Installing Bogart Battery Monitor. Any reason I can/t mount shunt ON battery?

[scottandanna]

I was thinking, since it has to be close to battery, why not mount it ON the battery?

I would use Shoe-Goo for a semi-permanent mounting hold, and just pop it off when I replace the battery.

Any reason why I could not do this?

Battery box has a cover, and putting it here does not interfere with it. Also, I could just cut the ground wire and put connectors on each cut, and use existing wire.

[YosemiteBobR]

I would not do it, if not for the reason after you attach the negative cables to it, it is so close to the positive terminals, spells danger. I would not trust the glue to keep it there. If it comes off big danger. Assume you went with the 500amp shunt too.

I'd say not a good idea


That cable looks a bit on the small side, what is attaching to the battery in all

[TQ60]

Also the vapor will attack it.

Place the shunt at frame end of cable so original cable can be used then add a short strap from shunt to original place where cable was attached.

[scottandanna]

Originally Posted by YosemiteBobR

I would not do it, if not for the reason after you attach the negative cables to it, it is so close to the positive terminals, spells danger. I would not trust the glue to keep it there. If it comes off big danger. Assume you went with the 500amp shunt too.

I'd say not a good idea


That cable looks a bit on the small side, what is attaching to the battery in all

This is how it came from the factory. I also thought it was light wire, but it is only running radio, led lights, water pump, and gas fridge electronics. And battery charger.

Also, I kinda expected the same size wire on both + and - posts...

I dont understand "at frame end of cable"...

It isnt far to put shunt in storage bin, right at front of trailer. Which would put it inside the trailer, away from all weather. I would mount it inside a plastic box, just to keep potential shorts from happening across the posts. Or I could mount next to battery, in plastic box.

[YosemiteBobR]

Originally Posted by scottandanna

This is how it came from the factory. I also thought it was light wire, but it is only running radio, led lights, water pump, and gas fridge electronics. And battery charger.

Also, I kinda expected the same size wire on both + and - posts...

I dont understand "at frame end of cable"...

It isnt far to put shunt in storage bin, right at front of trailer. Which would put it inside the trailer, away from all weather. I would mount it inside a plastic box, just to keep potential shorts from happening across the posts. Or I could mount next to battery, in plastic box.

I had thought you said you were going to add an inverter to it?? Or am I thinking someone else now. All your negative cables should go to this shunt to give you proper readings on the TM-2030, including, charger/converter, inverter/charger,chassis ground and anything else. What size is your battery charger?


In your case I would put it inside the storage bin, just protect it. But...I would use a heavier guage cable.


Frame in - Chassis ground

[scottandanna]

Originally Posted by YosemiteBobR

I had thought you said you were going to add an inverter to it?? Or am I thinking someone else now. All your negative cables should go to this shunt to give you proper readings on the TM-2030, including, charger/converter, inverter/charger,chassis ground and anything else. What size is your battery charger?


In your case I would put it inside the storage bin, just protect it. But...I would use a heavier guage cable.

I am not adding anything to the trailer except for the Bogart monitor. It is set up from factory as is, with only one wire to the neg and one to the pos, I am just stabbing this monitor inline to help keep track of battery use and drainage.

I did swap in a much larger, and deep cycle, battery and box. After my original one bit the big one after 2 nights of running the fridge while off shore power.

BTW...sorry for any misspelled words here...broke my pinky playing football at work today, and it is VERY difficult to type while wearing a splint

[YosemiteBobR]

Originally Posted by scottandanna

I am not adding anything to the trailer except for the Bogart monitor. It is set up from factory as is, with only one wire to the neg and one to the pos, I am just stabbing this monitor inline to help keep track of battery use and drainage.

If you are using a 2030RV, the shunt which is placed in line with the wire carrying the current to be measured, which is the negative wire from the battery such that ALL the current going into the battery or out must pass through it. The reason you want heavier cable from the battery to the shunt is to minimize electrical losses. The two smaller screws on the shunt are used for measuring the current the negative meter cable goes to this screw (the one away from the shunt to battery) and the positive to the battery. Unless it is set up this way it will not give you a proper reading. So I'm a bit confused with you saying it is set up from the factory as is, with only one wire to the neg and one to the pos, this is what you have to change to make the meter work correctly for you.

[twinboat]

There seems to be a big disconnect here.

You don't need bigger cables. You may not have a negative to chassis wire, it may go inside to the power center.

The shunt will work as you plan, but over time it may get a buildup of corrosion, sitting on the battery.

The shunt can be placed anywhere along the negative wire, as long as one side of it goes only to the negative post.

Follow the negative wire inside, if it goes there, cut the wire and put the shunt there. That saves running the small wires to it, from the display.

If the negative wire goes to the frame, take the wire off the frame, put it on the shunt and make a short wire to the frame.

Keep in mind that all negatives go to one side of the shunt and then 1 wire goes from the other side of the shunt to the battery negative post.

[YosemiteBobR]

Now that sounds like a lot of what was being said, just planner, except for the fact he doesn't need bigger cable, if a charger is added or an inverter sometime down the line they all go to this shunt, and the cable to the battery from the shunt should be no smaller than the largest cable going to it on the other side.

[TQ60]

"Frame end" means the end not attached to the battery but the one connected to the frame or ground.

As mentioned above just follow the wire to see where it goes.

It is likely to have a lug attached to the wire and it is attached to frame or buss bar with a screw or bolt.

Mount the shunt out of the way but in a place that the existing wire can be disconnected from wherever it is attached and then attach it to the shunt.

Now find or make a cable to go from the other side of the shunt to where the first wire was.

This cable can be same as other but given yiu may wish to upgrade later make it large enough to be correct post upgrade.

The shunt is just a fixed resistor that develops a voltage drop that is proportional to the current flow.

For it to work correctly all connections need to be clean and sound.

And voltage drop in any connection will cause errors.

[scottandanna]

Went to McCoy's this morning and bought plastic junction box with waterproof lid, mounted it next to the battery inside the battery box frame rail, and wired it all up.

After initial setup...I was very surprised at all the functions this thing has. I have it set up to audible alarm when voltage drops to 12.0 approx 50% charge.

Currently, battery at 12.4, and with power on, charging at 12.8v.

[twinboat]

12.8 is a real low charging voltage. 13.2 is a float voltage.

If the battery was low, I could see the low voltage at first but you should be seeing 14. 2 or more until charged.

[scottandanna]

Originally Posted by twinboat

12.8 is a real low charging voltage. 13.2 is a float voltage.

If the battery was low, I could see the low voltage at first but you should be seeing 14. 2 or more until charged.

I will look into that. Might be why my first battery didnt last even one year. Which started all this electronics replacement and upgrading.

I assume, if battery was fully charged, and hooked to shore power, the volt readout should be 13.5-13.8?

Where would be a place to start looking? Clean contact points? Faulty charger?

[YosemiteBobR]

Depending on how it is hooked up, you can be seeing some voltage drops. You may just have to give it additional time. Do you have the numbers on the charger? Perhaps even testing the charger that will tell you a lot too.