My electrical mod diagram

**Herk7769** · 01-17-2013, 05:09 PM

I was asked to post my electrical diagram.

I know I should have used a larger diameter battery wire, but I used what I had on hand. Also the Trimetric is hooked up per the instructions provided with the computer and you should use it and not my drawing.

I think I did it right because I did it from memory. If someone has an issue with it I will confirm when i get out to the camper.

The inverter I have in there right now is actually a crappy 2400 watt unit thus the 200 amp fuse, but I am down grading it to a Pure Sine 1K (soon as I get some cash and will put a 150 in there).

Fire Instructor · 01-17-2013, 07:04 PM

Herk - Mind posting a few details on the benefits of the Trimetric? I keep seeing reference to them, but not knowing exactly what they do, I don't know how much (or little) I'd benefit from one.

VinceU · 01-17-2013, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

I was asked to post my electrical diagram.

I know I should have used a larger diameter battery wire, but I used what I had on hand. Also the Trimetric is hooked up per the instructions provided with the computer and you should use it and not my drawing.

I think I did it right because I did it from memory. If someone has an issue with it I will confirm when i get out to the camper.

The inverter I have in there right now is actually a crappy 2400 watt unit thus the 200 amp fuse, but I am down grading it to a Pure Sine 1K (soon as I get some cash and will put a 150 in there).

Only one little typo, your 1000KW solar panel will fill the Smithstonian(sp) Institute in DC!

**Herk7769** · 01-17-2013, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinceU

Only one little typo, your 1000KW solar panel will fill the Smithstonian(sp) Institute in DC!

Inverter Vince, The panel is not listed as to rating. The one I have is just 80 watts but it folds up to a backpack size.

80-Watt Folding Solar Panel - 1099962, Alternative Energy at Sportsman's Guide

**Herk7769** · 01-17-2013, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire Instructor

Herk - Mind posting a few details on the benefits of the Trimetric? I keep seeing reference to them, but not knowing exactly what they do, I don't know how much (or little) I'd benefit from one.

I love mine. Here are some photos and the installation documents.
TriMetric Battery System | Bogart Engineering

TriMetric is not the only vendor of battery capacity monitors.

Microlog DMM-1 battery monitor

NOTE: In order for the Trimetric to "count" all the electrons going back into the battery, all ground connections must be located on the "non-battery" side of the shunt. The way I have it wired, if the Battery switch is on "Both" the Trimetric will only count the excess electrons generated by the solar panels and not being consumed by the camper as the solar panels charge the battery (replacing battery capacity).

bfrtech · 05-05-2014, 11:54 AM

I just installed my Trimetric and all I am getting is voltage and not amp usage. I am not sure what I did wrong. I have the wires going from the shunt to the guage itself wired correctly. My thought is that the wire going to the one side if the shunt is wired wrong. any ideas or thoughts? I don't know how to tie the shunt into the coach's ground.

thanks,
bfrtech

Batts-toy · 05-05-2014, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfrtech

I just installed my Trimetric and all I am getting is voltage and not amp usage. I am not sure what I did wrong. I have the wires going from the shunt to the guage itself wired correctly. My thought is that the wire going to the one side if the shunt is wired wrong. any ideas or thoughts? I don't know how to tie the shunt into the coach's ground.

thanks,
bfrtech

bfrtech welcome to the forum from mid California, It sounds like you are only reading the battery voltage which indicate your are correct with your'e assumption. To connect the shunt to the chassis ground, remove the in line fuse to the Tri-metric meter so it doesn't get ruined while working. The shunt should be placed in-line of the ground wire off the battery, disconnect the ground cable from the chassis frame and connect it to one side of the shunt, purchase another cable and run it from the other end of the shunt to the chassis frame where the battery ground cable was previously attached. The battery ground actually flows through the shunt, attach your meter wires to the smaller screws on the shunt (if you removed them) and re-install the meter fuse.

bfrtech · 05-05-2014, 01:25 PM

thanks Batts-toy. My confusion is I guess more terminology. the ground wire off of the battery, would this be the negative or black wire? I understand that one neg./black wire connects to the one side of the shunt. I ran one wire from the negative post on my batteries to the one side of the shunt. Where my batteries are located, there is a connector on the rear of the compartment where two black cables meet, is this the Ground cable for the chassis? I have attached a picture where the two black wires connect on the back of the batter compartment.

thanks again,
bfrtech

Batts-toy · 05-05-2014, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfrtech

thanks Batts-toy. My confusion is I guess more terminology. the ground wire off of the battery, would this be the negative or black wire? I understand that one neg./black wire connects to the one side of the shunt. I ran one wire from the negative post on my batteries to the one side of the shunt. Where my batteries are located, there is a connector on the rear of the compartment where two black cables meet, is this the Ground cable for the chassis? I have attached a picture where the two black wires connect on the back of the batter compartment.

thanks again,
bfrtech

Yes, I am used to using the term Ground and you are correct it is the Negative wire/battery post. I see your pictures and assume the 2 bottom ones are before and the top one after installing the Tri-mec and from what I see I would expect to not get the amp reading from this configuration. You need to take both (if they both come from battery negative posts) of the old wires off the chassis bolt and attach them together on one end of the shunt and then use one of your new cables to go from the shunt to the chassis bolt and remove the second new cable from the battery it is not needed.

f5moab · 05-05-2014, 04:30 PM

I connected mine...
Negative off the battery to the shunt (large screw), then off the other side of the shunt (large screw) to all ground devices (frame, powerlift, controller); as per Trimetric install instructions. Battery negatives between the two batteries are connected directly to the negative cables of both batteries with jumper wire, per instructions.)
Seems to read amps ok (I use a 100 amp shunt so I had to change one of my values under P3.)

Batts-toy · 05-05-2014, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f5moab

I connected mine...
Negative off the battery to the shunt (large screw), then off the other side of the shunt (large screw) to all ground devices (frame, powerlift, controller); as per Trimetric install instructions. Battery negatives between the two batteries are connected directly to the negative cables of both batteries with jumper wire, per instructions.)
Seems to read amps ok (I use a 100 amp shunt so I had to change one of my values under P3.)

Excellent, happy camping.

**Herk7769** · 05-05-2014, 07:32 PM

How mine is wired...

bfrtech · 05-05-2014, 08:03 PM

Thanks all, this will help resolve my issues. However, one last question, I have a battery disconnect switch where the negative/ground comes from the chassis ground to the switch, if this makes sense. do I disconnect the negative from the switch and place it on one side of the shunt and then run a short wire back to the switch?

As you can tell I am learning this DC stuff as I go.

Thanks,
bfrtech

**Herk7769** · 05-05-2014, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfrtech

Thanks all, this will help resolve my issues. However, one last question, I have a battery disconnect switch where the negative/ground comes from the chassis ground to the switch, if this makes sense. do I disconnect the negative from the switch and place it on one side of the shunt and then run a short wire back to the switch?

As you can tell I am learning this DC stuff as I go.

Thanks,
bfrtech

Your Trimetric measures the amperage of the current going into and out of the battery from the negative terminal (s).

Battery (neg) -> SHUNT -> Frame Ground/White wire from Converter

In your case it should be:

Battery (neg) -> SWITCH -> SHUNT -> Frame Ground/White wire from Converter

bfrtech · 06-18-2014, 06:37 AM

hello all,

thanks for the advice but it didn't work. I connected the ground to the far end of the shunt and the connected a cable from the battery disconnect switch to the close end of the shunt and I didn't have any electricity in my rig. the black (negative?) wire that I disconnected from the one side of the switch sparked greatly when it accidently touch the bolt on the switch. I believe that this wire disconnected from the switch goes to my Power Distribution Center. Would this make sense? do wires run from this center both positive & negative? I checked with a local dealer about what the purpose of this switch was and they said stay away from it!!! It seems to make sense that maybe this should go to the close side of my shunt since it seems like most (or all) power goes thru this unit. what do you think?

thanks,
bfrtech

You may also like: