2 chargers?

[kingsfisherman]

previous owner of our 1998 Seaswirl 260 Sedan had installed 2 Guest charge pro chargers,1 model 2610 10A and a model 2631A 30A. After having some problems this weekend with the wiring I traced and tagged all the wires connected to the batteries,isolator,chargers and where an inverter used to be installed then removed everything but the 2 batteries the selector switch and the altenator which took care of the running problem but now I want to set it back up with an isolator and run a charger off of the shore power and go without the inverter. just not sure why there are 2 chargers? It seems to me the 30A charger does eveything I need, am I missing something?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 2 chargers?

Hard to tell why two chargers were used since you didn't tell us how they were wired. Could be that the 10 was for the start battery only. The 30A may have been for the house battery(ies). I have two chargers on my boat. One 30A shoud be sufficient as you suggest.

 

[kingsfisherman]

Re: 2 chargers?

sorry about that,the 10A is a automatic charger which is wired through the 110V panel,the 30A appeared to have something to do with an inverter that had been removed because it was fried on the 110V side of it. Since we're on this subject I can ask another question,when I install the new isolator will it be ok to run it through the battery selctor switch along with the automatic charger?

 

[kingsfisherman]

Re: 2 chargers?

still looking how to hook up the new isolator and what to do with the 2 chargers,found a schematic from boatfix that shows I can run everything through the battery selector switch is this the best way to do it? thanks for the help.

 

[tommays]

Re: 2 chargers?

You would want the isolator to connect dirrectly to the batterys as the moveing the switch when the motor is running with the isolator connected through it may dammage the alt<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 2 chargers?

I don't think we have all the information we need to give you a positive answer. However, opinions are like butts -- everyone has one so I'll give you mine. Either use the battery switch or the isolator. The isolator does the same thing as a switch but it does not allow selecting between batteries like a switch does. The switch can be turned off to really kill everything on the boat but it also has one problem that can kill an alternator by running the engine in the OFF position. It can do the same thing if it is not a "make-before'break" design and you change switch settings with the engine running. So -- here's my take. I would use the switch and eliminate the isolator. Why? A bad diode can drain the other battery. There is also some loss through the isolator. I have no idea what type of charger the 30A or the 10A are so you need to determine if they are "smart chargers". If not lose both of them and replace with a single, two bank smart charger with 10 - 20A per bank. Connect each output directly to the battery. If you retain the isolator you can connect a single bank (20A or so) to the input to the isolator. The charge will go to both batteries as needed. If you still feel you need a battery switch, use a simple ON-OFF battery switch intended for this purpose and connect it between the input of the isolator and the load side of the electrical system. The charging line from the alternator would also connect at that point. Perko makes them. With an isolator you wouldn't need an OFF-BOTH-BAT1-BAT2 style. If that's the style switch you have, you could certainly do some other switching schems but seems to me that's what brought you here in the first place.