Tim Good
Well-Known Member
Yes that’s the main solar array. Will move.
To the side of that terminal is a yellow wire connecting to it. You can see it going under the black one. Will that be monitoring the house bank?
Battery Monitor: Positive Amp from solar?
- Thread starter Tim Good
- Start date
To the side of that terminal is a yellow wire connecting to it. You can see it going under the black one. Will that be monitoring the house bank?
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
What i said in post #16
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Yes, see post #16
Tim Good
Well-Known Member
Yes indeed. Thanks
Tim Good
Well-Known Member
So… it’s working! One more question.
The solar controller is reading a different voltage to the battery monitor when everything is at rest.
I switch off everything on the boat and turn off the load from the solar controller. Give it time to settle and the monitor says around 12.55v whereas the solar controller says 12.65.
Is this likely because of an insufficient cable to the monitor giving a small voltage drop or is it more likely something else such as a wrongly placed cable on the shunt?
The solar controller is reading a different voltage to the battery monitor when everything is at rest.
I switch off everything on the boat and turn off the load from the solar controller. Give it time to settle and the monitor says around 12.55v whereas the solar controller says 12.65.
Is this likely because of an insufficient cable to the monitor giving a small voltage drop or is it more likely something else such as a wrongly placed cable on the shunt?
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PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
The cables on the shunt look to be correct. You often get minor differences between different monitors and gauges, various causes, cables runs, where they are connected, accuracy of gauge etc. You could check which is the closest to accurate by taking some measurements with a multimeter.
Boater Sam
Well-Known Member
Tolerance in all things.
B27
Well-Known Member
Do both meters work in increments of .05V?
If so the two readings are one notch either side of 12.60V
If you want to get involved with such small differences, you really need to get a meter with more digits.
Or at least be sure they are working in .01 not .05 steps.
Since the current appears to be zero, it should not be an ohmic cable drop issue.
My solar controller is a cheap one, its voltage indication seems to wander a bit according to switching in and out of float mode as loads change.
Meanwhile the meter on the switch panel dips a little when the fridge fires up.
It doesn't matter, the meter tells me the big picture well enough.
If so the two readings are one notch either side of 12.60V
If you want to get involved with such small differences, you really need to get a meter with more digits.
Or at least be sure they are working in .01 not .05 steps.
Since the current appears to be zero, it should not be an ohmic cable drop issue.
My solar controller is a cheap one, its voltage indication seems to wander a bit according to switching in and out of float mode as loads change.
Meanwhile the meter on the switch panel dips a little when the fridge fires up.
It doesn't matter, the meter tells me the big picture well enough.
[70521]
Well-Known Member
You are measuring 'stuff' at different points hence the different values. Stuff being voltages over different thicknesses and lengths of wire.
No great need for precision as long as the trend is the same.
My Victron battery sensor gives a different voltage to my Victron SmartShunt and my Victron Solar MPPT device.
If only GPS navigators or anchor testers could understand that concept.
No great need for precision as long as the trend is the same.
My Victron battery sensor gives a different voltage to my Victron SmartShunt and my Victron Solar MPPT device.
If only GPS navigators or anchor testers could understand that concept.
