Running wires for battery monitor

seadaddler · Mar 14, 2011

stern locker

There is a PVC pipe that starts in those rear stern locker up top and goes into the Nav Station and I think you should see it along the the top of the shelf in the port locker.
That's how it is in my 2007 36
Nick

Ed Schenck · Mar 14, 2011

Nice monitor. Which model did you get? Do you have to mount the monitor at the panel? When I installed my Link 2000 I kept it on the same side of the boat as the batteries. I simply put it in a bulkhead as close as possible to the batteries. My wire runs are very short.

Tribu336 · Mar 14, 2011

I purchased the same battery monitor and plan to install it on our 1995 Hunter 336 in the spring. I have the same problem (and no PVC pipe to run the wires). What I will probably do is make my life easy and install it in the same locker as the batteries (and not at the nav station).

seadaddler · Mar 14, 2011

Could

Hi Ed
Are you getting the boat ready for your sailing season yet,we are going on at least 2 week cruise from Punta Gorda up toward tampa and maybe farther north with the Punta Gorda Sailing Club around april 2.
Could drill a hole in the PVC right next to batteries and run short run in the PVC to Nav Station.
Nick

Bill Roosa · Mar 14, 2011

If you can identify a wire that already run from one end to the other use it as follows:
disconnect it at both ends so it is dead electrically
tie two stout but thin cords to the end connector
go to the other end of the wire and use it to pull through the stout cords.
secure one cord at both ends of the run and use the other to pull the wire back through the run
tie the end of the stout cord remaining to the new wire you want to run
tie the other stout cord (the one that is not in the wire run) to the end of the wire that has the already run stout cord on it
pull on the stout cord to pull the new wire and your new messanger line through the run.
repeat as needed. Note you might be able to pull two wire in one shot
ALWAYS pull another messanger line with the wire so you have a messanger line to work with for the next wire
OR
make the messanger line two times as long as the wire run and tie into the middle of it

chuckwayne · Mar 14, 2011

Re: Could

the conduit probably has a break in it behind the bulkhead between the nav station and the head-that's the way it is in the 356. remove the nav panel or open up the power panel and look up in the aft corner-you should see the cables coming out of the bulkhead. I ran a snake back from that point into the head and pulled my cable forward the last part.

Rick · Mar 14, 2011

Guys I am trying to figure out why you are running wires from your battery banks. Tribu on your 336 your negative ground is right behind your dc panel on the hull wall. This is where you hook the shunt for your monitor. Disconnect the big black wire, from ships ground which looks like a battery cable, and connect your shunt to the end of it. The other wire, provided, goes from the other end of the shunt, to the grounding bus on the same stud so it will read the amp draw correctly. It position in the stream is critical. It reads off the NEGATIVE side of the boat not the positive. You can get the power from an accesory on the panel to power the guage and the wire harness that connects to the shunt. I put mine in, a different make, but with same prinicples a couple of months ago. Here is a pic. On my 336 I just mounted it to the hanging locker wall. One teenie drawback is you cannot read alternator draw. Also this will not tell you anything on the 110 side of your boat if you have an inverter.

Cheers

K that was kind of a caveman explanation but... also the reason I didnt choose the Victron is because I cant read it without my cheaters! See the nice big numbers! Tribu if you have questions, I have done my 336 pretty much stem to stern. I am NOT Maine Sail nor am I in his league. I do use him alot when I am stuck though!

Tribu336 · Mar 15, 2011

Rick,

Thanks for the advice but like Berndahle is saying, I am under the impression that the shunt needs to be close to the batteries (and Ground of course).

On our boat, in the port locker where the batteries are, there is a Ground Bus where the batteries negative wires are connected. This is where I intend to connect the negative side of the shunt supplied with my Victron. This ground bus is then connected, like you say, to the DC panel negative bus and the ship's ground (on the engine).

Am I doing something wrong?

Steve Dion · Mar 15, 2011

You should be able to use an electricians fish tape. Push it through the conduit. If you can get the fish tape through to the nav station you will be able to pull your wire through.

You may also consider pulling a fish line through this area too in case you need to add something else later.

Ed Schenck · Mar 15, 2011

I think you are really correct in mounting the shunt close to the batteries. As you can see in this PDF( http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Quick install guide - BMV602 - rev 00 website - EN.pdf ) you really want the battery cables going to the shunt. But it could be installed behind the panel if you had room. You would loose some accuracy due to small and long wire resistance.

And Nick, gonna' be 45 tomorrow so going to the boat. Lots to do after only seeing her three days between May 2009 and Nov. 2010. Ed A. had her nice and clean but Florida weather and salt water takes its toll. New lifelines and repaired stanchion in the garage. All new standing rigging and new Harken furler also in the plan.

Rick · Mar 16, 2011

Well as I said I am not an expert but if you put the shunt upstream of your accessories that are drawing amps, it is not going to see any load and therefore will not read anything. I dont have a picture handy cause my boat is in another state. Yes it is true you will always loose accuracy depending on the length of the run but you are talking a 10th of an amp on most "recreational" boats because of the size.

Also I dont remember anything in the instructions specifically saying the shunt should be at the batteries but maybe someone will weigh in on that. All I know is mine reads accurately because I checked it against the spec of the things it reads ie, fridge etc. Also if you look in the pic, the trace digital remote is right next to the monitor. The two match exactly on battery voltage and they take their respective readings about 15 feet apart in the cable runs.

Ed what you said is exactly correct. The shunt MUST go to the battery negative cable. Mine does and it is at the negative bus right behind my dc panel. I suspect if you all take a look you will find all of your dc grounds going to a similar one right there at your dc panel.

Side note: Ed your diagram of wiring in a solenoid is still one of the best fixes I have done to the boat concerning the old Hunter "push the starter button and it just clicks". My boat starts now now now even on the house batteries after 5 or 6 hours of sailing. No brainer!

Cheers

Edit: Tribu was doing a bit of thinking. The bus that is in your starboard lazarette (assuming your still stock on your setup) needs some investigation. It may not be the ground for the items you want to read.You can probably check them by connecting the shunt and meter and then switching them on and off. It also may be the ground bus for your 110 items and that means the meter will only work once until it fries itself! I moved my batteries downstairs on my boat so I am a bit different. I wanted to read the amp draw on items like anchor lights, fridge, running lights, radar etc and they are at the bus behind the dc panel. Also there are at least three ships grounds on your 336. One at the engine, one in the starboard lazarette, and one at the dc panel. They all ultimately tie together.

Tribu336 · Mar 16, 2011

Rick,

Thanks for your comments. I will have to investigate the subject further before I hook everything up. The ground bus in the lazarette, if I remember correctly, is the batteries' ground bus (and not the AC ground) but again, I might be wrong. Next time I go to the boat, I will double check everything.

Thanks!

seadaddler · Mar 16, 2011

2007h36

There is 2 PVC pipes going from the rear stern compartment on my boat that just go's into the Nav Station where the circuit breaker panels are and I also have a door where my VHF radio is installed so when you remove that door you can see all the wiring and I have messenger line mounted there and the other end is in the rear stern locker for pulling more wires and I added more messinger line when I added Siruis weather power wires to the breakers.
Mine may be different with the extra options I have,inverter,AC,Gen and all the electronics like Radar,C-80 so it could be a little different but you could also use the battery cables from the batteries that go to the main 1-2-both switch like what Bill said tie lines to the battery cables and pull them through either way which ever is the easiet,see how Bill Ross explained it.
Any more I can be just ask.
Nick

Rick · Mar 16, 2011

Re: 2007h36

Your welcome Tribu. If you need we can hook up with phone numbers or email. Nice to see another 95 336. We are indeed a small number actually. Only a three year run on the 336. Would love to swap upgrades, projects, etc.

As I said, not an expert but I know the 336 pretty well. Maybe save you a headache or two or vice versa.

Cheers

Running wires for battery monitor

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