Battery Monitor Wiring

[starfish62]

Just added two solar panels and want my (old) Xantrex battery monitor to show me amps in. Out of the voltage regulator for the panels I took my ground to the negative shunt, and my hot to the "common" terminal on a Perko 1-2-both switch. Am not showing amps in off of the panels, though it counts up the voltage increase.

I have no manuals. Does the sense lead need to go to the common terminal together with the hot in order for the monitor to read amps in?

[GordMay]

Xantrex battery Monitor Support:
Xantrex Technology Inc. - Battery monitors

Including:

XBM (Xantrex Battery Monitor): Xantrex Technology Inc. - OEM Equipment Power - Xantrex Battery Monitor - Documentation
Owner’s Manual: http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/865/docserve.aspx
Installation Guide: http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/1195/docserve.aspx
and more ...

And:
Link 10 and 20: Xantrex Technology Inc. - Link 20 - Documentation
Link 1000: Xantrex Technology Inc. - Boats - Link 1000 - Documentation
Link 2000 and 2000: Xantrex Technology Inc. - Boats - Link 2000 & 2000R - Documentation
TM500A: Xantrex Technology Inc. - TM500A Meter - Documentation

[starfish62]

Thanks (again) Gord. I'll peruse and hopefully they'll have a schematic somewhere.

[scotte]

My first thought would be if the ground wire from the solar controller/panels is on the proper side of the shunt? Since you are seeing voltage, but not amperage, this seems a likely possibility.

[starfish62]

Originally Posted by scotte

My first thought would be if the ground wire from the solar controller/panels is on the proper side of the shunt? Since you are seeing voltage, but not amperage, this seems a likely possibility.

Thanks for the idea. I'll give that a try. There's continuity on each side, but not accross the shunt block.