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Sarge
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 488
City/Region: Edmonds
State or Province: WA
Vessel Name: Sea Badger
Photos: Gigi
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 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:01 pm Post subject: Battery Switches - How do I Set Them Correctly |
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My boat used to be moored and I had access to shore power and my on-board battery charger to keep my batteries charged. Now I am in dry storage and I'm learning the habit of turning the batteries switches on/off. I'm just not sure I'm doing it correctly. 
I have 2 batteries and I have two battery switches. One switch is simply ON/OFF and the other switch has the following selections: OFF/1/ALL/2
Whoever rigged the boat left dyno tape on the access door stating, "Switch to 1 or 2 or ALL to start, then switch to 1 to run"
My usual routine is to switch the ON/OFF switch to ON
Switch the OFF/1/ALL/2 switch to 1
Start the motor and go about my business.
My question is...will this charge both my batteries when I'm using the motor?
When I put the boat in the rack I turn both switches to OFF .
I'd appreciate any insight or thoughts on this matter.
thanks,
_________________
-Sarge
2001 2150 Bayliner, sold
2007 CD25, sold
2007 Harbercraft Kingfisher 2850, sold
2011 Stabicraft 2250SC, sold
2011 Eastern 18cc
Blog: http://theseabadger.wordpress.com |
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Captains Cat
Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 7313
City/Region: Cod Creek>Potomac River>Chesapeake Bay
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Captain's Choice II
Photos: Captain's Cat
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Hard to say Sarge unless we know how it's wired. 
Charlie
_________________
CHARLIE and PENNY CBRAT #100
Captain's Cat II 2005 22 Cruiser
Thataway (2006 TC255 - Sold Aug 2013)
Captain's Cat (2006 TC255 - Sold January 2012)
Captain's Kitten (1995 CD 16 Angler- Sold June 2010)
Captain's Choice (1994 CD 22 Cruiser- Sold Jun 2007)
Potomac River/Chesapeake Bay
K4KBA |
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matt_unique
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Posts: 1881
City/Region: Boston
State or Province: MA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Napoleon
Photos: Napoleon
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject: Battery wiring |
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I discovered that my Tomcat was wired wrong at the batteries and at the AC charger. (The mechanic said he took pictures before he fixed it and sent them to the factory). If you are only using two batteries you should only have one switch wired. My dealer may install a 4th battery so the system makes logical (usable) sense). 1 for start, 2 for house, and both for all to apply to both switches.
The only way to check what you have now is to test power supply and charging. Use a multimeter to test the voltage of your batteries without any charging by AC or engine to determine a baseline.
Then set your switch to position 1 and start your engine. Use a multimeter on the batteries to determine which battery supplied the power and is thus being charged. Shut your engine off, switch over to position 2, start the engine, then retest with the multimeter. Shut your engine off, switch to both, restart, etc.
Two switches for 2 and 3 batteries is nonsense. If you can, disconnect all the wires and reconnect using just one switch. Others with more C-Dory and electrical knowledge will no doubt chime in here but a multimeter is the only way to find out what is going on now.
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Captain Matt
Former owner of Napoleon (Tomcat) Hull #65 w/Counter Rotating Suzuki 150's. |
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Sarge
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 488
City/Region: Edmonds
State or Province: WA
Vessel Name: Sea Badger
Photos: Gigi
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Charlie,
| Quote: | | Hard to say Sarge unless we know how it's wired. |
Therein lies the problem for me....
I guess I have to do some more digging.
Thanks. |
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tom&shan
Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 316
Photos: Dakota
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject: Re: Battery Switches - How do I Set Them Correctly |
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| Sarge wrote: | I have 2 batteries and I have two battery switches. One switch is simply ON/OFF and the other switch has the following selections: OFF/1/ALL/2
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My guess. Off - Battery one is Off. 1 - Battery one is ON.. All - Both batteries going through, similar to emergency start, house and starter both going to engine. 2 - bypass Battery one, use Battery two only.
Tom |
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Sea Wolf
Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: Battery Switches - How do I Set Them Correctly |
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| tom&shan wrote: | | Sarge wrote: | I have 2 batteries and I have two battery switches. One switch is simply ON/OFF and the other switch has the following selections: OFF/1/ALL/2
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My guess. Off - Battery one is Off. 1 - Battery one is ON.. All - Both batteries going through, similar to emergency start, house and starter both going to engine. 2 - bypass Battery one, use Battery two only.
Tom |
Off-1-Both-2.............OK!
So what do you think the other switch is for? (On-OFF) ???
_________________
Sea Wolf, C-Brat #31
Lake Shasta, California
  
"Most of my money I spent on boats and women. The rest I squandered'. " -Annonymous |
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Sarge
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 488
City/Region: Edmonds
State or Province: WA
Vessel Name: Sea Badger
Photos: Gigi
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Joe,
| Quote: | Off-1-Both-2.............OK!
So what do you think the other switch is for? (On-OFF) ??? |
That's been bugging me. I left it on "OFF" and switched the multi-switch to 1 and I was able to use the accessories on the boat. I thought it might be a master ON/OFF switch, but obviously that isn't what it does.
Now I'm guessing that it might be a master ON/OFF switch for the second battery...I need to leave it "OFF" and switch the multi switch to 2 and see if I get power on the boat. 
If I only had one switch - the multi switch - would it need to be on ALL to charge both batteries when the boat motor is running? |
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tom&shan
Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 316
Photos: Dakota
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Sarge wrote: | Joe,
I left it on "OFF" and switched the multi-switch to 1 and I was able to use the accessories on the boat. I thought it might be a master ON/OFF switch, but obviously that isn't what it does.
Now I'm guessing that it might be a master ON/OFF switch for the second battery...I need to leave it "OFF" and switch the multi switch to 2 and see if I get power on the boat.
If I only had one switch - the multi switch - would it need to be on ALL to charge both batteries when the boat motor is running? |
So then Battery 1 is your House Battery and Battery 2 is your starter Battery. I would think that ALL is only for emergency starting, that normal operation has multi switch set to 1 and the other switch set to ON. What were they at all summer when you used the boat? I saw you at Lopez last year so I know it must be working. Of course I dont really have a clue ... maybe you should try and get Pat Anderson to pipe in with some advice?
Tom |
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Sea Wolf
Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Sarge wrote: |
If I only had one switch - the multi switch - would it need to be on ALL to charge both batteries when the boat motor is running? |
Yes, that's the way most boats are wired. (Unless they have some automatic switching relay in the charging circuit.)
We really need someone who can trace wiring circuits to look at exactly how these switches are hooked up!
Joe.   |
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journey on
Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 3598
City/Region: Valley Centre
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: journey on
Photos: Journey On
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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Sarge, is this the C-dory or your new boat? From the discussion, I would think that this is different from what C-dory would install, and one should either contact whoever made the boat, or trace the connection wires.
Boris |
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Sarge
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 488
City/Region: Edmonds
State or Province: WA
Vessel Name: Sea Badger
Photos: Gigi
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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Boris,
It's the new boat. I'm going to take Charlie's advice and dig into this further.
Thanks for your thoughts.
-Sarge |
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