MPPT Controller/Battery Monitor Question

[strollingbones]

So my Renogy Rover 30a MPPT charge controller (not quite 100% installed just yet) has an LCD display that will show a lot of data about incoming solar, the SOC for the battery, and loads on the battery. It's mounted in a location that makes it pretty easy to check.

There is a bluetooth app that will send the same data to my phone, or at least that's how I understand it.

Do I need a separate battery monitor? An if so, what for?

 

[gnubie]

The SOC indicator on the charger is only good if your loads are only connected via the load output terminals so the charger can monitor what is going where. Usually people have the loads directly on the battery and don't even know to fill in the amp hour rating of the battery even if they do have the loads on the load output terminals. That leaves the SOC indicator relying on battery voltage and that's more or less useless for lead acid as it needs to be measured when the battery has not been charged nor discharged for several hours. It's no better for lifepo4 either as it has a very shallow discharge curve meaning across most of the capacity of the battery the voltage hardly changes.

You will need a bi-directional monitor, ie can count amp hours in and out of the battery if you want a good idea of where your batteries are in terms of charge.

 

[strollingbones]

The SOC indicator on the charger is only good if your loads are only connected via the load output terminals so the charger can monitor what is going where. Usually people have the loads directly on the battery and don't even know to fill in the amp hour rating of the battery even if they do have the loads on the load output terminals. That leaves the SOC indicator relying on battery voltage and that's more or less useless for lead acid as it needs to be measured when the battery has not been charged nor discharged for several hours. It's no better for lifepo4 either as it has a very shallow discharge curve meaning across most of the capacity of the battery the voltage hardly changes.

You will need a bi-directional monitor, ie can count amp hours in and out of the battery if you want a good idea of where your batteries are in terms of charge.

Thank you very much! I understand this answer.