Maretron Battery Monitors & Volt Meters

Maretron DCM100: NMEA 2000 Battery Monitoring Built for the Marine Environment

For boaters who demand complete visibility into their vessel's electrical health, Maretron stands out as a leader in networked marine electronics — and nowhere is that expertise more apparent than in their battery monitors and volt meters. Maretron's flagship entry in this category, the DCM100 Direct Current Monitor, is purpose-built to give mariners a comprehensive, real-time picture of every DC power source and load aboard their vessel.

What the DCM100 Monitors

The DCM100 is an advanced electronic monitoring device used to measure the voltage and current of any direct current (DC) power source or load. Its versatility goes well beyond a simple voltmeter: examples of DC power sources that can be monitored include batteries, alternators, solar panels, and wind generators, and it can also be used to monitor DC loads like inverters, windlasses, DC refrigerators, or any DC branch circuit.

When deployed as a dedicated battery monitor, the DCM100 goes far deeper than measuring terminal voltage alone. Sophisticated circuitry and software algorithms monitor battery temperature, load current, charging current, and terminal voltage to precisely compute battery state of charge and time remaining. The full suite of parameters reported includes battery voltage, battery current, ripple voltage, battery case temperature, state of charge, time remaining, and charge efficiency factor.

Hall Effect Current Sensing — No Shunts Required

One of the DCM100's most practical engineering advantages is how it measures current. The DCM100 uses an included state-of-the-art Hall effect current sensor which simply slips over the wire — you don't have to break connections or install connectors as you do with inline shunts used by other solutions. This non-invasive approach dramatically simplifies installation and eliminates potential failure points in the circuit. Available current transducer accessories include 200 Amp, 400 Amp, and 600 Amp options , making the DCM100 scalable to a wide range of vessel electrical systems.

Deep Configurability for Accurate State-of-Charge Calculations

Accurate state-of-charge (SOC) readings depend on how well a monitor understands the specific battery chemistry and capacity it is tracking. The DCM100 delivers on this front with an extensive list of configurable parameters. Configurable items include NMEA 2000 DC power instance selection, DC type, battery type, battery capacity, nominal voltage, equalization, temperature coefficient, Peukert exponent, charge efficiency factor, fully charged voltage, fully charged current, fully charged time, battery temperature, time remaining floor, time remaining averaging period, and zero current threshold. This level of granularity means the DCM100 can be dialed in for Lead Acid, Gel, and other battery chemistries to produce highly accurate SOC estimates rather than rough approximations.

Seamless NMEA 2000 Network Integration

The DCM100 is NMEA 2000 certified, so you can view any and all DC information anywhere on the vessel using a compatible NMEA 2000 display. This is the core of what sets Maretron apart from standalone battery monitors: rather than reading data from a dedicated gauge at the battery, the DCM100 broadcasts its data across the entire vessel network. The DCM100 is a key component of Maretron's N2KView vessel monitoring and control system. When paired with Maretron's N2KView software and an internet protocol gateway, the information can be viewed wirelessly on the boat using smartphones and tablets and remotely from shore with an Internet connection.

The DCM100 is waterproof, so it can be mounted in a damp or dry location, and the orientation is not important — it can be mounted on a horizontal deck, vertical bulkhead, or even upside down. This flexibility, combined with its rugged marine-grade construction, makes it well-suited for installation in challenging locations aboard any vessel.

Whether you're outfitting a bluewater cruiser with solar and wind charging or simply keeping a close eye on your starting and house banks, Maretron's battery monitoring solutions bring professional-grade electrical awareness to your NMEA 2000 network.