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Old 03-07-2011, 07:47   #1
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Xantrex Link Pro

Hello everyone

I had a Xantrex link pro battery monitor installed on my boat

The problem is it never shows the batteries getting charged. It only shows discharging. Even with all the electronics off - and sitting on a mooring for 2 weeks - with a wind generator operating - I come back and the batteries are down another 5%

This week I motored for 9 hours - with only the GPS on - and when I arrived at destination the monitor indicated less full batteries than when I started.

I took it back to the installer who went over all the connections and said it was wired properly. He said I should call Xantrex on Tuesday as he had no idea what was wrong.

I know it isn't displaying properly because when I arrived at the yard it showed 63% charge remaining. We plugged in to shore power - and in 2 hours the batteries were full - but the link pro never went up - the battery charger indicated full.

I have 3 - AGM 79 amp hour (each) house batteries that it is supposed to be monitoring.

Anyhow ever dealt with or heard of anything like this before?

Thanks!
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Old 04-07-2011, 18:38   #2
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Re: Xantrex Link Pro

Where is the shunt located. Is it on the negative side as described in the installation manual? If not you might not be reading all of the batteries.

Does the battery charge indication go up on the Link Pro when you discharge the batteries? If so the two little wires on the shunt could be backward.

Good luck.
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Old 04-07-2011, 18:57   #3
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The battery charge indication (the little symbol of the battery) never goes up

Even when plugged in and topped off. I have to hit the synchronize buttons to reset the monitor to its "full" reading

I haven't personally examined the wiring - I don't know if I would know what I am looking at

But I had the installer take a look at everything again and he said it is hooked up correctly and he had no idea. This was on Saturday so no one at Xantrex was in the office - so he couldn't get any info. I will try to call them sometime this week
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Old 05-07-2011, 17:01   #4
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Re: Xantrex Link Pro

A few questions and I may be able to help:

When you reset it to full, did it indicate full batteries until you charged it again?

Go to the page that displays current. Turn on a bunch of stuff on your boat creating a good draw. Does the unit indicate a discharge or charge?

If the little wires on the shunt are backward, it can do exactly what you are saying it is (This is actually in the Link Pro troubleshooting guide). It is a super easy fix if that is the problem.

Can you take a picture of the shunt and attach it to this thread? It would be helpful in determining the problem.
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Old 05-07-2011, 17:08   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Opie91
A few questions and I may be able to help:

When you reset it to full, did it indicate full batteries until you charged it again?

Go to the page that displays current. Turn on a bunch of stuff on your boat creating a good draw. Does the unit indicate a discharge or charge?

If the little wires on the shunt are backward, it can do exactly what you are saying it is (This is actually in the Link Pro troubleshooting guide). It is a super easy fix if that is the problem.

Can you take a picture of the shunt and attach it to this thread? It would be helpful in determining the problem.

No it did not stay full. I reset it to full after the last charge and it drops and drops. Even after extended motor sails and wind genny charging with all equipment off.

The unit does always show discharge. It will even show -0.1 amp drawn with all the equipment off and the engine on.

The monitor will show the battery volts climbing to 13.4 (etc) with the engine on - but still a -0.1 amp draw

I will try to get a picture of the back with the wires as soon as possible.
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Old 05-07-2011, 17:13   #6
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Re: Xantrex Link Pro

Do you know where the shunt is? A picture of that may solve the problem. If you feel adventurous remove the two little wires on the shunt and swap them. It may solve your problem.
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Old 05-07-2011, 17:32   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Opie91
Do you know where the shunt is? A picture of that may solve the problem. If you feel adventurous remove the two little wires on the shunt and swap them. It may solve your problem.
I am guessing somewhere in the back of the unit?

If it isn't obvious when I get to the back of the unit I will post a pic before I electrocute myself. : )

thanks!
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Old 05-07-2011, 18:03   #8
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Re: Xantrex Link Pro

Look for something that looks like this:



That is the shunt. It will probably be mounted somewhere around you batteries.

The two small screws on the shunt is where the wires that run to the Link Pro attach.

The two big bolts are where the negative cables to the batteries attach. All the negative batteries cables should attach on one side of the shunt and all the loads (engine, house panel, etc.) on the other side.

Good Luck.
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Old 05-07-2011, 18:08   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Opie91
Look for something that looks like this:



That is the shunt. It will probably be mounted somewhere around you batteries. The two small screws on the shunt is where the wires that run to the Link Pro attach. The two big bolts are where the negative cables attach.

Good Luck.
I will be searching for it tomorrow and switch the small wires

Thanks
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Old 05-07-2011, 18:13   #10
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Oh one more question - should there be two shunts? One for the house bank and one for the engine battery?

I should also note the engine battery is being monitored fine. It goes up in charge level after motoring.
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Old 05-07-2011, 18:54   #11
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Re: Xantrex Link Pro

There is only one shunt for the Link Pro, I took a look at the install manual, and have to correct something I said before.

The negatives are not connected to the shunt as I describe below, it is a little different.

The Link Pro can only monitor the amperage draw on one battery bank, the second bank will indicate voltage only and does not use the shunt.

Do you know which battery bank he put the shunt on by chance? Did he monitor the house or engine bank? If you are not sure I would give him a call and ask.
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Old 05-07-2011, 19:04   #12
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The house bank is the one being monitored. I can tell because when I turn on the microwave the voltage has a deep drop - and the corresponds with the voltage drop displayed on the Beneteau battery panel as well.
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Old 05-07-2011, 19:16   #13
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Re: Xantrex Link Pro

The LinkPro measures everything downstream of the shunt. If all the various batteries have their negative battery cables connected together either before the shunt or at the shut, then the LinkPro measures the amphour usage of all of them.
- - You really need to either learn how the system works or hire somebody who does. Obviously the original installer does not know how the LinkPro system works and did not install it correctly. If he knows he installed it correctly then the unit is defective and he should get you a replacement.
- - Besides the normal displays of amps and volts there is the display of amp-hours and a % display.
- - Inside the LinkPro you or the installer has to manually set the total amphour capacity of the batteries that the meter will be monitoring. If you have 800 amphours of batteries and the meter is set to 80 amphours it will show a rapidly decreasing % during discharge.
- - Also there is a manual setting for the algorithm that determines the % function. That can be manually reset or automatically reset by zero'ing the amphours reading when the batteries are fully charged. But the automatic function is not very good.
- - As stated by others, each wire to the LinkPro must be connected correctly according to the diagrams in the manual. Changing the wiring willy-nilly can be a very expensive mistake. So either learn how to operate the LinkPro or get somebody who really has the knowledge to examine your system and can follow the instructions in the manual precisely.
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Old 06-07-2011, 11:27   #14
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Here is the shunt. There seems to be a small black attached to the large wire on the right. I am going to track that down.

Does anyone know how I adjust, or find out, how many Amps the unit is set for?

Thanks again for all the help. My installer is obviously a jerk - I am just trying to get it to work now. I contacted another electronics guy but he is super busy - it didn't seem like he wanted such a small job

If anyone knows someone in Bristol RI - please let me know.

Thanks
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Old 06-07-2011, 12:07   #15
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Is the engine (or AUX on the monitor display) supposed to have it's own shunt?
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