Vehicle Voltage Monitor

The Vehicle Voltage Monitor is designed to ensure the communication system on board a vehicle is not depleting the vehicle starter battery and can facilitate the recharging of its own communications battery by running the vehicle engine for short periods.

The understanding behind the system is that the vehicle is as an equally important part to the deployed unit as the communication system. To ensure that both vehicle and Communications are functional for an indefinite period during deployment, separate batteries are required. It is easy for the deployed operators to take care of both batteries, and both should be charged and ready for action whenever required.

The Vehicle battery is required to start the vehicle at all times and can be recharged by the vehicle alternator as long as the vehicle has fuel. This battery is normally a lead acid type, sized to manage the vehicle for short periods and could be in the order of 40 – 60 Ahr capacity.

The Communications System battery is required to power the communications system for indefinite periods, as long as the vehicle can start to run the alternator. This battery is sized to manage the communications system for extended periods.  It can be in the order of 100 Ahr and preferably a deep-cycle AGM type. This Vehicle Voltage Monitor cannot be implemented with only one battery (vehicle).The Monitor is not immersion proof unless the mounting holes are sealed with liquid silicone, so must be installed in a location where immersion is unlikely to happen.