Re-organizing the ground wires

[jms02050]

Hi All.
I need to clean up my ground wires to simplify installing a shunt for a monitor. Torn between a Victron BMV 712 or the Balmar SG200. I'm really hoping to determine daily amp draw to size a solar panel. The Balmar only shows active amperage so not sure if that will work for me.

I've currently got a starting bank (Group 31) with 3 ground wires attached to it and a house bank (4D) with 4 grounds attached to it. I'm looking to monitor the house bank. My plan is to move all grounds except the thruster ground (which is on the starter bank) to a bus bar. Don't think this will be an issue since I'm looking to see what's going on with the house bank.

I think my proposed design works. Anyone see any issues with it? Assuming the jumper between the banks can be on the bus bar or should that go back to the engine?

Thanks for any tips/advice/etc.

[ronstory]

Welcome to CF.

What you have is fine if you just want to track the SoC for the 4D battery.

Where is the starter wired and what all is encompassed in the innocent box called "Charger"?

[jms02050]

Hi - The charger is just a Promariner which runs off of shore power - wired as indicated in the drawings. Two hots - 1 to each battery, and 1 ground to the house bank. I traced the engine ground back to a mounting point on the engine - it's not wired back to the alternator. Honestly can't answer the starter question - I just drew what was connected to the battery banks. Both banks have a hot going to a Perko 1-2-All switch. There are a few wires coming off the Common lug on the switch. Powering a couple bus bars and the thruster.

[ronstory]

OK.

Where does the alternator attach? To the N12B switch or direct ot the battery?

[jms02050]

Hi there - I think the alternator attaches the the Perko switch via the Common lug - from that lug there are 3 wires going to: engine, DC panel, and thruster.

[Tin Tin]

The BMV 712 Battery monitor connects to the shunt on the house bank. It also has a small positive lead from the shunt PCB to the house battery. It will tell you all the data referring to just the house bank. You can connect a second positive wire from the BMV to the thruster battery to monitor its volts only as well. That way when you have switched on the charger you should increased volts to both batteries, but only see the in amps in on the house battery. The battery monitor showing the amps in will not show the total amps being put out by the battery charger, only the amps relative to the house bank.

[jms02050]

Yup, that's my plan. Once I get on the hook I run strictly off the house bank, so I want monitor the house bank and know what I'm drawing from it. I'm considering the 712 because I know that it can also show just the voltage of the starting bank.

[Tin Tin]

You could also insert a Victron Cyrix battery combiner that will allow the solar array to charge the thruster battery as well.

[jms02050]

That's in the cards but for now I'm just looking to get the grounds organized and a proper monitor installed.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, jms.

[sailcrazy]

I'm using a Promariner 3 leg charger, with 1 leg going to each of my 3 house bank batts. I have both my solar and windgen controller outputs feeding the combined house bank output, as well as my eng alternator output. My isolated starting batt is recharged via the house bank by a Balmar Duo-Charge. I use the Victron 712 to monitor the combined house bank, with the secondary monitoring the start batt voltage....has worked well to monitor the house SoC for over 2 years now. I've also read that you only want 1 single ground lead to go to the engine, as you've shown. But are you bonded? How is your bonding system connected to ground?

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by jms02050

Hi All.
I need to clean up my ground wires to simplify installing a shunt for a monitor. Torn between a Victron BMV 712 or the Balmar SG200. I'm really hoping to determine daily amp draw to size a solar panel. The Balmar only shows active amperage so not sure if that will work for me.

I've currently got a starting bank (Group 31) with 3 ground wires attached to it and a house bank (4D) with 4 grounds attached to it. I'm looking to monitor the house bank. My plan is to move all grounds except the thruster ground (which is on the starter bank) to a bus bar. Don't think this will be an issue since I'm looking to see what's going on with the house bank.

I think my proposed design works. Anyone see any issues with it? Assuming the jumper between the banks can be on the bus bar or should that go back to the engine?

Thanks for any tips/advice/etc.

Your proposed diagram look good with one exception. Why is there a fuse in the charger negative? There should be a fuse in each positive at the battery post but never the negative.

I agree the BMV-712 is the best choice.

[smac999]

the old pro mariners fused on the neg instead. not sure why they did that.

I would get rid of it and fuse both pos at the battery instead.

otherwise it's all fine.