How To - ARGUS Battery Bug Installation
- Thread starter Raywood
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Nomad2day
Longhair Redneck Geek
HDLARRY
Active Member
I suspect that when you first connect the battery monitor to a power source, it memorizes the present voltage and from that point on (as long as its powered) all future indications/alarms etc. are related to that initial connection.
If your battery was charged to the max when installing the unit then it is using a very high value to do its calculations from. It might work better to leave your battery charger turned off for a day or two before connecting the Argus Battery Monitor. This may give the monitor a more realistic begining voltage to base its calculations from. I'm out of town and can't test this theory right now but it should make a difference.
If your battery was charged to the max when installing the unit then it is using a very high value to do its calculations from. It might work better to leave your battery charger turned off for a day or two before connecting the Argus Battery Monitor. This may give the monitor a more realistic begining voltage to base its calculations from. I'm out of town and can't test this theory right now but it should make a difference.
I recieved some interesting information today from Argus but I need to follow up with some more questions. I asked how the battery life indication on the "Bug" was determined and this is what I got for an answer:
I get the 0 battery life indication and if my battery was at 4 volts is sure wouldn't start I would think nor even at 9 volts. It's well known we need 12.8 volts to turn over these big engines.
I will follow up with a couple more questions and let you guys know what I find out.
Iregardless I still like this little unit for telling me what the voltages are. I don't necessarially need battery life but glad to know when the motor is running that the VR is giving me juice!
The thing that I don't get is the statement above that I highlighted: "Anything above 9 volts gets 100% battery life and less than 4% gets 0 battery life.
I get the 0 battery life indication and if my battery was at 4 volts is sure wouldn't start I would think nor even at 9 volts. It's well known we need 12.8 volts to turn over these big engines.
I will follow up with a couple more questions and let you guys know what I find out.
Iregardless I still like this little unit for telling me what the voltages are. I don't necessarially need battery life but glad to know when the motor is running that the VR is giving me juice!
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HDLARRY
Active Member
Ray,
I think what the rep is saying is that as long as the voltage does not drop below 9 volts (during startup) it will indicate 100% battery life. I may be wrong but the 12.8V required for startup is an "at rest" reading if I remember correctly.
Whenever we push the start button, current from the battery sky-rockets and the voltage accross the battery goes down. So they are just watching how low this voltage drops to calculate how much relative battery life we have left.
Sounds like the monitor is latching onto the lowest battery voltage it sees and then holds it for indicating relative battery life. Just my best guess.
Wish I had brought my uninstalled battery monitor up here to Alaska with me. We have all the bench test equipment needed to figure out how this thing actually works.
I think what the rep is saying is that as long as the voltage does not drop below 9 volts (during startup) it will indicate 100% battery life. I may be wrong but the 12.8V required for startup is an "at rest" reading if I remember correctly.
Whenever we push the start button, current from the battery sky-rockets and the voltage accross the battery goes down. So they are just watching how low this voltage drops to calculate how much relative battery life we have left.
Sounds like the monitor is latching onto the lowest battery voltage it sees and then holds it for indicating relative battery life. Just my best guess.
Wish I had brought my uninstalled battery monitor up here to Alaska with me. We have all the bench test equipment needed to figure out how this thing actually works.
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Nomad2day
Longhair Redneck Geek
Do you want me to send you mine?
Once it is disconnected it will reset anyway. My battery is new and it only rates it at 25%. Ray, mine shows 13.6 volts.
Neil
And that's another thing I already asked. The guys email seems to think we shouldn't be getting readings of 13.6 or 13.1 volts.
I should get another reply today and will post it.
HDLARRY
Active Member
Thanks for the offer but it takes a week or more to receive anything up here inside the Artic Circle and by then I'll be near the end of my work shift.
I may have a variable DC power supply at home that I can test these with when I get back down south.
I got some more info today. Seems this unit is probably not set to measure our type of motor/starter/battery combination.
Our motors and starters require way more power from a battery than the conventional type of engine. I can use my sons ATV as a comparison, even though it has a small starter and battery it doesn't take much to turn over the short stroke motor the way our big stoker motors do.
So looks like this feature (battery health) will not provide us any good information.
But I still like to see that I have the proper voltage at startup and like to see the battery voltage after start-up indication that the VR is supplying the proper juice to re-charge the battery.
This is the latest info I recieved:
Our motors and starters require way more power from a battery than the conventional type of engine. I can use my sons ATV as a comparison, even though it has a small starter and battery it doesn't take much to turn over the short stroke motor the way our big stoker motors do.
So looks like this feature (battery health) will not provide us any good information.
But I still like to see that I have the proper voltage at startup and like to see the battery voltage after start-up indication that the VR is supplying the proper juice to re-charge the battery.
This is the latest info I recieved:
Yep. I just emailed them back and asked if they could build one that would more realistacally reflect the starting procedures of our big motors.so it is going to beep the entire time?
If they do this then maybe we can all get a new one that won't be beeping on us everytime we shutdown the motor.
Keeping my fingers crossed for a new model just for us!!!!
HDLARRY
Active Member
Ray,
The graph explains a lot, thanks for the posting.
Does anybody have volt meter with a peak hold feature? Would be interesting to see what the battery voltage drops down to when starting, especially when hot.
Using a digital volt meter with a peak hold feature you can connect it to the battery in reverse thus showing something like -12.8 volts. When starting, the voltage will go more positive (toward 0) and be captured by the peak hold. I've got one of these meters at home but it doesn't do me any good where I'm at now.
Ray, if you would like to use my meter I'll arrange for you to get it.
The graph explains a lot, thanks for the posting.
Does anybody have volt meter with a peak hold feature? Would be interesting to see what the battery voltage drops down to when starting, especially when hot.
Using a digital volt meter with a peak hold feature you can connect it to the battery in reverse thus showing something like -12.8 volts. When starting, the voltage will go more positive (toward 0) and be captured by the peak hold. I've got one of these meters at home but it doesn't do me any good where I'm at now.
Ray, if you would like to use my meter I'll arrange for you to get it.
Sounds good Larry, when you get home we can hook up and check out my battery to ensure it's going to last me for my next couple trips.
Thanks,
Ray
Nomad2day
Longhair Redneck Geek
I have a Fluke 87 meter with min/max feature and will check the starting voltage tomorrow.
Neil
Nomad2day
Longhair Redneck Geek
When I cranked the bike this morning after it was on a battery tender all night, the voltage dropped to 8.4 vdc through the starting process. This was a cold start. The next time I checked it the low peak was 7.8 vdc and a 7.3 vdc again. Off the tender after the first crank it has about 13.02 volts showing on the battery, with the key on it drops to about 12.90 and when I hit the run and the fuel pump kicks in it is about 12.50 vdc. When the bike is idling it is seeing 13.70 vdc.
I will check it later when I come in from riding some.
Neil
I will check it later when I come in from riding some.
Neil
HDLARRY
Active Member
Ray,
I suspect that people who have increased there cranking pressure by milling the heads, zero decking etc. will use more current to turn the motor over so they should see even lower starting voltages. That would likely be interpeted by the battery bug as less life available.
I'll be home around the 11th when we can test both of our bikes and compare notes. Yours being stock compression and mine is a little higher (zero deck).
I suspect that people who have increased there cranking pressure by milling the heads, zero decking etc. will use more current to turn the motor over so they should see even lower starting voltages. That would likely be interpeted by the battery bug as less life available.
I'll be home around the 11th when we can test both of our bikes and compare notes. Yours being stock compression and mine is a little higher (zero deck).
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M
McLovin
Guest
Any new info on this situation?
Mine is good. I can see the voltage in my battery 12.9 and when it starts it shoots up to 14+. Only thing that is not inline with our bikes is the battery life. I just wasn't made to reflect the deep starting cycles our bikes put on our batteries but that is only a small part of what this bug does so I can live with it.
I just want to know the voltages.
I did email the company and ask them if they can build one that will better reflect (the battery life) the starting cycle our bike endure. But haven't gotten a response yet.
I just want to know the voltages.
I did email the company and ask them if they can build one that will better reflect (the battery life) the starting cycle our bike endure. But haven't gotten a response yet.
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