Where to tap DC power for small Volt meter in control center

[Jims94vmx]

Got ready to mount small meter and have control panel off looking for best place to tap into power.

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I'd just identify in incoming pos and neg wires and use them. Mine are 14Ga white neg and white/blue is pos.. but use a voltmeter to be sure.

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[Jims94vmx]

I ended up getting hot where I had an extra connection point on my "ceiling" lights. Got ground using White wire going to awning switch.....


Only issue is it goes off when switch for ceiling lights gets turned on.....

[Chiefblueman]

I ended up getting hot where I had an extra connection point on my "ceiling" lights. Got ground using White wire going to awning switch.....


Only issue is it goes off when switch for ceiling lights gets turned on.....

On my 315 the house panel is directly below the control panel at floor level. I fished a couple of wires down to the house panel and connected to the 12v bus and the ground bus. Gives converter charge voltage and if I switch the converter off, gives a good battery voltage reading.

[jkwilson]

Be aware that tapping a wire will result in a skewed reading if anything is drawing current through that wire. Voltage measuring devices should have a direct, dedicated run to the power source.

[Jims94vmx]

Thanks. Will end up rerunning wires like Kim did.....

[traveldawg]

Be aware that tapping a wire will result in a skewed reading if anything is drawing current through that wire. Voltage measuring devices should have a direct, dedicated run to the power source.

ditto what jkwilson said. You really should wire directly to the battery(ies) you want to monitor. Probably with a heavy gauge wire to avoid any voltage loss for a more accurate reading.

[Chiefblueman]

The difference between the meter I wired at the control panel and a direct reading at the battery was about .005 volts. Hardly worth running separate wiring all the way to the battery for a simple voltmeter.

[jkwilson]

The difference between the meter I wired at the control panel and a direct reading at the battery was about .005 volts. Hardly worth running separate wiring all the way to the battery for a simple voltmeter.

The problem is it will change when the load on the wire changes, and depending on the circuit it can change a lot.

[Jims94vmx]

My short run I used 16 Guage I believe. ....was about 6". If I go down to circuit panel, should I step up thickness? It will be @ 5 ft.
What Guage then?