I Am Installing a Battery Monitor, Do I Need to Separate the Negative House From the Negative Engine Distribution?

Question:

I have a house bank and two separate batteries for the engines.  To install a battery monitor I am adapting my negative house distribution to create one single connection to the battery bank where I intend to position the shunt for the battery monitor of house bank.  Do I need I need to separate the negative house distribution from engine negative distribution?  The charger has 3 positive exits connected to the various banks , only one negative. Where does it need to be positioned? - Carlo

Answer:

When installing a battery monitor, you’ll want to have the battery monitor shunt for the house batteries to be installed in between the negative distribution (for all the batteries) and the house battery. In other words, you only want your battery monitor shunt to measure current from the house battery and not the engine battery. Bring the negative from the battery charger to the negative distribution.