Victron Smart Shunt

[mdolesh]

I wonder...would inserting the smart shunt at the sagging wire be the right place? That is between the battery and the charger (not sure about this).

 

[Emilio Dahraoui]

Hi everybody,

i have bought a sea ray 330 DA year 2008, equiped with 5 batteries 110AH each. I am trying to install a victron smartshunt 500A for monitoring but can not get a grip on how to install it. Can anyone please advise me? See the pictures of my batteri setup and what i think is the main DC bussbar. Thanks in advance.

best regards,
Emilio

 

[dtfeld]

It goes right next to the negative terminal on the battery...

You may need to add a section of battery cable.

All loads need to go thru the shunt.

 

[ttmott]

These look to be your battery negative cables; red for port and green for starboard. All of those battery cables get removed from the negative terminal strip and get connected to the battery side of the shunt. Then you need some jumpers equivalent to the cross section of the battery cables to run from the SmartShunt to the negative terminal strip. Only the batteries are on one side of the shunt and everything else including the charger negatives are on the other side of the shunt. Any other wires attached to the battery negative terminals needs to also be moved to the other side of the shunt also.
Essentially, you want all electrical to flow through the shunt regardless what it is.

 

[Emilio Dahraoui]

Thank you guys very much. I appreciate your help, that clarify almost everything.
One more question regarding my batteri cables, why do i have as the picture shows two negative cables from the port batteries and two from stb batteries? Isn`t it suppose to be less cables connected to the main buss terminal (1 cable ) from each side port and stb. ? As the Port & stb batteries, both side batteries are connected in parallel?

Thank you once again.

 

[ttmott]

Thank you guys very much. I appreciate your help, that clarify almost everything.
One more question regarding my batteri cables, why do i have as the picture shows two negative cables from the port batteries and two from stb batteries? Isn`t it suppose to be less cables connected to the main buss terminal (1 cable ) from each side port and stb. ? As the Port & stb batteries, both side batteries are connected in parallel?

Thank you once again.

Doesn't one of those two for each bank go to the engine block/starter?
The cable that goes to the engine starter stays on that ground buss bar. Only the battery cables go to the battery side of the shunt.

 

[Emilio Dahraoui]

Ok Thank you so much i did not know that. It does make sense. I did nit know that..
I will try next time i m on the boat and get back with feedback.
I am so gratefull for this forum and your advises guys.

cheers,

 

[Emilio Dahraoui]

Good evening everybody,

i have now installed my victron smartshunt as instructed.
I have connected the batteri negative cables to my batteri side of the shunt, and connected the my shunt via the system minus side to my DC main negative bussbar.
The only black / negative cables left on the batteries of course the batteri cables plus two cables that seems to be coming from the engines? Are they from the alternators? If so are they also suppose to go on the system minus on the shunt?
If so do i leave the positive / red cables connected directly to batteries and the negative ones only that needs to go to the shunt?
I tested to connect the boat after my installation to the shore power with a charger ON, and the shunt was showing the the batteries are charging.
Thank you for your advises.

 

[ttmott]

Good evening everybody,

i have now installed my victron smartshunt as instructed.
I have connected the batteri negative cables to my batteri side of the shunt, and connected the my shunt via the system minus side to my DC main negative bussbar.
The only black / negative cables left on the batteries of course the batteri cables plus two cables that seems to be coming from the engines? Are they from the alternators? If so are they also suppose to go on the system minus on the shunt?
If so do i leave the positive / red cables connected directly to batteries and the negative ones only that needs to go to the shunt?
I tested to connect the boat after my installation to the shore power with a charger ON, and the shunt was showing the the batteries are charging.
Thank you for your advises.

Hard to say what those are if you are talking about the small red and black wires to the two banks. I doubt they have anything to do with the alternators. Possibly something to do with the battery charger.

 

[Emilio Dahraoui]

Thank you for your answer ttmott.
If they are from the charger, why do they soom to come from the engines? Also when i charge the batteries the shunt shows a charge. So it is aware of that? Am i thinking right or not? I do not get this at all.
Gratefull for advise.

 

[ttmott]

Thank you for your answer ttmott.
If they are from the charger, why do they soom to come from the engines? Also when i charge the batteries the shunt shows a charge. So it is aware of that? Am i thinking right or not? I do not get this at all.
Gratefull for advise.

If those little wires are coming from the area of the alternators then possibly you have an aftermarket charge regulator installed and it needs to sense the actual batteries so it correctly controls the alternator. In this case the wiring is correct and should be on the battery rather on the other side of the shunt. Here is an example of a popular one -
https://balmar.net/?product=regulator-mc-614-h

 

[Emilio Dahraoui]

Hi again,

thank you so much Ttmott. I will check for that next time on the boat. Today when i was out with the familly, i could see that shunt is showing charge for both when the engines are running and when the boat in on shore power at the dock. But i will look more for the regulator to get a confirmation.
Once again thank you very much.

Best regards,
Emilio

 

[ttmott]

Make sure the shunt and monitor are correctly set up - check this out
https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Lynx_Shunt_VE.Can/en/battery-monitor-settings.html

 

[Emilio Dahraoui]

Make sure the shunt and monitor are correctly set up - check this out
https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Lynx_Shunt_VE.Can/en/battery-monitor-settings.html

Thank you very much ttmot, i will do that when i get the chance next time i am down at the boat.
Best regards
Emilio

 

[Irie308]

So I’m finally getting around to this project. However 1 question remains. Traced all my wiring and my 2 12 volt house banks share a common ground bus bar. My plan is to insert the shunt in between each bank and the bus bar. Will ensure no other - is on the bank as far as load. My question is it correct that both shunts connect to a common bus bar?
Pic of existing. 2 4/0 cables are from each bank.(I know I have some cleaning to do)

 

[Bill Curtis]

My vote is yes on the common buss bar. Keeps all equipment at the same potential and will reduce stray signals, especially when bonding is considered

 

[Skybolt]

@Irie308 If those two leads are directly off of the batteries, then yes the shunts go in between that bus bar and the two negative connections.

 

[Irie308]

Great, thanks! just wanted to be certain.

 

[Skybolt]

@Irie308 Not sure if you saw this or not?

Panbos article that came out yesterday: https://panbo.com/installing-and-configuring-a-victron-battery-monitor/

 

[ttmott]

So I’m finally getting around to this project. However 1 question remains. Traced all my wiring and my 2 12 volt house banks share a common ground bus bar. My plan is to insert the shunt in between each bank and the bus bar. Will ensure no other - is on the bank as far as load. My question is it correct that both shunts connect to a common bus bar?
Pic of existing. 2 4/0 cables are from each bank.(I know I have some cleaning to do)
View attachment 138551

I've two 1000 amp shunts that both connect to the boat's common ground buss. That is the correct configuration. The B+ to power the smart shunt should come from the battery bank it's monitoring and unswitched. Make sure that unless you have the IP67 shunts that they are mounted well away from any water or water spray. Also, if you are planning to connect them to a Victron network using the VE Direct cable make sure the cable is well secured as they do not stay in their sockets very well.