[SteveInMD]

I've ordered a Xantrex Link battery monitor system. I know I need to install a shunt to measure the current. I was told this normally goes on the ground side just before the batteries. My question is...how do I attach all 7 ground wires to a single shunt? Currently I have two batteries with four ground wires coming into each battery and a jumper between them. My plan is convert this to a single bank so all grounds need to go into one battery, with a single jumper going to the other battery. However I'm not sure it's possible to connect 7 wires to a single post on the shunt, most of which are 2/0 wire.

Currently the grounds coming into battery 1 are...

Main engine block
Charger / Inverter
Generator starter motor
Jumper

Battery 2 has...

Windlass
Main panel
Bilge pump
Jumper

Can the Xantrex shut accommodate this many connections? How should I approach this?

 

[btrayfors]

Steve:

ABYC code calls for a maximum of 4 connections to a battery post. With the four wires on each battery plus a jumper, you're already non-compliant IMHO, this is too many...I prefer one, or at most, two.

You need a ground bus. Get one of the Blue Sea Systems bus bars (West Marine carries them), and get a healthy sized one...don't skimp here, as grounds are very important.

Connect the shunt between the battery negative post and the bus bar. Connect all other grounds to the buss bar.

Voila!

Bill

 

[camaraderie]

Ditto...here is what you are looking for...

Get one that can handle all the amperage you're gonna throw at it and then some.
Jamestown distribuing has a good selection.
Blue Sea Systems Minibus 100 AMP Common Busbar

 

[SteveInMD]

Duh

All I can say is - duh...I should have thought of that.

Thanks!

 

[HerbDB]

Great advise from the guys. I have my system wired with a bus bar like the one they recommend. It simplifies everything when you don't have too many wires on a terminal. With the shunt between the bus bar and the batteries, you can monitor all of the flow in and out of the battery bank.

I relied heavily on Nigel Calder's "Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual", when I added a larger charger, inverter and batteries to my boat. If you don't have a copy, I highly recommend it.