Wiring advice requested (sorry!)

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yukonjbishop

New member
The wiring in my C-Dory needs to be re-worked. Attached is a photo showing the current wiring. It is a 2 bank battery system - both Group 24 deep cycle. Currently all connections are by ring terminal directly to the battery terminals. The house battery terminals are a congested mess.

Also attached is a photo of my proposed rewiring - I'm new to the wiring game - before I proceed I'd like some feedback hopefully to confirm the proposed wiring plan is good to go OR to identify problems with the plan or changes/improvements that should be made.

You'll see I plan to change my battery switch from the traditional Off/1/2/Both to a Dual Circuit Blue Sea and add an Automatic Charging Relay (ACR) with Start Isolator (the Blue Sea Add-A-Battery Kit). I was concerned about the ACR's parasitic draw (15ma) when the battery switch is in the "Off" position and spoke to tech support at Blue Sea today… they advised me to connect the ACR to the output posts on the battery switch which will eliminate the ACR parasitic draw when in the off position. I have attached a photo showing the Add-A-Battery wiring diagram as recommended by Blue Sea tech support.

Two final questions:

1. Am I correct to connect the Guest AC charger wires directly to the terminals for each battery?

2. I have 2 bilge pumps - one at the bulkhead which is wired into the switch panel at the helm - the switch has an off/auto/manual position. The second (the aft bilge) is in the well at the drain plug. I was thinking the aft bilge should be wired directly to the terminals on the house battery to bypass the battery switch.

Comments, suggestions. Thanks. Preparing the boat for a several week trip in SE Alaska… leaving in 3 1/2 weeks.

Current_CD_wiring.jpg

Proposed_new_wiring.jpg

Blue_Sea_Add_A_Battery_Kit_wiring.jpg
 
yukonjbishop":1t2sloem said:
I was concerned about the ACR's parasitic draw (15ma) when the battery switch is in the "Off" position and spoke to tech support at Blue Sea today… they advised me to connect the ACR to the output posts on the battery switch which will eliminate the ACR parasitic draw when in the off position.
Click to expand...

I found the parasitic draw after hooking things up the usual recommended way. The initial suggestion was to put a small switch in the ground wire for the ACR, which I would then turn off. But to me one of the things about the "modern" battery switch and ACR is that you just turn the boat "on" when you get there, and "off" when you leave. Having to remember another little extra switch rubbed me the wrong way. When I mentioned this, Blue Sea tech support suggested your latter method to me: The two large wires coming from the ACR go to the "cold" side of the 1 and 2 positions on the battery switch. Problem solved and no "extra" little switches.


yukonjbishop":1t2sloem said:
I was thinking the aft bilge should be wired directly to the terminals on the house battery to bypass the battery switch.
Click to expand...

As another idea: I have both of my bilge pumps wired to a small positive bus that is before the battery switch. That way they are always "live" but there are no additional terminals right on the house battery.

yukonjbishop":1t2sloem said:
Preparing the boat for a several week trip in SE Alaska… leaving in 3 1/2 weeks.
Click to expand...

Sweet!
 
Agree with what you propose. I am surprised that a 2005 boat was wired directly to the battery to the extent yours was.

I have a very similar setup to yours--but put a 12 fuse block behind the main console, replacing the 6 gang fuse bloc--and put an additional 6 switch panel in--so I could switch my electronics on and off.

I wired the VSR thru the on/off switch, to eliminate the parasitic draw. Each leg of the battery charger is to a battery (3 legs, and 3 AGM group 31--including one bank for a freezer.

I also added the second bilge pump aft, put no float switch, since they are often a point of failure. The second bilge pump is entirely manual, and thru the console. The first bilge pump just inside the cabin door, is auto, off and manual on the switch at the console, not to the battery. My choice--and not a thing wrong with what you are doing.

When the boat is at rest in the water most of the water from the cockpit will run into the bilge sump just inside of the aft bulkhead near amidships.

Your plan sounds good.
 
Thanks Bob, I was hoping I'd hear from you and it's comforting to hear I'm on the right path. I'll probably revise the aft bilge to a switch control.
Thanks Sunbeam, I agree with you about a simple modern on/off battery switch, I'm glad to hear your Blue Sea set up works.
Time to heat shrink... and thanks again for the advice.
 
Great diagrams,
I am taking on similar task...as a newbie.
Can you clarify what the "cold side" is? Will that be obvious in the documentation for the ACR.?
 
kasnmart":1a26qc95 said:
Great diagrams,
I am taking on similar task...as a newbie.
Can you clarify what the "cold side" is? Will that be obvious in the documentation for the ACR.?
Click to expand...

I think I might be the one who said that. What I mean is, when you wire up a switch, the "hot" lead from the battery goes onto certain terminals on the switch; then the loads (the things you are going to put power to when you turn the switch on) go on other terminal(s) on the switch. I called the latter the "cold" side. In other words it/they is only energized when the switch is turned on.
 
Just my two cents worth, but I would go with a better battery charger than the Guest 2610. These Guest chargers have been a problem for many C-Brats in the past. Look into a Pro Mariner or other quality charger.
 
The sales guy at Fisheries Supplies told me they don't carry or don't recommend the Guest 2610 battery charger anymore cause it's not "really" waterproof.
QUESTION: where is the best spot to locate the batter charger? Same sales guy recommended not in the lazarrette With the battery, unless the lazarrette can be kept dry. I am installing blue sea "add-a battery" kit with the ACR.
Would love pictures of how others have fit everything in.
 
The leads coming out of the ACR in the diagram above have an s drawn in the line with little circles. What does this symbol represent? Is this where a fuse is installed?

I've installed 80amp fuses where the s appears on the blue sea install. I believe this is one of my problems.

Same s symbol are coming out of the positive bus bar in the diagram above.
 
Yes, the symbol you describe is one of those for fuses. A circuit breaker is a different symbol. However, often in small boats, a circuit breaker is used rather than a large fuse.
 
Thank you Bob! What gauge wire would you recommend running between the ACR, switch and battery terminals? I went with the 'bigger is better' mentality and chose 2 AWG, but it's large and cumbersome. Smaller AWG would be more flexible and easier to run.

I have 2 yamaha 50s, not sure if that makes a difference when selecting AWG.
 
A lot depends--if the starting load of the engine goes thru this wire, and the switch (which it does on mine)--then 2 AWG is OK--because your batteries are near the switch. I would stay with that. Your outboards only put out 17 amps each. The biggest draw will be your windlass--40 to 50 amps max.
 
Wow, THANKS!!! I have just a silly amount of copper going straight to my one single battery. I also have the original switch panel with glass fuses. I've had a rewire on my mind for some time, but just didn't want to do the planning. I can just steal your diagram!!
 
I know this is an old thread but it answers some of the questions that I would ask.

I want to add an "Add-a-Battery" kit, but I have twin engines that would both be running at the same time.

Would I wire them the same way as in the diagram?

Can I have two engines running at the same time charging the batteries through the switch?

Could hooking up both engines to the same switch case problems with my alternator or regulator?

I would like to have one starting battery and one house battery isolated by ACR.

Is there any benefit to having 3 batteries? I only need one house battery which I may supplement with a solar panel in the future.
 
I have rewired Sierra our new to us 2003 CD 25 over the last year in much the same way you propose for your boat. I have instaled ACRs on my last 3 boats and have been very happy with them.
I have cabin top solar added so I don't worry about the draw.
On our boat 2 group 31s fit for the house so we upgraded to them from 27s gaining 30 more amp hrs in the bank. I believe that bilge pumps should always be wired to a stud/strip between the battery and the main house switch. It has to run to your on-off-auto switch then back to the pump, place a lot of attention to the switch wiring diagram, use brown colored wire as is standard and be careful to calculate your full wire run for a lage enough gauge wire, pumps are often underwired I like an engine to house combine switch the same type as the main and engine switchs that bypasses the the ACR in case it fails or if there is a problem with the start battery.
You have a good handle on what you want and I believe that you will really enjoy the project.
Micah
 
ACRs "combine" your start bank to your house battery bank so the wire only has to be as large as is needed to carry your maximum charging currant be it from the motor charged battery to the house bank or from the solar charged house bank back to the start battery, size determined by the run length.
Micah
 
It is interesting to see this thread come up as I was unaware of it previously. I am the new owner of this boat, formerly Silvertip, now Mistaya. It has a somewhat unique wiring system, in that it runs on two house batteries with a switch. The electrical system had a big upgrade done by the previous owner and it is working very well. I have upgraded it, as is my duty as a C-Dory owner, with some added devices, a second VHF radio and solar panels.

I basically run the boat on one battery and I switch over the Port to Starboard battery on a daily basis, so that I am charging one battery while cruising and using it as my house battery. This way I always have a fully charged battery for the next day.

I added two 10w solar panels to work mainly as trickle chargers for the batteries. These are mounted on top of my radar arch. I also have two 30w flexible panels that I can plug in. I can either tie these onto the top of the boat or more commonly onto the kayaks I carry up there. I have never had a problem with a lack of electricity in my batteries. I have a switch on my solar panels so that I can charge either of the batteries or both. Most of the time it is set to charge both.
 
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