Dual battery monitor

[Elmo Enter]

I have just installed an ABR Sidewindwer dual battery monitor on my GU Patrol. Had to modify it to suit my Redarc battery isolator. Seems to work in spite of me attacking it with a drill and soldering iron. All this voids the warranty, but what the heck. The monitor is a bit sensitive to viewing angle, so I had to tilt it up so the driver can see the voltage readout. Mounted the device on the pop-out panel between the car radio and the steering column.

[teno45]

Not bad, I think I like it!

How did you go about modifying it to suit the red arc? I've got the red arc ready to go in my Patrol, but havent decided on what monitor just yet.

[dan&tamspatrol]

looks good well done mate

[Yendor]

Hi Elmo, thank you for your post.

I also have been looking at the ABR battery monitor.

How do you find the blue screen at night compared with the standard GU dash lights?

What modifications did you do to the unit?

Did you not want to fit a relay that was negatively switch on by the ABR but positively switched the Redarc on?

[Elmo Enter]

ABR Sidewinder supply a sheet of pretty clear instructions which I accessed via their eBay advertisement. See attached. The instructions show one lead of the LED left floating in mid- air connected to the earth wire. I was not particularly happy with that arrangement, so I connected it to an earth spot on the voltmeter board just above the blue potentiometer. This anchors the LED a bit more securely. Follow the white wire marked “2” to where it connects to the voltmeter board and then follow the track around the board to the spot just above the blue block (the potentiometer) and you will see a soldering spot on the board. Be careful not to overheat this spot, otherwise you will not know what will fall off the other side. Remember, you have already voided the warranty!

[Elmo Enter]

Hi Yendor

I actually haven't checked it at night! I will will do. The left hand switch allows you to turn the voltmeter and display off as well as select main or auxiliary battery. So if it's too bright at night, it can be turned off. As for the mods required for the Redarc isolator, see my reply to teno45. You need an electronics size soldering iron, some resin core solder and a pair of tweezers to hold wires etc, and some insulation tape or heat shrink tube.

The ABR Sidewinder installation guide does show a way of using the battery monitor with the Redarc isolator without modifying the unit, but it requires an extra relay as you say. I opted to modify the monitor as I am reasonably competent with a soldering iron, but as I said I have voided the warranty.

[xtreme patrol]

I have mounted mine in the same place but cut a big square hole so it sits flush. I mounted it before wiring it up only to discover once I got it working that the viewing angle is shocking even if your a couple degrees of perfectly right angles to it the numbers cant be seen so now it sits in the hole tilted up im not really happy with it :(
As for the light at night yes you can switch the blue backlit display off but because the orange LED charge light is always on when the engines running and because you need it directly facing you (because of the crappy display problem) its very bright :mad: you could just put some black tape over it but then it kinda defeats the purpose

[Yendor]

Thanks for the info guys.