Glossary

Star point

Also Star ground, Central ground point

What is Star point?

A central collection point from which each return cable runs separately. No load then sits in the ground path of another — the clean alternative to a daisy-chained ground.

What matters about Star point in practice?

With a daisy-chained ground, the current of all downstream loads flows through the first connection: voltage offsets build up, one corroded point affects everything behind it, and current measurement is no longer correct.

In large systems, group points are used, each with exactly one cable to the main star point. Additionally connecting two group points to each other creates a ground loop — exactly what the star point is meant to avoid.

How do you build a star point?

A negative busbar near the distribution usually serves as the star point. Each load’s return cable ends there individually, and a sufficiently heavy cable leads from the star point to the battery or shunt.

Where does the shunt sit?

Between battery negative and star point. Every current, whether from loads, charger, solar controller or inverter, then flows through the shunt, and the battery monitor captures everything. Only the starter cable is routed separately, depending on the layout.

What applies with several group points?

  • Each group point gets exactly one cable to the main star point.
  • Do not connect group points to each other, or a ground loop results.

The page busbar shows suitable negative distributors and their current ratings.

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