Solar display wiring help (1 Viewer)

[BusyBuilder]

I've got a small LCD display



which needs wiring live/neg supply and live/neg load.

I have two solar panels wired through a Schaudt LRM1218 and unsure of how to wire this display up, to pick up supply and load, has anyone fitted a similar display ?

 

[Bobby22]

I've got a small LCD display



which needs wiring live/neg supply and live/neg load.

I have two solar panels wired through a Schaudt LRM1218 and unsure of how to wire this display up, to pick up supply and load, has anyone fitted a similar display ?

You Tube is your friend- there is a couple of videos shownig how to wire it up.

 

[scotjimland]

I'm afraid what you have bought is unsuitable for solar power measuring.. this is for measuring AC current using a CT coil.. , wiring digram is in the pictures..

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BusyBuilder]

I'm afraid what you have bought is unsuitable for solar power measuring.. this is for measuring AC current using a CT coil.. , wiring digram is in the pictures..



View attachment 232821

Scotjimland, are you by any chance on UKGSER forum ? ( I bought a Garmin from someone with very similar name)

If you look at the pictures of the item there is one that's DC, which is what I've got, I assumed that I needed the DC one ? if so any ideas wiring it up ? cheers

 

[Lenny HB]

I fitted a similar on to my last van, with those size connectors it and the unit does not look big enough for an internal shunt.
I think you are going to need a 100 amp shunt and connect to the unit using the 3 wire method.

 

[BusyBuilder]

I fitted a similar on to my last van, with those size connectors it and the unit does not look big enough for an internal shunt.
I think you are going to need a 100 amp shunt and connect to the unit using the 3 wire method.

Sorry, my electrical experience is quite low, I have no idea what you just posted LOL

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

A shunt is basically a very low value high power resistor which is connected to the negitive side of the battery and the load (connection that normally goes to the battery) is connected to the other end. When current passes through the shunt the volt drop across the shunt is measured and converted to amps by the meter.

 

[tonyidle]

Is this the one you have?

 

[BusyBuilder]

Yes

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[hilldweller]

I bought one of those, but I bought the right one with a shunt to measure DC current. Only came last week so not tried it yet. Looks a nice piece of kit. It was cheaper than yours too.

 

[BusyBuilder]

I need one of these ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Fl-2-DC-75...1007296&device=c&campaignid=1340839189&crdt=0

 

[Lenny HB]

You have 100 amp meter so a 100 shunt would be better also I would buy from the same supplier as the meter.
Your meter may have a shunt built in but I don't think so terminals are only low current.
Talk to your supplier, when I had a query with Chinese supplier for the meter I bought they were very helpful.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Richard n Ann]

Doesn't look very good quality. Wonder how long these Chinese monitors work for Ask your supplier for a NASA BM1 battery monitor. Problem sorted

 

[Lenny HB]

Doesn't look very good quality. Wonder how long these Chinese monitors work for Ask your supplier for a NASA BM1 battery monitor. Problem sorted

Even better a Victron BMV 700 but with the Bluetooth dongle about £170 compared to £20.

 

[tonyidle]

The meter you have doesn't have any facility for use of a shunt (according to the diagram on the unit). It will however only measure up to 20A and may not be suitable for your needs.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[autorouter]

The picture in @tonyidle's post shows a 20 amp meter. The terminals look just about capable of taking 20 amps. The OP's device is a 100 amp meter. I haven't seen the terminals but it must surely be capable of handling 100 amps.

The idea is, the main current goes through the load terminals, which go to a 100 amp built-in shunt. The power for the display and logic circuits comes from the DC IN, which connect separately to the battery positive and negative.

I haven't seen the installation instructions, but I would imagine the load connections can be on either the positive or negative side of the battery. The most usual is on the negative side, but in Elektrobloks the internal shunt is on the positive side.

 

[autorouter]

If I'm right, none of the pictures shows your device correctly. Can you post a picture of the reverse side of your device?

 

[hilldweller]

I need one of these ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Fl-2-DC-75...1007296&device=c&campaignid=1340839189&crdt=0

Here is what I bought which is what you need for a motorhome:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

The picture in @tonyidle's post shows a 20 amp meter. The terminals look just about capable of taking 20 amps. The OP's device is a 100 amp meter. I haven't seen the terminals but it must surely be capable of handling 100 amps.

The idea is, the main current goes through the load terminals, which go to a 100 amp built-in shunt. The power for the display and logic circuits comes from the DC IN, which connect separately to the battery positive and negative.

I haven't seen the installation instructions, but I would imagine the load connections can be on either the positive or negative side of the battery. The most usual is on the negative side, but in Elektrobloks the internal shunt is on the positive side.

Is this your 100A device?

 

[autorouter]

So it looks like you need an external shunt for a 100 amp meter. The shunt is the element that senses the current flow, so basically you place it at the point where you want to measure the current flow in amps.

It will require heavy duty wiring and good solid connections on the terminals that carry the full current to be measured. It's best to choose the shunt location to minimise the extra heavy duty wire required. Right next to the battery negative is a popular place for it.

The two thin 'sense' wires from the shunt to the meter do not need to be especially thick, because they are carrying the voltage signal, not the main current.

The two supply wires from the battery terminals to the meter also do not have to be especially thick, because they are just carrying the small current required to power the meter circuitry and backlight.

The 100 amp shunt shown in @hilldweller's link is precisely calibrated to give exactly 75 millivolts when carrying 100 amps. That's what your meter is expecting. That's why you have to buy the right shunt to go with the meter, probably from the same supplier.

 

[BusyBuilder]

So it looks like you need an external shunt for a 100 amp meter. The shunt is the element that senses the current flow, so basically you place it at the point where you want to measure the current flow in amps.

It will require heavy duty wiring and good solid connections on the terminals that carry the full current to be measured. It's best to choose the shunt location to minimise the extra heavy duty wire required. Right next to the battery negative is a popular place for it.

The two thin 'sense' wires from the shunt to the meter do not need to be especially thick, because they are carrying the voltage signal, not the main current.

The two supply wires from the battery terminals to the meter also do not have to be especially thick, because they are just carrying the small current required to power the meter circuitry and backlight.

The 100 amp shunt shown in @hilldweller's link is precisely calibrated to give exactly 75 millivolts when carrying 100 amps. That's what your meter is expecting. That's why you have to buy the right shunt to go with the meter, probably from the same supplier.

Thanks all, I have ordered a new meter and shunt as above.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}