Panel Mount Ammeter

I installed a DC ammeter from muRata Power Solutions so I could monitor my battery. I already have installed a very nice volt meter from the same company. I picked these meters because they were very accurate and so you end up paying a little more for that accuracy. The shunt is installed as a Low-Side Shunt meaning it’s installed in the ground or negative wire. I had to change how the trailer ground wire was originally wired. On my trailer the ground wire attaches to the battery and runs a short distance under the trailer and attaches to the frame. Inside the trailer coming off the ground thermal block is a wire that attaches to a different part of the frame where the cable exits the floor of trailer. When I got my trailer I made up a 6 gauge cable to connect these 2 points on the frame together. I do not like running current thru the steel frame, steel is not as good of a connector as copper is. To wire in the meter I had to have a single, continuous cable from the battery to where I mounted the shunt inside the trailer and from the other side of shunt a cable to the ground terminal block. I still have a 6 gauge cable from the ground terminal block to the frame; and it is to bond the frame for the AC ground or or safety ground wire so everything is at the same potential, 0 volts. I can now monitor my battery charge/discharge current. It will show when I have my solar panels up how much the battery is charging minus what I am using at the time. The meter will show a – negative on the display if current is leaving the battery. When I have it hooked to AC and the battery charger is supplying the current the – negative symbol goes away and will show what is going back into the battery. If you are looking for a meter that is cheaper and slightly less accurate Blue Sea has come out with 2 very nice panel meters.

muRata Power Solutions, 3.5 digit, Subminiature DC Ammeter DCA5-20PC-2-DC1-RL ($50 Mouser Electronics)
Accuracy ± 0.15%
Resolution 0.1A
Operating Current 15mA
Subminiature DC Ammeter

muRata 100 amp 50mV shunt #3020-01099-0 ($21 Mouser Electronics)
100 amp shunt

Volt meter and TV sound bar


Blue Sea Systems Mini DC Voltmeter 12V DC #1733 ($38 Amazon)
Accuracy ± 1.0%
Resolution 0.01 DC
Operating Current 15mA
Mini DC Voltmeter

Blue Sea Systems Mini Ammeter #1732 ($62 Amazon) comes with 100 amp 50mV shunt
Accuracy ± 2%
Resolution 0.1A
Operating Current 15mA
Mini Ammeter

I installed a Victron BMV-702 which gives me the ability to monitor the battery bank (as one with current) and the solar panel voltage as well.  Quite happy with that.

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-BMV-702-Battery-Monitor