Connecting Solar Panels with a Battery Monitor

Question:

Hello Jeff, really enjoy the PYS site, great advice. I have 2 magnaSine 2000W inverters on board with 900 Ah house bank, and 2 starter batteries. Eventually I will be taking longer trips so looking at solar. I have a battery monitor. Where do the solar panels “join the system”?, at the load end of the shunt?  - Kirk

Answer:

Hi Kirk, you bring a good point, when installing a solar array it’s important not to bypass the battery monitor shunt with the negative connection. The manual for the solar controller will show that the solar controller negative should be connected to the battery, but if you have a battery monitor installed you need to install it on the load side of the shunt.  - Jeff