Dan, the Blue Sea ACR has extremely LOW overhead. After the initial inrush surge of current, which takes well under one second, the current needed to hold the solenoid (it's just a big contactor relay, capable of carrying up to 650 amps if your cables are heavy enough) is miniscule. I'll post a link to the Acrobat file that carries the installation and operation manual when I return to my office Monday, but if you're impatient you can find it on the Blue Seas website.
By all means, if you're coming through Rockford, let me know ahead of time. Jeane and I would love to have you over for dinner (unless you're coming through at breakfast time, in which case dinner is, well, absurd.) And we'd like to show you what we've done so far on Pixie. Best regards, David Shaddock > David, > > The trip was great. Mardi gras in New Orleans was something that I > could just not imagine. I think most people think of it as a very seedy > event but it really was a very family friendly event where I was at > (uptown). I did go see the heavies hit areas of Lakeview and the lower > 9th ward -- was heartbreaking to see those areas. > > I have heard that the ACRs have a lot of "overhead" in terms of current > draw. Is there any truth in that? I have definitely thought about one. > > Thanks for the info. I might be coming through Rockford at the end of > the month -- I wouldn't mind seeing Pixie if possible. > > Talk to you later, > Dan > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >Dan, you can certainly extend a set of leads. If you're adding much length, > >it's a good idea to run heavier cables, though, to keep the resistance down. > > > > > >An alternative to a two-bank charger that you may want to consider to a two- > >bank charger is an ACR, or Automatic Charging Relay. In the '77 C27 I'm > >refitting, I've eliminated my battery switch and using a Blue Seas 9112 ACR > >instead. It connects both banks together during heavy draw (like starting), > >and also watches both banks during normal cruise operations or while hooked > >up > >to shore power--if it sees that the active bank is fully charged, it > >combines > >the two banks so they both get charged, and then isolates them again when > >charging is done. It's like having a little battery monitor that does > >exactly > >what's best for my boat under the current circumstances, and I don't have to > >wonder whether I've remembered to set the switches right. I paid about $125 > >for it, but I saved a lot of money by buying a big single charger rather > >than > >a two-bank unit and my battery switch was defective anyway. And I don't > >need > >an isolator, either. > > > >How was your trip down south, by the way? > > > >Best regards, > >David Shaddock > >1977 C27 #3495 Pixie, in Rockford IL > > > > > > > > > >>Phil, > >> > >>Can I extend one of the sets of leads -- it appears that most 2 bank > >>chargers require that the batteries be fairly close together. > >> > >>Thanks, > >>Dan > >> > >>Phil Agur wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >>>Hi Dan, > >>> > >>>The most common solution is to buy a two bank charger, that's a single > >>>charger with two outputs. > >>> > >>>Phil Agur s/v Wing Tip > >>>Commodore, Call Sign WCW3485 > >>>IC27/270A MMSI 366901790 > >>>www.catalina27.org Vessel Doc# 1039809 > >>> > >>> > >>>-----Original Message----- > >>>From: [email protected] > >>>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Buller > >>>Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 6:35 PM > >>>To: [email protected] > >>>Subject: catalina27-talk: Charger question > >>> > >>>I have what probably sounds like a dumb question: I want to put a 2 > >>>bank battery system in place this year (house and starting) and I will > >>>have a combiner switch I am also wanting a hard wired charger in place. > >>>Here is the issue: the batteries will be in different locations so do I > >>>need 2 chargers or can I place the charger with the switch and charge > >>>both batteries with one charger or will I need 2 chargers (one at each > >>>battery location)? > >>> > >>>Thanks, > >>>Dan B > >>>Sotto voce 1973 Catalina 27 Hull 653 > >>>OB Dinette Std Rig > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>
