Shunt to Frame ground

[theHookers]

We have just about 3 years on this 2104S with the original batteries. Currently the Batteries are Lead Acid group 24 Interstate Marine. We have never had any issues even though we dry camp most of the time. We've just ran the Gen for 3 - 4 hours a day. Never really measured our use.

We've typically only got 2 to 3 years out of Batteries here in AZ house or start. Coincidently, the batteries in our TV with only 1 1/2 years on them had to be replaced. So, I'm looking deeper into the value of swapping to a different setup when these go.

Enough rambling...Wife hates the Gen. If you've seen my solar thread, you know I picked up a 200W solar briefcase. Slowly moving towards the 21st century of technology. Based on discussions from that thread and various others regarding solar and LifePO4 batteries, I began my quest to understand our electricity use and ways to use the afore mentioned technology. I was surprised to find the group 24 batteries at only 81ah. Before getting too crazy as it looks like ~$2K in parts to add solar to the roof and 2 lifePO4 batteries somewhere inside the trailer.

First thing to add is a battery monitor so I can see what we really use currently. I picked up a Renogy monitor. The battery box is not big enough to mount the shunt. I'm going to mount it on the frame in a waterproof box. I'm going to run the same size 2 AGW as those that connects to two batteries in parallel to the shunt B-. The Negative on the trailer now is 8 AGW from the battery to the frame. Should I just use this 8agw wire on the P- side? I have plenty of 2AGW wire to run from the P- side to the frame. Would the lager wire to frame ground be good or bad?

[sdelam]

Larger wire will not hurt anything. May not be needed, but wont hurt anything. Make sure you put the shunt between the battery and any load/charge cable. If anything is bypassed (hooked directly to battery) than you wont have accurate measurements from your monitor.

[theHookers]

Originally Posted by sdelam

Larger wire will not hurt anything. May not be needed, but wont hurt anything. Make sure you put the shunt between the battery and any load/charge cable. If anything is bypassed (hooked directly to battery) than you wont have accurate measurements from your monitor.

Yes. I plan to run a 2 AGW wire from the battery -post to the B- side of the shunt. There are 2 AGW wires (+ and -) that parallel the batteries and then there is an 8 AGW wire that is the only ground attached to the battery -post and this goes directly to the frame. There is only one 8 AGW + wire off the other side of the bank to power the trailer. 8 AGW seems small, but it seems to work and I'm not ready to rewire a ton. I just got more 2 AGW wire than necessary to run from the battery to the shunt as I moved my planned box closer to the bank. I understand enough to do some wiring, but wasn't sure if it makes any difference to run a 2 AGW to the frame instead of the 8 AGW as the positive side feeds the trailer with and 8 AGW wire.

[theHookers]

Done.