Home› Battery/Electrical & Solar

Wiring for Portable battery charger and Shunt

Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,822
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
Quick question.  We have a solar negative pigtail to the load side of our Victron shunt.  We also have a portable battery charger that we have been hooking directly to the battery.  In light of the shunt, should we be charging with the portable battery charger with the negative on the load side of the shunt?  Does it make a difference with shunt function?
Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+

Comments

  • elbolilloelbolillo Member Posts: 460
    Ideally, you would connect all loads to the shunt. I did that with my Victron portable charger that had a quick connect.
    _____________________________________________________
    Ken / 2023 Tab 400 “La Bolita” (29,000+ miles) / 2024 Toyota Sequoia
    2025 - 1 Trip - 25 nights - 2 National Parks
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • webers3webers3 Member Posts: 419
    For the shunt to function correctly, ie: provide correct battery status, ALL loads have to be on the negative side, including charging

    2017 T@B 320S   2019 Jeep Cherokee - Southern Connecticut
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,822
    Ok.  So, if I charge the battery fully with the portable charger on the battery, then sync the Victron BMV, will the BMV SOC be accurate on discharge?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • AnOldURAnOldUR Member Posts: 1,499
    edited April 29
    Ideally you want a busbar attached to both the positive and negative battery terminals. Your shunt should be between the negative busbar and the battery terminal. All your wires, including the chargers should be connected to the busbars. 

    At least that’s what I did. Someone corrected me if I’m wrong. 😑 
    Stockton, New Jersey
    2020 nuCamp T@B 320S * Jeep Wrangler

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • rfuss928rfuss928 Member Posts: 1,052
    edited April 29
    Sharon_is_SAM said:
    Ok.  So, if I charge the battery fully with the portable charger on the battery, then sync the Victron BMV, will the BMV SOC be accurate on discharge?
    Yes, that is a good process to establish 100% SOC and it makes no difference which side of the shunt you connect ground.  But, if you want the shunt to keep track of the portable charger contribution to the battery's state of charge in the future, the charger ground should be on the "load" side of the shunt. This will also allow you to monitor the portable charger performance.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,822
    @AnOldUR - another way is to either attach a load side lead directly to the shunt or at the junction box.  We have done both.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
Sign In or Register to comment.