Should My Inverter/Charger Be Connected to a Busbar or Directly to the Battery?
December 5, 2020 · 3 min · 14K views
What this video covers
Inverter/chargers require connection to an unswitched positive distribution busbar rather than directly to the battery terminals to maintain a clean, organized electrical system. This busbar acts as a central point for charging circuits and unswitched loads, provided the inverter/charger remains properly fused and isolated. To ensure accurate battery monitoring, the system shunt must serve as the sole choke point for all negative current. Install the shunt between the battery bank and the negative distribution busbar. Any negative wire connected directly to the battery terminal bypasses the shunt, causing the battery monitor to ignore the inverter/charger's power consumption and charging output. All negative loads must route through the negative distribution busbar to ensure the monitor captures every amp entering or leaving the battery bank. Proper installation requires that no negative connections bypass the shunt, which must be the only path between the negative distribution busbar and the battery negative terminal.
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