What battery monitor do I chose?

[Sunking]

What do you mean monitor the entire picture? What more is there that some basic sensors can read besides voltage across the battery & current through it?

You only need two shunts to monitor everything. One on the output of the controller, and one in the charge circuit for the battery. With those two you can see everything. Everything except for what is really going on.

[Sub]

What size shunt?!

Hi all,
Very interesting discussion, I cannot add anything to it being a total lay person. However, I do want to buy a good quality battery monitor. Of those I have looked at on line, most seem to come with a 500A shunt, one comes with a choice of 100 or 500, and one - German made Votronic that doesn't seem to be well known here - comes with either 100 or 200 amp shunts, and my local dealer for the Votronic says with the 3000W inverter I have on my system I only need the 100A.

Am still very undecided! NZ prices are exorbitant compared to USA, but if I buy from a local guy I will at least get back up service if need be. I have narrowed the choice. The Bogart Trimetric 2030, which I can buy mail order in NZ with everything needed for installation and partially programmed for $500 NZ dollars, which I would need to install myself. Or, I get something installed. My nearest RE specialist is about an hour from me and from his web page supplies Xantrex and Outback products. I have asked him to provide a recommendation with prices for supply and installation. My next closest supplier/installer is four hours away so not an economic option to go there for a wider choice that also includes installation.

Will let you know what my final choice is!