Orion XS 50A DC-DC charger shows voltage in/out but no amps in/out

DIY
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1

I have a 2014 Toyota Tacoma with a 130-amp regular alternator with a 2014 Four Wheel Camper Fleet model. After 11 years with AGM batteries, and 4 years with roof solar, I upgraded this summer to two Dakota Lithium DL+ 135Ah Batteries connected in parallel and a Victron Orion XS 12/12-50A DC-DC Charger. While the solar works great, my issue is the Orion XS has voltage in and out but no amps in or out.

Here are the Orion XS settings:
Function: Charger
Charger Enabled: Enabled
Input Current: 50A
Output Current: 50A
Battery Preset: Smart Lithium
Absorption Voltage: 14.2V
Float Voltage: 13.5V
Storage Voltage: 13.5V
Equalization Voltage: Disabled
Temperature Comp: Disabled
Engine Shutdown: Enabled
Alternator Type: Regular
Start Voltage: 14.0V
Delayed Start Voltage: 13.8V
Delayed Start Voltage: 120 seconds
Shutdown Voltage: 13.5V
Low Voltage Alarm: 12.5V
Low Volt Shutdown: 12.8V

I’ve attached a schematic of my setup. I have about 14 feet of 6 AWG wire running from the starter battery to the Orion XS with an Anderson Connector at the front of the truck bed. And a 6 AWG wire from the Orion XS to the house battery. The positive wire has 60-amp midi fuses near the starter battery and house battery. The Orion XS, Victron MPPT, Victron SmartShunt, and the lithium batteries are close together in a cabinet, so the associated wires are short.

Kimbrough wiring diagram
Kimbrough wiring diagram1042×792 17.9 KB

I’ve attached a screenshot from Victron Connect that shows the issue. This screenshot was taken on Sept 27 with the truck running and no load from the camper. It shows voltage in/out at the Orion XS, but no amps in/out (top), the battery shunt with house batteries at 12.68 volts (middle), and the MPPT with solar charging off (bottom). I did the same test with the DC fridge running and drawing current but nothing else changed.

Victron screenshot Sept 27
Victron screenshot Sept 271080×2340 197 KB

I put the Orion XS in power supply mode, turned on the DC fridge and heater fan, but again, no amps in or out of the Orion XS.

I cannot do a load test to check for voltage drop since I have no load. But on Oct 14 I did measure voltage at various locations with no load from the camper. Here are multimeter measurements with truck running at 1500 RPM’s:

Starter Battery: 14.22V
Orion XS input taken where 6 AWG wires attach to Orion: 14.22V
Orion XS input from App: 14.15V
Orion output taken at the Orion: 14.28V
Orion output from the App: 14.22V
House batteries: 13.19V

Perhaps I have an open circuit. If so, how do I test for that? From the schematic you’ll notice that the Orion XS is not connected to the SmartShunt; could this be the issue? Perhaps I need a single system negative wire to the SmartShunt running from a busbar or junction stud that has all the negative leads, including a new wire from this junction to the Orion XS?

Thank you!

2

Check for an open circuit somewhere in the output of the Orion. Perhaps there needs to be an additional negative connection? (orion to load side of shunt?)

3

According to your schematic, the truck ground is not connected to the shunt ground.

4

Thanks MIke, I will try connecting the Orion to the load side of the shunt.

5

Thanks for looking at the schematic Mikel. I will go ahead an connect the truck ground to the shunt.