How do I wire this A/V Meter inline With Renogy Panels?

[squid]

The Amp/Volt meter has 3 thick wires, yellow, red, black and 2 thin wires red, black.  I assume
you'd put the thick yellow sensor+thick red+thin red into the (+) of the panels and the
thin black+thick black into the (-) of the panels (along with the solar panel
wires, of course).  Is this correct?

 

[Weight]

What do you want to measure? I would not put anything between my panels and charge controller. Do you have a manual or instruction sheet with the meter? How about a link to the meter so we can read about it?

 

[squid]

What do you want to measure? I would not put anything between my panels and charge controller. Do you have a manual or instruction sheet with the meter? How about a link to the meter so we can read about it?

It's a cheap a/v from eBay, there's no instructions with it.
I apologize I think I double-posted this I'll try to delete the other.

 

[ChetLazar]

It looks like there is a sticker on the end of the unit.  That might help.

Just guessing here:
The voltmeter end red to panel plus, black to panel minus.
For the amp meter end, red to panel plus, black to panel minus, yellow to controller panel minus input.  Panel current goes black to yellow.  To convince yourself  measure ohms from black to yellow.  If it is less than 1 ohm that's where the current is sensed and goes from panel minus to controller minus input.

 

[MikeRuth]

I wouldn't just guess on this as a mistake could be bad!

Give us a link to the meter you purchased. I'd be glad to look it up and explain based on the actual meter you have.

Many of them are a 5 wire design, yet only 4 are used.

Mike R

 

[squid]

I wouldn't just guess on this as a mistake could be bad!

Give us a link to the meter you purchased. I'd be glad to look it up and explain based on the actual meter you have.

Many of them are a 5 wire design, yet only 4 are used.

Mike R

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BY4M7AW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
so they updated the ad, increased the price too, now they have some directions but I still don't follow

 

[ChetLazar]

Is your solar panel more than 40 watts?  The amazon ad indicates that it is only a 2 amp meter.

The picture you posted shows two parts, the meter and a shunt resistor.  How many pieces do you have?

 

[highdesertranger]

there are three choices the 2A version has a built in shunt. the 100A version requires an external shunt. I didn't look at the 10A. the wire diagram looks pretty straight forward to me. highdesertranger

 

[squid]

there are three choices the 2A version has a built in shunt.  the 100A version requires an external shunt.  I didn't look at the 10A.  the wire diagram looks pretty straight forward to me.  highdesertranger

I'm proud of you, that it looks straight forward to you!  I'm not even sure I even bought the right parameter a/v meter now -- to be sure I'm going to ask an EE friend.  At least I have the panels installed up top, rainproofed the holes and ran the wires, that was a pretty harsh job right there (for me).

 

[Weight]

I don't think that meter will do much for you.

 

[MikeRuth]

I started to write this up and realized that the diagram will do you know good with so little understanding of DC electric. Your friend the EE will be of great help to you in understanding and making the right connections.
One thing and Weight mention this is with out a shunt this meter is going to be good for only one panel. Most panels at optimum output are producing 7 to 8 amps. Two in parallel will be 2X that. Much more than the meter is rated for. Then a shunt must be used.

Mike

 

[squid]

I started to write this up and realized that the diagram will do you know good with so little understanding of DC electric. Your friend the EE will be of great help to you in understanding and making the right connections.
One thing and Weight mention this is with out a shunt this meter is going to be good for only one panel. Most panels at optimum output are producing 7 to 8 amps. Two in parallel will be 2X that. Much more than the meter is rated for. Then a shunt must be used.

Mike

Yes, so I returned that A/V and got a 10A/100V meter.  So far this is the arrangement:

 

[Weight]

You do not need a fuse between the panels and controller if your wire is the commonly used 10 AWG or larger. You DO need a fuse between the controller and positive battery terminal. You could use the same fuse that is used for the circuit panel, installed very close to the battery. I don't think a 10 amp meter is enough. You need a 100 amp scale for amperes and a 50 volt scale for voltage.

 

[squid]

You do not need a fuse between the panels and controller if your wire is the commonly used 10 AWG or larger. You DO need a fuse between the controller and positive battery terminal. You could use the same fuse that is used for the circuit panel, installed very close to the battery. I don't think a 10 amp meter is enough. You need a 100 amp scale for amperes and a 50 volt scale for voltage.

OK I'll get an appropriate meter range for that, thanks. 
I got the idea for the fuses from a man who did that on youtube that way, I'll adjust my diagram, thanks for the input.  

I've been so impressed with my lime-green Ryobi 18V battery on power tools -- I mean I used it to cut up 2 whole tree branches, drill dozens of holes, drive 50 screws, and the thing isn't even showing signs of slowing up....but I can run it flat and recharge it no problem.   So next I'm considering swapping my lead-acid deep cycle batteries which are rather weak from being flatlined a few times...for an LiFePO4 (lithium ion) deep cycle 12V... I can get one with one killowatt-hour (or 69.4 amp-hours if you take into consideration the mid-range discharge voltage is 14.4V), it is much smaller and weighs about 14 pounds versus 75 pounds for the big marine one (which has about 81 amp hours I think?  midrange voltage discharge 12.1V), and I have two of those and they don't like to hold much charge any more.  I can plug in the RV to 110 and they'll charge to 100% and the lights shine bright...for about a day... then they become dim and weak, and that's unsat for TWO marine batteries...not running any fridge or anything else either.

I'm trying to find the answers to whether or not I could use the newer of the 2 lead-acid batts I have and parallel it to a Lithium deep cycle 12V or whether you shouldn't mix the two types, and whether or not lithium batteries withstand depletion better than lead-acid type batteries????

I was thinking with a 14 pound pancake battery I could stow everything on a neat wood panel inside the RV and if I didn't parallel in a marine battery I'd have this huge empty storage compartment in the basement to play with plus be hauling 150 pounds less weight (minus 14). 

Does anyone know about these lithium batteries for RVs?  Thanks

 

[squid]

updated diagram, moved fuse, put in 100A/100V meter (what fun to watch the flow of electrons)...

 

[squid]

updated diagram, moved fuse, put in 100A/100V meter (what fun to watch the flow of electrons)...

Would the charge controller protect the lithium battery from overcharge?  What exactly otherwise does this charge controller do?  Thanks.

 

[Weight]

You should learn a lot more about battery banks before you think about lithium chemistries. Lithium is more than plug and play as are lead acid chemistry.

 

[John61CT]

Lithium does weigh less but cost a **lot** more done properly.
As in thousands for a decent size House bank, not just cells but support infrastructure.

Very easy to murder if you don't educate yourself.

 

[squid]

Lithium does weigh less but cost a **lot** more done properly.
As in thousands for a decent size House bank, not just cells but support infrastructure.

Very easy to murder if you don't educate yourself.

Would the charge coming off the solar charge controller OR from the house panel inverter murder a lithium battery?
Does it need its own special charging mechanism?
Is that the support infrastructure to which you refer?  Because I noticed a lot of these are sold side by side with chargers (plug-in).

 

[John61CT]

What is a "house panel inverter?"

Again, you really need to educate yourself a lot more, like the equivalent of a few college courses' worth, before spending a lot of money.

Best to start with a pair of Duracell GCs at $180 from Sam's Club

Just make sure all the other infrastructure, yes including chargers, have the necessary adjustability to be compatible if you decide to go with LFP later, or any other chemistry.

There are many ways to murder such a bank, and LFP systems being 7x to 20x the price of a lead bank, it is just too risky for you at this point in your learning curve.

You could of course pretend you have a nice big yacht, and get quotes from a real pro, say OceanPlanet, for a turnkey packaged system.

Just make sure you ask them to include some training in the package.