Ok, I think I get the picture now...Sunday I'll report back. Another quick question, the switch panel has 10 15 and 20 volt fuses. Do I really care what's where considering I'm just powering LED lights and such? Should I replace higher capacity fuses with lower? Jazz On Feb 20, 2016 9:16 AM, "Thomas Buzzi" <thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com> wrote:
thanks,Mitch, So if I want my voltage meter to just monitor the battery I would wire it between the + and - poles on the battery?
Tom B
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On Sat, Feb 20, 2016 at 10:24 AM, Mitch Carnes <mitch_carnes@sbcglobal.net
wrote:
+ to positive side of battery, - to negative side of battery. This will power unit AND monitor battery voltage.+load to positive side of battery - load goes to positive side of device being powered.
(AMP/Current
meters are typically wired "in line" or "in series" of device being monitored) The negative, or - side of the device being monitored still goes to the negative side of the battery. If it's easier, imagine an arrow on the meter that points from +load to -load, it refers to the direction of current flow from positive to negative. So, in reality, the meter could be connected "+load" on the negative side of the device being monitored and -load of the meter on the negative battery terminal and it would still work fine. This is often done when no/low voltage is desired on the meter current monitor lines. Just be aware the meter is designed to be "in line" with positive potential on the + load side and lower, or negative potential on the -load side. If you want to monitor the entire boats' power draw then all devices will have to be connected to the load side of meter. But it had better not exceed 20 amps, as that is the maximum capacity of the meter. Typically the current side of the meter will be fused, so it is replaceable if it blows. Most meters will register negative current, if a - shows up in front of the reading then it is reversed.Thankfully, since the advent of solar panels, most meters will now dynamically read current in both directions, for charge and discharge cycles, and not be damaged.Yeah, I did a bit of this in my day.......
On Saturday, February 20, 2016 5:49 AM, John Tyner < tynerjr@md.metrocast.net> wrote:
Looks to me (from the pictures on the E-bay page) like it would fit between your battery and the panel and bus. In other words, the battery + would connect to the ammeter +, then the + Load would lead to where you now have the panel "fed from the positive of the battery". And likewise on the negative side.
But I was never very good with electricity; Keith Martin will know, for sure. ----- John Tyner M-15 #412 "Chimpanzee"
On 2/20/2016 4:11 AM, Jazzy wrote:
Hi all, A cheapie little Volt/Ammeter just showed up in the mail. Im looking at it and not quite getting how it gets hooked up. It has 4 wires and a horrible little diagram that looks something like this:
- ---------------------------- + ---------------------------- - Load --------------------- +Load ---------------------
My setup is probably much like everyone elses, I have the 8 switch panel fed from the positive of the battery, and also a little negative bus bar for all the negative wires connected to the negative of the battery
Im thinking the simple + and - wires just go to the battery to power the unit. The other two wires that go to the "Load" is where Im losing it...
Do I put the +Load on the last position of the switch panel and the - Load wire on the bus? I dunno...Not sure where it would pick up the "load". Hellllp! Thank you all in advance, Im sure I'll have an answer shortly from one of you super geniuses!
Here's the item ..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-Battery-6-5-100V-20A-LCD-Voltage-Current-KWh-Watt...
-= Jazzy