Re: Stus-List Batteries all charged up?
You can charge batteries of different capacities together, but you should not discharge them together, at least on a regular basis. I charge my 3XGp31 house bank along with my single Group 24 start battery, but always switch to house when we are settled for the night. Always. Knock on wood, but 19 years and counting. I have a Balmar 90A alternator with a Balmar ARS-IV regulator, so I get 45-50 amps out of it at 1100 RPM and 85A at 2500 RPM. At least for a while. Last year I finally put a temp sensor on the alternator and now the regulator knocks it down to 35A when it gets too hot, so I end up with about a 60/40 charge ratio. Still gets me from 60% to 90% in an hour of motoring. Jim Watts Paradigm Shift C&C 35 Mk III Victoria, BC ___ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
Re: Stus-List Batteries all charged up?
Chuck; Im charging 460 AH of house bank (4 deep cycle batteries) with the 45 amp alternator that is stock on a Westerbeke 36 hp engine. In addition, there is an echo charger that charges a small 24DC battery under the v-berth (that powers the Lecra-San and the anchor windlass). The echo charger allows controlled current to flow from the house bank when there is high voltage there (14v or so, IIRC) during charging and the secondary battery is at a low voltage (12.0 or so?). The boat sits for long periods of time without being connected to shore power, with the only load on the house bank being the bilge pump. I was on the boat on Tuesday. The house bank was at 12.53V or about 95% of capacity after 7 ½ weeks of inactivity. The Group 27DC start battery is still at 12.59v. All in all, it is much like being on a mooring for an extended period of time. Running my engine for about 45 minutes will restore both house and start batteries to full charge. Your yard may be justified in the in saying that your 35 amp alternator would be taxed to recharge your batteries if they were badly depleted after a day of running your fridge and other electric loads while at anchor. When fully depleted to 50% charge, you would be down something like 150AH and need to run the engine at higher speeds to give max output from the alternator for around 5 hours to recharge. But for the typical discharge levels you would see from moderate time on the mooring your stock alternator should not be overtaxed. Rick Brass Washington, NC From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Gilchrest via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2016 4:11 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Chuck Gilchrest Subject: Stus-List Batteries all charged up? Does anyone out there charge a pair of Group 31 batteries using the lower output alternator? Chuck Gilchrest Half Magic 1983 LF 35 Padanaram, MA ___ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
Re: Stus-List Batteries all charged up?
Chuck — I’m charging two Trojan T105 golf cart batteries in series with my stock alternator; the two batteries combined give a total of 225Ah of capacity, which is more than double what many Group 31 batteries are rated at. No problems at all. Fred Street -- Minneapolis S/V Oceanis (1979 C&C Landfall 38) -- on the hard in Bayfield, WI :^( > On Apr 6, 2016, at 3:11 PM, Chuck Gilchrest via CnC-List > wrote: > > Does anyone out there charge a pair of Group 31 batteries using the lower > output alternator? ___ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
Re: Stus-List Batteries all charged up?
Chuck I was charging two 31s with my 35 amp alternator. When I had problems with my system I put in a 50 amp instead. Non OEM alternators are cheap. I'd rather have 2 house batteries than risk killing one at a time. Joel 35/3 Annapolis On Wed, Apr 6, 2016 at 4:11 PM, Chuck Gilchrest via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > Bruce, > > My boatyard says it puts a very heavy load on the alternator to charge > both house and starter batteries at the same time using the diesel. Same > if you have two house batteries hooked up in parallel. If you’ve installed > a high output alternator on your diesel or have alternate charging methods > (shore power battery charger, solar panel, etc.) there’s less issue, > although I’m of the understanding that batteries being charged together > should be the same capacity and relative age. > > > > On my “new boat”, it came with 2 group 31 (house) and one group 24 > starter. It has a Promarine charger that runs off 110 current. The PO > spent most of the time hooked up to shore power and even had a Tenma 12v > power source that he could run the 12v circuit when he had access to 110v > shore power.I’m going to be on a mooring and I’m being told that unless > I can somehow upgrade my charging system, It is a bad idea for me to have > two Group 31 batteries in parallel as it will burn out the stock 35A > alternator on the Yanmar 3HM. I’m buying new batteries so now is the time > for a decision. Will probably go with one Group 31 for the house and one > Group 24 for the starter. There’s a two battery switch on the bulkhead so > I can assume the second Group 31 was wired in parallel on the same switch. > > > > I’m trying to avoid turning my lovely Landfall 35 into a Beverly > Hillbillies looking stern (my wife insisted we buy davits) by adding wind > generators, solar panels along with all the other “essential” debris that > clutters up a cruising boat. The boat has 12V refrigeration (OEM Waaco > Cold Machine) that would be wonderful to turn on occasionally to keep a few > things cold while cruising. Does anyone out there charge a pair of Group > 31 batteries using the lower output alternator? > > Chuck Gilchrest > > Half Magic > > 1983 LF 35 > > Padanaram, MA > > > > *From:* CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] *On Behalf Of *Bruce > Pope via CnC-List > *Sent:* Wednesday, April 6, 2016 3:44 PM > *To:* cnc-list@cnc-list.com > *Cc:* Bruce Pope > *Subject:* Re: Stus-List Automatic Charging Relay > > > > > > Is it safe to switch between 1-BOTH-2 while the engine is running? I have > gotten mixed messages about that. Haven't tried and am starting/charging > in the BOTH position assuming therefore that banks are in parallel and both > are charging. But, read somewhere that it is bad form to charge different > types of batteries (starter/deep cycle house) this way. > -- > > *From:* CnC-List on behalf of Josh > Muckley via CnC-List > *Sent:* Tuesday, April 5, 2016 7:58 PM > *To:* C&C List > *Cc:* Josh Muckley > *Subject:* Re: Stus-List Automatic Charging Relay > > > > It's not "smart" it always starts charging the "primary" bank first. Once > the primary battery is full (ish) it combines the second battery. > > Josh > > On Apr 5, 2016 9:50 PM, "John Pennie via CnC-List" > wrote: > > Thanks Gary. I get that and I suppose it certainly simplifies the wiring > - you essentially have one bank for charging purposes. No opinion at this > point although I do feel silly having spent the last year dutifully > switching between 1-both -2. I assume it’s just a relay that connects the > circuit at a set voltage. Not sure how it can be smart enough to determine > which bank to charge first but perhaps they are more than just a relay. > > > > John > > > > On Apr 5, 2016, at 9:13 PM, Gary Russell via CnC-List < > cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > > > Hi John, > > I've had ACRs on my boats for the last 15 years and I think they are > one of the best upgrades you can do. When I bought "Kaylarah" (formerly > "High Maintenance",adding and ACR was one of my first upgrades. They are > usually wired to charge the house bank first, then the start bank. If your > start bank was very low, you could could still use a combine switch to get > the engine started. I have never had a problem with the ACRs and I can't > say the same about a 1-BOTH-2 switch. All you have to do is forget to > switch to 1 or 2 after you shut the engine off and you can kill both > batteries while sitting on a hook. That won't happen with and ACR. I > think you will come to like them. > > > > Fair winds, > > Gary > > S/V Kaylarah > > '90 C&C 37+ > > East Greenwich, RI, USA > > > ~~~_/)~~ > > > > On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 8:38 PM, John Pennie via CnC-List < > cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > So while connecting batteries today i discovered, to my surprise, that > Paws has an automatic charging relay between the two battery banks. Yes, > I’m still
Stus-List Batteries all charged up?
Bruce, My boatyard says it puts a very heavy load on the alternator to charge both house and starter batteries at the same time using the diesel. Same if you have two house batteries hooked up in parallel. If you've installed a high output alternator on your diesel or have alternate charging methods (shore power battery charger, solar panel, etc.) there's less issue, although I'm of the understanding that batteries being charged together should be the same capacity and relative age. On my "new boat", it came with 2 group 31 (house) and one group 24 starter. It has a Promarine charger that runs off 110 current. The PO spent most of the time hooked up to shore power and even had a Tenma 12v power source that he could run the 12v circuit when he had access to 110v shore power.I'm going to be on a mooring and I'm being told that unless I can somehow upgrade my charging system, It is a bad idea for me to have two Group 31 batteries in parallel as it will burn out the stock 35A alternator on the Yanmar 3HM. I'm buying new batteries so now is the time for a decision. Will probably go with one Group 31 for the house and one Group 24 for the starter. There's a two battery switch on the bulkhead so I can assume the second Group 31 was wired in parallel on the same switch. I'm trying to avoid turning my lovely Landfall 35 into a Beverly Hillbillies looking stern (my wife insisted we buy davits) by adding wind generators, solar panels along with all the other "essential" debris that clutters up a cruising boat. The boat has 12V refrigeration (OEM Waaco Cold Machine) that would be wonderful to turn on occasionally to keep a few things cold while cruising. Does anyone out there charge a pair of Group 31 batteries using the lower output alternator? Chuck Gilchrest Half Magic 1983 LF 35 Padanaram, MA From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Bruce Pope via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, April 6, 2016 3:44 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Bruce Pope Subject: Re: Stus-List Automatic Charging Relay Is it safe to switch between 1-BOTH-2 while the engine is running? I have gotten mixed messages about that. Haven't tried and am starting/charging in the BOTH position assuming therefore that banks are in parallel and both are charging. But, read somewhere that it is bad form to charge different types of batteries (starter/deep cycle house) this way. _ From: CnC-List mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com> > on behalf of Josh Muckley via CnC-List mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > Sent: Tuesday, April 5, 2016 7:58 PM To: C&C List Cc: Josh Muckley Subject: Re: Stus-List Automatic Charging Relay It's not "smart" it always starts charging the "primary" bank first. Once the primary battery is full (ish) it combines the second battery. Josh On Apr 5, 2016 9:50 PM, "John Pennie via CnC-List" mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: Thanks Gary. I get that and I suppose it certainly simplifies the wiring - you essentially have one bank for charging purposes. No opinion at this point although I do feel silly having spent the last year dutifully switching between 1-both -2. I assume it's just a relay that connects the circuit at a set voltage. Not sure how it can be smart enough to determine which bank to charge first but perhaps they are more than just a relay. John On Apr 5, 2016, at 9:13 PM, Gary Russell via CnC-List mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: Hi John, I've had ACRs on my boats for the last 15 years and I think they are one of the best upgrades you can do. When I bought "Kaylarah" (formerly "High Maintenance",adding and ACR was one of my first upgrades. They are usually wired to charge the house bank first, then the start bank. If your start bank was very low, you could could still use a combine switch to get the engine started. I have never had a problem with the ACRs and I can't say the same about a 1-BOTH-2 switch. All you have to do is forget to switch to 1 or 2 after you shut the engine off and you can kill both batteries while sitting on a hook. That won't happen with and ACR. I think you will come to like them. Fair winds, Gary S/V Kaylarah '90 C&C 37+ East Greenwich, RI, USA ~~~_/)~~ On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 8:38 PM, John Pennie via CnC-List mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: So while connecting batteries today i discovered, to my surprise, that Paws has an automatic charging relay between the two battery banks. Yes, I'm still learning this boat. So as I understand it, once voltage hits 13.6 volts (or 13.0 for 2 minutes) the relay will automatically combine the two banks to share the changing source. Not sure how I feel about that. On the plus side, I guess it's great that I don't have to worry about moving a battery selector switch while the engine is running. On the down side - How does a battery charger monitoring two banks handle this? I just seems it has to screw up the l
