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Hello, I am looking for guidance on how to monitor energy flows from the B2B charger. I was thinking of placing a SmartShunt energy monitor between the B2B charger & Lynx Distributor.
However I see the SmartShunt can only be connected to negative cables. As this application is a van with a chassis ground, I do not have a negative cables.
Is it possible to place a smartshunt on the positive line ? Are there any other suggestions on how to achieve the goal?
Full diagram:
The Cerbo Option "Has DC SYSTEM" should show you the other (non Canbus connected) loads on the DC side seperately in the cerbo UI and in VRM.
https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/13814/what-exactly-does-has-dc-system-mean-and-when-is-i.html
So no hardware needed.
It sounds like 'Has DC system' gives me the sum total of all loads that are not Cerbo connected? So the Alternator would provide a positive value, while the Air Conditioner (and other DC loads) would be negative .
I'm looking for a specific energy monitor for the B2B that does not intermix sources and loads. I'd like to be able to track the amount of energy coming off the B2B, but I can't do that if it's intermixed with the other DC loads.
Chassis Ground RETURN from D Pillar is your "Minus". This is where you can insert the smartshunt.
How to connect Smartshunt in your case:
Seperate Chassis Ground from Sterling insert Smartshunt (your AWG2 cable)
System Minus is the Sterling side. The other end of your cable is Battery minus side.
The one marked 'D Pillar' is coming off the Lynx Distributor, which is also the Negative bus-bar.
Where I'm confused is you're also telling me to place it near the Sterling, which is marked 'C' pillar.
Given that the Sterling is not isolated, I do not believe current will actually return to it. Current will continue through the chassis to Ford Battery negative. With the Ford, the Chassis is of course grounded to Negative, and with the Lynx Distributor, the negative busbar is also grounded to chassis. The negative terminal B2B won't see any current, I don't think. Perhaps I need to do some testing.
I had thought of placing it between the Lynx Distributor ground & Chassis. Doing that would effectively meter any current returning to the chassis, which absent a fault condition, would be the same as the B2B current.
But the Lynx ground is also the safety ground, so I'm not clear if putting a Shunt on the safety ground is a terrible choice.
Or.... Maybe I just need to add some negatives cables. My assumption was that since Lynx negative Busbar is grounded to chassis, and Ford Battery negative is grounded to chassis, there would be minimal current going back to the B2B.
