Battery Switch Installed

[Tug]

Did the Battery Switch installation this afternoon..

** Battery # 1 = starting battery
** Battery # 2 = house battery
** ran a cable from negative post battery # 1 to negative post battery # 2
** ran a cable from positive post battery # 1 to # 1 post on the switch
** ran a cable from positive post battery # 2 to # 2 post on the switch

** ran the positive wire from the motor to the common post on the switch
** ran the negative wire from the motor to the negative post battery # 1

** ran ( attached ) the positive wire from the ( distribution panel ) house circuit breaker to the common post on the switch...previously was attached to the positive post on the battery with the motor ( starting ) wire
** ran ( attached ) the negative wire from the ( distribution panel ) house circuit breaker to the negative post on battery # 1..previously was attached to the negative post on the battery with the motor starting wire.

This is what i did so far as to check this wiring :

With the switch in the off position nothing works.

With the switch in position # 1...@ # 2 i can light up and run all the on-off toggle switches on my distribution panel. Is is suppose to work on Switch position # 1 @ # 2

I have not tried starting the motor yet...need to get some gas first. lol

Does this sound like i wired it correctly so far...Thanks Tug

[thataway]

Yes, this is one way to wire it. You will be running the battery selected as the engine start and house--and the second battery in reserve. Never leave the switch in an "all" position, when not running the engine. I don't know if you have a make before break circuit on the switch (to protect the diodes on battery charging circuit).

Doing it your way, you can alternate batteries every time you use the boat.

[Tug]

Thought i was wiring it so that Battery # 1 was the main starting battery and battery # 2 was the house... Now i am confused..ha!ha!
So how do i have it connected now..which is the starting battery and which is the house.......when i run the boat engine on battery switch #1 is battery # 2 getting charged....and when i run the boat engine on battery #2 is battery # 1 getting charged...
Also are both batteries being charged when i run the boat engine on battery switch position...all or both
On Perko battery switches you can switch from position #1 to #2 ..all/both when the motor is running..but have to turn off the engine before you switch to the off battery switch position.


Thanks Tug

[NewMoon]

Hi Tug,

The way you're set up (if I understand correctly) is much like mine. Everything on the boat runs from whichever battery you're switched to. Likewise, charging happens only for whichever battery you're switched to. I think this is what Dr Bob was saying.

If battery #1 is a starting-oriented battery, and #2 is a deep-cycle-oriented battery, a very good practice is to use #1 to start up, and stay switched to #1 for long enough to recharge it (10 minutes?). Then switch to #2 and stay there until the next time you need to start up. We never use BOTH, unless we don't have enough juice in the starting battery to start. This is the way we've done it for many years, and have never had a battery or starting problem. It takes the best possible care of the two different battery types, charging and using each one separately, and it's easy to remember what switching is necessary.

As a cruiser who anchors a lot, has no generator, and rarely uses shore power, I really like the setup with two diffferent battery types, and its ability to provide a larger house battery capacity for the total weight of batteries I'm hauling around.

If your batteries are both the same type, you could still do switching and charging as above, using #1 primarily as a starter and #2 primarily as house. Or you could alternate as Dr Bob mentions. In our CD22 cruiser years ago we had identical batteries and alternated them, but it was easier to get mixed up.

[Tug]

NewMoon.. thank-you for the reply and clarification. Think i will leave the battery/switch wiring the way it is and alternate as you and Dr. Bob suggested. Thanks Tug

Next ..drilling the anchor/rope locker drain hole...i will need a beer or two for that..

[thataway]

The other option, which is used frequently currently, is to have a voltage sensitive relay on the battery which you are going to use the most--and then when it has started to take a good charge, the second battery is connected, with a relay which closes. For example. When the voltage goes to 14.1 the VSR closes, and charges the second battery. When you shut down the engine, the VSR opens, at voltage 12.7, and the batteries are no longer connected.

[Adeline]

[toyman]

Dr. Bob, which VSR have you chosen ? I have installed 2 "domestic" (cabin) batteries and have been considering one. Does yours have adjustable parameters for latching and dropout voltages ?

[tpbrady]

I like to use this battery switch http://bluesea.com/category/1/products/6011 combined with an ACR. This segregates the house and start batteries and allows me to use two charging sources (main and kicker whichever is in use) to charge both banks. I use two batteries on the house side in parallel to double the number of available amp hours. I probably should have another battery switch for the house only so I could run one or the other battery but space was starting to be limited where I had the switch and ACR.

[Tug]

I was thinking on installing the Yandina Combiner 100...if i could find somewhere to put it. That would go along way in making sure i didn't end up with dead batteries.Tug

[toyman]

I've been looking at the Blue Sea 7610 - or the 7650 combo.

[thataway]

I have two of the older Blue Seas ACR "Battery Link 7600"
They have done well on the Tom Cat, and I had one on the C Dory 25.