 👍🏼

[@hhamilton6391]

great video, thanks!

[@markozipko517]

Well done and clear explanations.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you

[@sharkfan1947]

Jared, thanks for your great videos. I watch all the time and you always provide great info. One question I need to ask. I live in Tennessee close to Memphis and I have to winterize each year. First year with a class A RV. Should I leave the RV plugged in to AC to keep batteries charged? Or unplug AC and maybe put a light bulb inside the battery compartment to keep them somewhat warm. I do have AGM batteries so sealed batteries. Just not sure what to do. Appreciate any help. It does get down to mid teens here in the winter but most of the time mid-20's is the lowest. Thanks.

[@gregn1860]

Good information

[@CGAZ66]

Great information :)