Blue Sea Systems 8017 DC Analog Ammeter - 0 to 100A with Shunt - Manual (Page 2)

3. Connection
Blue Sea Systems Ammeters of 50 Ampere and greater capacity utilize
an external shunt as the current sensing device. This shunt can be
located in the wiring system to permit the shortest and most direct path
between the source and the load. Small gauge wires connect from the
shunt to the meter, which can be located conveniently for viewing.
Break the circuit to be measured at the location for the shunt and
install the shunt by connecting the ends of the load circuit wire to each
of the two large stud terminals at the top of the shunt. Connections
should be made with properly crimped ring terminals of a size suited
to the wire and the bolt size of the shunt. It makes no difference which
wire is attached to which terminal. Ring terminals for these connections
should rest directly on the brass blocks of the shunt without any
washers in between.
Next, using a minimum of 16 AWG individual conductors or a
multiconductor assembly, route a pair of wires to the meter location. If
the shunt is in the non-grounded (usually positive) side of the circuit,
over current protection is required for both sense wires. Place a 1A
fuse in series with each sense wireconductor within 7 inches of the
shunt near the shunt connections and identify as positive the wire to be
attached to the shunt near the main conductor coming from the source.
Identify as negative the conductor connected nearest the load. Attach
the sense leads to the smaller screw terminals on the brass blocks of
the shunt using properly crimped ring terminals. Do not stack these
connections on the large screws with the main circuit conductors.
Attach the conductor identifi ed as positive to the positive terminal on
the meter back and the conductor identifi ed as negative to the negative
terminal on the meter back using properly crimped ring terminals.
If desired, additional meters may be placed in other convenient
locations and connected to the same shunt. A second shunt is not
necessary in multiple meter installations if the intention is to read the
same current at the same maximum scale factor.
4. Wire Size
Signal wires: The meter movement requires only 1 mA of current to
operate. ABYC recommends 16 AWG conductors to assure adequate
physical strength. Smaller conductors may be used if part of a
multiconductor cable such as a shielded twisted pair signal cable.
Load Conductors: The load carrying conductors should be sized to
provide suffi cient wire size for both wire heating and voltage drop.
No change in wire size is required because of installing the meter
unless the total length of the wiring path is substantially increased to
locate the shunt in a safe location. Refer to the wire sizing chart in this
document or see ABYC E-11, Table IV for minimum conductor sizes. In
12V DC systems wire sizes are frequently chosen to be larger than the
minimum to provide acceptable voltage drop.
Available Meters
PN Description PN Description
8005 0-25A DC Ammeter 8003 8-16V DC Voltmeter
8022 0-50A DC Ammeter 8028 8-16V DC Micro Voltmeter
8016 0-75A DC Ammeter 8240 18-32V DC Voltmeter
8017 0-100A DC Ammeter 8243 18-32V DC Micro Voltmeter
8018 0-150A DC Ammeter 8038 0-15 A DC Micro Ammeter
8019 0-200A DC Ammeter 8041 0-50 A DC Micro Ammeter
9353 0-150V AC Voltmeter 8250 0-100A DC Micro Ammeter
9630 0-50A AC Ammeter
Related Products from Blue Sea Systems
PanelBack Insulating Covers
High Amperage Fuses and Circuit Breakers for positive feed wires
High Amperage Battery Switches
Terminal Blocks and Common Bus Connectors
AC Distribution Panels
DC Distribution Panels
AC and DC Voltmeters and Ammeters
Useful Reference Books
Calder, Nigel, 1996: Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual,
2nd edition, Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books, Inc.
Wing, Charlie, 1993: Boatowner’s Illustrated Handbook of Wiring,
Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books, Inc.
Wiring Diagram
DC Ammeter
Installation
(continued)