ANCEL BM300 Pro 17+

Buying the hardware partly based on App.

UPDATE: Okay, received the hardware. Note that the latest bluetooth versions, where automotive apps are concerned, tend NOT to have you manually go into BT settings and click on the device the app is related to. Once you make sure BlueTooth is ‘on’ on your device, they just connect when you get the app invoked. This Ancel app asks the device is registered, it can ‘autofill’ the serial number I think, but I photographed the barcode/serial number of my BM300 Pro device anyway, from which you can highlight and ‘copy’ the serial number.

Once you have pasted the serial number in, or autofilled, to the BM300 PRo app, there are a few options but straight off, you have the battery temperature and of course the voltage displayed. Obvs, must have connected the BM300 Pro device, to the battery you are interested in, to get it up and running and operating its bluetooth transmission first. You are asked what type of battery, and mine is a Lithium-based one, it’s an extra option right at the bottom of the main list.

I will be fitting the actual battery, to a car that is a hybrid, so there will be no ‘cranking’ test for me. The ‘charging’ test may or may not apply, it’s not an alternator system, it’s the traction battery I think does the 12V charging via an inverter, moot point for my purposes - I just want the safety and info about voltage and battery temperature. Obvs again, the BM300 Pro device must be attached to the battery surface in order to accurately read the battery temp. The little booklet that comes with it points this out.

That’s the important two aspects my usage will need. I don’t have to remove three layers of plastic trays, then attach a voltmeter or point an infrared thermometer at the battery, to find out this stuff. That’s the update, this seems a very good little piece of kit. Some batteries have BT built-in, but not all, and for tests I attached the BM300 to my Li ion motorcycle battery, but it’s going to go on a much bigger battery, and the facility to be associated with four different batteries is therefore useful too.

PREVIOUSLY..
Inevitably, if using a device that will be buried in the boot of my Hybrid Prius gen 3, to monitor the all-important source of many failures and issues (the 12V battery), out of all proportion to its cost/value, the visible part of the device is important. IE the app. I looked for the other apps, for other devices and they seemed not to be there. Admittedly, this is for iPad, but it’s some measure of competence that not only is the app available but it’s landscape on iPad Pro. I will knock stars off if need be, for this or that, [edit - wasn’t necessary, all good], but doubt this will be necessary. Looking forward to attaching the BM300 Pro monitor once it arrives.