Battery Monitor/Ammeter fitting?

[christophert]

Hi all,

have purchased a 120v 500a power meter. I thought I'd have a go at fitting it myself, but not sure where to fit the shunt. The battery bank is 3 110amp leisures with the top one on diagram being the starter. There are 2 negative cables going from the middle battery to the inverter, this is also the same for the positive.

Can anyone help please. Here is a diagram of my setup plus diagram which came with the product. there are three pictures with it, I'm presuming it will be the one showing the battery charger I'd have to follow. Thank you.

 

 

 

 

Has anyone had any experience with fitting these?

[christophert]

Two twin cables are confusing me as to where to put the shunt.

If you click on diagrams, they should enlarge

[christophert]

Any suggestions?

[Bod]

Where do the cables from the engine alternator to the battery go?

This will have an effect on what wiring needs doing.

 

Bod

[Robbo]

All the negatives from solar, inverter, charger, relay, distribution board and the starter battery negative are connected to one side of the shunt (these items are marked as load on the diagram). The other side is connected to the battery bank. Basically any negative going to the battery bank other than links and the one to the shunt and it's wired wrong, unless it's for voltage monitoring, temperature, etc.

 

Looks like your going to need some bus bars. i would get a positive bus bar as well so you can wire it up correctly for that side as well. Gibbos site smartguage has some diagrams (on mobile so I'll let others post link)

Edited October 25, 2016 by Robbo

[christophert]

All the negatives from solar, inverter, charger, relay, distribution board and the starter battery negative are connected to one side of the shunt. The other side is connected to the battery bank. Basically any negative going to the battery bank other than links and the one to the shunt and it's wired wrong, unless it's for voltage monitoring, temperature, etc.

 

Looks like your going to need some bus bars. i would get a positive bus bar as well so you can wire it up correctly for that side as well. Gibbos site smartguage has some diagrams (on mobile so I'll let others post link)

I've never heard of bus bars. I'll go google

Where do the cables from the engine alternator to the battery go?

This will have an effect on what wiring needs doing.

 

Bod

I'll go look. I'm wondering if it'll be better to pay someone to do this

[Robbo]

I've never heard of bus bars. I'll go google

The shunt will go to the bus bar so you can connect all your connections like charger, solar, etc. It will look a lot neater!

 

All the positive connections should be connected to one battery post for good battery balance, as you have a few and positive bus bar (a bus bar that is covered) will be best.

 

Bluesea do bus bars (they may be called power bars). Basically just a thick lump of copper coated in zinc with a few bolts in it.

[WotEver]

I'll go look. I'm wondering if it'll be better to pay someone to do this

If you do, get them to move the isolator from the neg to the pos feed. Then you'll need a 2nd isolator for the engine battery (again in the pos).

[Robbo]

When connecting the cables to shunt and bus bar, use thick ones as i presume your running two cables to the inverter because it's a high power inverter), they will need to be as thick as these. I would suggest 90mm if a 3kw inverter.