I'm about to install a Balmar SG200 Battery Monitor (which will be replacing my Balmar SmartGauge), and I'm grappling with a question that may exceed my understanding and expertise. Like most shunt-style battery monitors, the manual for the SG200 says that you should put the "SmartShunt" between ALL LOADS and the battery, i.e., no negative cables should be connected directly to the battery. I already have everything going to a large negative bus just before the battery, so I should be all set.
However, I realized that there's one part of my system potentially should be wired directly to the negative battery terminal: the diversion load for my wind generator. It's currently connected on the positive end to the wind gen's charge controller. When the batteries have reached a set voltage, the controller diverts the current from the generator to the diversion load, which is just two ceramic resisters. At the moment, the negative cable from the diversion load is connected to the negative bus, which means it would be "counted" by the SG200 shunt.
Since the current going from the wind generator to the diversion load isn't really doing anything (not charging or discharging the batteries), why should it be counted? Couldn't that potentially confuse the SG200 and throw off its calculations? I've done some preliminary googling and I'm at a loss. Please set me straight!
However, I realized that there's one part of my system potentially should be wired directly to the negative battery terminal: the diversion load for my wind generator. It's currently connected on the positive end to the wind gen's charge controller. When the batteries have reached a set voltage, the controller diverts the current from the generator to the diversion load, which is just two ceramic resisters. At the moment, the negative cable from the diversion load is connected to the negative bus, which means it would be "counted" by the SG200 shunt.
Since the current going from the wind generator to the diversion load isn't really doing anything (not charging or discharging the batteries), why should it be counted? Couldn't that potentially confuse the SG200 and throw off its calculations? I've done some preliminary googling and I'm at a loss. Please set me straight!