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Old 08-03-2016, 09:48   #16
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

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Originally Posted by Xthewater View Post
You can put a blocking diode on one leg of the meter to prevent that reverse affect if there's concern about meter damage.
That's what I would do, not much work or cost or you can replace the meter with a bipolar one and see both ways. Good luck.
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Old 08-03-2016, 10:08   #17
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

I would suspect that the charger is connected to the batteries "downstream" of the ammeter (or the shunt for the ammeter, whichever you have) and that if that connection was moved "upstream" of the ammeter/shunt, then the ammeter would not know anything about the charger. It wouldn't be deflected backwards, it would have no way to know what the charger was doing, and the problem would be solved just by moving one connection point, nothing extra needed.


Should be no issues affecting performance, etc. this way, either.


Rashly assuming...(G)...
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Old 08-03-2016, 12:58   #18
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

The blue seas traditional metal combination ACDC Panels come with an DC ammeter that has a range of 0-100amps, backed by single pole main breaker of 100amps, there is no centre position on this style it is read from 0amps on the left up to 100amps far right.
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Old 08-03-2016, 19:02   #19
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

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Originally Posted by GorillaToast View Post
Aha! It does occur when the charger is on.

So, should I not worry about it?


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worry if it doesn't. If you add in a battery monitor, you will see the same thing.
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Old 08-03-2016, 19:22   #20
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

Just in case:

Ammeters & Shunts 101 Ammeters & Shunts 101
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Old 08-03-2016, 20:46   #21
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

The ammeter on the panel is there to indicate the current being drawn from the panel. It is not a battery monitor.
The battery charger output current should not be going through the panel. The battery charger should be wired to the selector on the battery switch, so the charge current can be directed to bank 1, bank 2 or both. Or the charger can be wired direct to each bank.
If you want to measure current going in and out of the battery buy a battery monitor.
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Old 09-03-2016, 06:00   #22
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

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The ammeter on the panel is there to indicate the current being drawn from the panel. It is not a battery monitor.
Bingo!
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Old 09-03-2016, 06:48   #23
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

You might want to consider shifting the charge location of your charger to "upstream of the main panel breaker":

It would seem that if you disconnect or turn off the panel (a good practice if you are away from the boat IMO), the batteries will not charge.

Don't forget to fuse properly if you do move it though...
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Old 09-03-2016, 07:09   #24
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

I do not see where your problem is. The meter seems to work OK. It shows discharge as a positive and charge as a negative value. If you want the opposite effect, you will flip the shunt.

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Old 09-03-2016, 07:25   #25
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

I agree with everyone that says the battery charger output is connected in the wrong place. It should not be connected to the panel side of the shunt. Youstand a very good chance of damaging the meter if you leave it connected this way. Move the charger output to a position before the panel. If the new panel was installed by simply taking the cable directly from the battery and attaching it to the dc panel input that is not the proper way to do it. It sounds like someone simply took the charger output and connected it to your dc bus. There should be a connection post between the battery cable and the panel and a shortcable from the post tothe panel. You can also connect the charger output to the post, but under no circumstances should the charger output be connected directly to the dc bus.
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Old 09-03-2016, 08:37   #26
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Re: What Would Be Causing This?

Our Sterling charger has 3 charging outputs. I connected all 3 together with a copper bus. Then the output goes through a fuse then to the selector terminal on our main battery switch, bank 1, bank 2, both, or off. It is normally on the house bank, the emergency start bank is kept charged through an Echocharger.
We have a Victron battery monitor, and digital meters on the main panel for voltage to and current from the panel.

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