shore power

[Cool It]

hey guys,<br /> another question on the new boat-- 2000 240 Searay Sundancer- 5.7 EFI Merc. Does this sound right-- the frig and stereo and other various electronics run off the batteries even though I am pluged into shore power. then the shore power just charges the baterries as they are being used??? and I guess the 110 outlets on the boat must run from the shore power. I thought I had an Inverter but I dont./// Also when the charger is charging batteries where should the meter read on the charger when fully charged -- close to Zero?? or slightley higher???<br /><br />Hope I did not confuse you guys with this two part question.<br /><br />Thanks<br />COOL IT

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: shore power

Depends on the kind of fridge you have some are AC/DC so they run off AC when on shorepower and then switch over to DC when shorepower isn't available. But you're right everything that runs off 12v will use battery power and the charger will replenish the battery as long as it can keep up with the load. Yes as the battery reaches full charge the meter should read less and less until it hits zero which means it's putting out only a trickle or no charge at all.

 

[Cool It]

Re: shore power

Thanks Boatin bob-- how do I know if the fridge is AC/DC or just DC. when I shut the battery off and just pluged in frig does not work -- but maybe there is something wrong or maybe it is just DC??????<br /><br />so when plugged in should I leave battery switch on both batteries so these things draw off both and then both a charged evenly????<br /><br />Thanks COOl It

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: shore power

If you have an ownwers manual for the fridge or if you know the model # you can usually look that up on the manufactures website. The only other way to tell for sure would be to slide it out and see if it has both connections on the back. I wouldn't leave the switch on both incase something goes wrong with one battery as it will just pull the other one down as well. Normally chargers are wired directly to the battery and bypass the switch so they can charge regardless if the switch is on or not.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: shore power

Cool it, you have two different power panels, one is DC and the other AC. Do you have a breaker labled fridge on the AC panel ? In most cases AC will take precedence over DC as far as the fridge is concerned. In my last boat (95 Sea Ray 300)there was a switch on the dc panel for fridge and one on the ac panel. If I was connected to shore power the fridge would run on ac as long as that switch (breaker) was on.....even if I also had the dc fridge switch on.

 

[Cool It]

Re: shore power

I believe there is a switch on both panels and also a switch for DC right next to the fridge on the side of the galley cabinent. all switches need to be on for the fridge to work. Even if I am plugged in the DC switch still needs to be on- also my battery needs to be on. I thought I could shut the DC of if I was plugged in but then it does not work???<br /><br />Thanks<br />COOL It

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: shore power

Just because you have a AC fridge switch on your panel doesn't mean you have an AC/DC fridge. I hear what you are saying though, if I'm on shorepower and shut off my dc switch the fridge keeps running on AC and vice a versa but I think the newer fridges are a little different and may require DC to be for the AC to work. Again a quick check with the model number on the man website should tell you.