Hi Charlie
Wired properly, the on position will turn both house bank and start bank
on, but in the on position the start bank only is connected to the
engine, the house bank is only connected to house loads. Which is what
you normally want. At anchor, leave it at "on". That way you aren't
drawing down both banks.
The combine setting bridges the two banks together. You only would put
it to combine batteries if you need to combine them - say you don't have
enough punch from the start bank, if you switch to combine you get the
added punch from the house bank.
Graham Collins
Secret Plans
C&C 35-III #11
On 2020-06-24 2:11 p.m., Charlie Nelson via CnC-List wrote:
Thanks a bunch Edd--
One further question(I am new to this switch/ACR system!):
I have been keeping the battery switch set to the ON position always,
motoring, at the dock with charger plugged in, etc. as I rarely anchor
out without access to power. I understand that my system is wired so
that the ON position is dedicated to the start battery(it was
installed by a very competent boat electrician, not by me!). I
probably need to trace the wiring to confirm this.
Anyhow, In the event that I do anchor out, should I set the battery
switch from ON to COMBINE BATTERIES?
In my former boat world, I would just use the rotary switch and move
from battery #1 (start) to #2 (house)--thereby isolating the start
battery from use. With my present system, I am unsure of what to do
with the batteries when I anchor.
My assumption is that if I leave the switch at the ON position, the
start battery is being drawn down while the house batteries are not
supplying anything. OTOH, if I go to COMBINE BATTERIES, all the
batteries are being drawn down.
Charlie Nelson
PS: Need to be able to disconnect the solar to store the panel when I
am club racing--it won't be permanently mounted.
-----Original Message-----
From: Edd Schillay via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
To: Edd Schillay via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
Cc: Edd Schillay <e...@schillay.com>
Sent: Wed, Jun 24, 2020 12:22 pm
Subject: Re: Stus-List Fwd: Batteries etc.
Charlie,
I would suggest the following:
1. Yes, set up a buss bar to the house bank for your charging sources.
2. I assume you’re looking to set up solar on the stern of the boat,
either off the stern rail or on the bimini. You should have plenty of
access to get wiring into the back cabin where your batteries are. Put
the controller near the buss.
3. As for a disconnect (not sure why you’d want to disconnect), most
panels have their own connector so that you can connect to wires or
link to others for more wattage. Just unplug it when you want to.
4. It is advisable, even with an ACR, to run all charging sources
(shore charger, alternator and solar) to one bank. That being said, I
never found a logical reason as to why, but everyone says you should.
With that in mind, I’d run them all to the house bank to ensure
everything keeps going (bilge pump, fridge, lights, etc.) and not the
engine bank. The ACR will charge both anyway.
That’s my $0.02.
All the best,
Edd
Edd M. Schillay
Captain of the Starship Enterprise
C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B
Venice Yacht Club | Venice Island, FL
Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log <http://enterpriseb.blogspot.com/>
On Jun 24, 2020, at 12:03 PM, Charlie Nelson via CnC-List
<cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote:
My early post/request was incorrect (and thus confusing) in the details:
I have a Xantrex battery monitor that replaced my old voltage switch
when my dc power system was upgraded--my original post called it a
Victron or something--anyway all it does is monitor the batteries.
My current system has 2 Group 31 Northstar 'house' batteries and a
Group 27 or 31 'start' battery. When this was installed, the old
1/2/all switch was eliminated and replaced by a Blue Seas Dual Circuit
Plus switch with Off-On-Combine Batteries positions and an ACR from
Blue Seas.
At the dock, the batteries are charged by a Xantrex 20/40 (forget
which). Otherwise they are hooked up via the Blue Seas switch with
the ACR. All the batteries are located in 2 built in battery
compartments in the port side of the aft cabin under the bunk. One
compartment houses 2 batteries and the other has a single battery. The
switch and ACR are located immediately above the batteries on the aft
bulkhead with leads of about 3 feet.
Now to my original questions:
I would like to hook up a solar panel to trickle charge the system in
my absence and would like advice on physically how to do it. I have a
MPPT controller, etc. but need a simple/safe way to connect/disconnect
it and how: directly to one of the battery banks?
Similarly I like the idea of an emergency battery/charger (the
portable kind that keeps its internal battery charged from AC but is
light enough to carry on board) that can be hooked up to get going if
all the above goes to hell,
Where is the best place to patch such a connection to the system for
an emergency start system--presumably this same place could be used
also hook in the solar panel?
My educated guess is to attach a buss bar to one of the batteries (the
start or house?) and then attach the wires of the solar controller and
the external charger to those.
Maybe since I have the ACR, it doesn't matter since it will distribute
the charge accordingly? (BTW, the shore charger delivers charge to the
start battery and the house batteries via separate charger outputs.)
Thanks to all who tried to answer my original post in spite of the
mis-information it contained!!
Charlie Nelson
Water Phantom
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every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal
to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
_______________________________________________
Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and
every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal
to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
