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Old 09-30-2020, 06:48 PM   #1
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Question Amps going out not coming in???

I just installed a Victron voltage meter and it seems to be working well but something isn't adding up. It readily indicates the amps I am using (typically about -1.0 if I'm not using any electrical appliances) When I plug my trailer into shore power the voltage increases and the amps go from negative to positive as the batteries charge. This makes sense to me. But when I attach a battery charger or a solar panel directly to the batteries, the voltage increase (about 14V) but the amps stay negative and don't change (still -1.0). Its as if the battery isn't charging. Can anyone explain this?
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Old 09-30-2020, 07:31 PM   #2
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Did you install the small gauge wire from the shunt to your battery positive terminal?
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Old 09-30-2020, 07:59 PM   #3
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That is normal. The amps are sensed by the shunt. When you connect direct to the batteries, you bypass the shunt. If you want to monitor the current from an external charger it must go through the shunt. Shunts can be connected in the positive or negative battery line. You will have to figure out how to connect your charger (positive or negative cable depending on where the shunt is) to the other (non-battery) side of the shunt.
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Old 09-30-2020, 08:08 PM   #4
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Al is correct, the shunt measures the current.
As its on the battery, the current is not related to ac current, but it measures the battery dc current
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Old 10-01-2020, 11:44 AM   #5
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Thank you. If I am charging the batteries directly (by battery charger or a solar collector) is there any way that the Victron will recognize the improved status of the battery?
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Old 10-01-2020, 01:09 PM   #6
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Victron battery monitor will only sense the charging current if you connect the charger to the input to the BMS. Otherwise it will not know charging current is coming in. Eventually the batteries will reach a fully charged condition and reset the BMS. All negative inputs to the battery should go through the shunt.
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Old 10-01-2020, 02:09 PM   #7
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figured it out

I attached the negative alligator clip from the external charge controller to one of the shunts terminals and it all seems to work fine.
thanks again.
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Old 10-01-2020, 03:22 PM   #8
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It’s probably the ‘load’ side of the shunt. That’s the one that goes to the negative DC buss bar and the body ground of the trailer. That’s the right place!

Hooking it up to that terminal makes the battery charger current pass through the shunt and lets your monitor know something is driving current into the battery.
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