Critique my solar charger/battery monitor setup?

[Buddha.]

Is the Victron 712 not measuring what’s actually going into the batteries because I’m jumped straight to the batteries? Am I bypassing the shunt? I must be because when I hook the jump cables up to the batteries my monitor is still saying -~1 amps are leaving the battery, and the state of charge hasn’t moved but my voltage has gone from 12.2 to 13.5 and held there for 30 min.

 

[Buddha.]

Are they pure copper, or copper clad aluminum? I have seen some pretty sketchy "2awg" no name jumper cables.

I don’t know. This is where my trailer end burned up. Lots of powdery crap falling out of there.

 

[luthj]

If you jumper cables bypass the shunt, your meter won't see the charge current.

 

[luthj]

I don’t know. This is where my trailer end burned up. Lots of powdery crap falling out of there.
View attachment 610010

Looks like CCA, explains the meltdown.

 

[Buddha.]

If you jumper cables bypass the shunt, your meter won't see the charge current.

I wish I brought my amp clamp so I’d know how many amps where going in so I’d know how long to leave this truck running.
My wild guess is after an hour or so I’m burning more gas than it’s worth.

 

[Buddha.]

Good possibility. There is no shortage LDPE coated metallic shιt thats sold as jumper cables. Real jumpercables are not inexpensive, get what you pay for.
Probably best to fix it before more smoke comes out.

Yeah I’m not using the dc-dc until I fix that one stretch of wire. The rest of it is 2awg welding cable.

 

[john61ct]

Please stop messing around with fraudulently deceptive consumer grade crap for wiring.
Good stuff is under $5 a foot

Good crimpers cost hundreds though and last a lifetime, but if you think not good value ask around about borrowing some.

Or get a pro to terminate to your specs
genuinedealz.com does a great job.

Marine quality UL rated tinned is not "overkill" compared to fires!

 

[john61ct]

Connectors and crimpers

Might want to get one of these with all the different dies. Works well and the guy has a ton of great info on his site. https://shop.marinehowto.com/products/diy-modular-crimp-tool I had purchased this crimper based on his suggestion a few years back. But according to his website he no...

www.expeditionportal.com