Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

[Trooper583]

Hello All, It has been quite some time since I have last posted on here. I'm sure you guys have a great answer for me on this one. I have a Silverton 322 Aft Cabin Cruiser. It has twin 5.7 Bluewater Merc's with a battery for each. It is also equipped with a Kohler 6.5 kw genset with another battery to start it. my question is this...I have been having problems keeping the generator battery charged due to lack of use. As with most boats like this one, the generator battery is isolated from the other two batteries as well as the rest of the 12 volt system on the boat. Due to this, the on board battery charger does not charge the generator battery when I turn it on. How do you guys keep this batter topped off when you're not using it? I have considered putting a pair of jumper cables from one of the engine batteries to the generator batteries when I turn on the charger. Another idea I had was to equip the generator battery with a small battery tender that I would turn on when attached to shore power. I know you guys will have the best answer! Thanks in advance

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

Hello All, It has been quite some time since I have last posted on here. I'm sure you guys have a great answer for me on this one. I have a Silverton 322 Aft Cabin Cruiser. It has twin 5.7 Bluewater Merc's with a battery for each. It is also equipped with a Kohler 6.5 kw genset with another battery to start it. my question is this...I have been having problems keeping the generator battery charged due to lack of use. As with most boats like this one, the generator battery is isolated from the other two batteries as well as the rest of the 12 volt system on the boat. Due to this, the on board battery charger does not charge the generator battery when I turn it on. How do you guys keep this batter topped off when you're not using it? I have considered putting a pair of jumper cables from one of the engine batteries to the generator batteries when I turn on the charger. Another idea I had was to equip the generator battery with a small battery tender that I would turn on when attached to shore power. I know you guys will have the best answer! Thanks in advance

I don't think you mentioned it, but I assume you also have a house battery. Personally, I never saw a need for a separate genset battery if you have two starting batteries. I attached my genset to one of the starting batteries. If all 3 (2 starting and one house battery) are all dead, you've got bigger problems anyway. Your boat was made with the possibility of a genset in mind. So why didn't the manufacturer put in a 4 bank charging system? Cause you don't need it.

Good luck.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

They make on-board chargers for three batteries. Swap out your two bat charger for one that can handle three. Not all tha expensive. Check out pro-mariner.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

So the correct way would be to swap in a charger that has more banks. Those aren't cheap though. Personally, I'd probably find a $20 battery maintainer, and then plug that into an outlet and connect it up to that battery. It will keep the gen battery topped off.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

I'm surprised that the original battery charger isn't made for 3 banks, unless the genset was added later and not OEM (but I doubt it). Usually, the factory takes that into consideration when building the boat. I suggest double checking your charger to make sure (first), possibly adding a pigtail from the starting battery to the genset battery, or adding a small battery tender that plugs in when you're on shore power.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

I reread the OPs post. He does not say it is a two bank charger. Also, he does not talk about his house battery. Can you in any way imagine a 32' cruiser without a house battery? No.

So, I will bet he has a 3 bank charger, 2 starting batteries, 1 house battery, and his separate genset battery.

Free solution: put the genset battery in the garage and hook the genset a starting battery.

 

[ricman144]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

I reread the OPs post. He does not say it is a two bank charger. Also, he does not talk about his house battery. Can you in any way imagine a 32' cruiser without a house battery? No.

So, I will bet he has a 3 bank charger, 2 starting batteries, 1 house battery, and his separate genset battery.

Free solution: put the genset battery in the garage and hook the genset a starting battery.

Won't that cause a problem in that the genset alternator will compete with the engine alternator charging the same battery?

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

Won't that cause a problem in that the genset alternator will compete with the engine alternator charging the same battery?

It may not have been clear when I said hook the genset to a starting battery. What that meant was to use the starting battery to start the genset. The output from the genset would go to the charging system which is designed to handle multiple inputs.

 

[Trooper583]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

Hey guys, I was just looking over some of my old posts and decided to update this one in the event it might help someone in the future. After looking very closely at my charging system, and painstakingly tracing wires (as I should have done before) I found the solution. Nicely hidden in the generator compartment was a battery switch dedicated to the generator battery. Coming out of this switch is about a 8-10 gauge wire that goes to...you guessed it, a third bank on my onboard charger/converter. I would imagine that it is set up to where if I am out on the water and I deplete my two marine engine batteries, I can start the generator, isolate my gen battery from the charger and then turn on the charger to bring my two engine batteries back up for start up. I haven't broken out the multi meter yet to see exactly how it all works but I'll do that soon. As always, thanks for all the tips and suggestions.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

I'm very curious. You have never mentioned a house battery. Do you have one?

Sea ya...

 

[Trooper583]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

No house battery, just a marine battery for each engine and a starting battery for the generator.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

No house battery, just a marine battery for each engine and a starting battery for the generator.

Starting batteries can also be considered house batteries if they are dual purpose (starting/deep cycle). Depends on what the factory did at the time it was built. What was done since then is anyones guess. The manual will show all recommendations for the system.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

Well, not sure why they would wire a boat this way. Most boaters of large cruisers I know consider their starting batteries off limits to other uses. The typical wiring on the OP's size boat would have two starting batteries, and a house battery. He has a three bank charger, so it could have been wired this way.

Anyway, since the boat has a three bank charger, the problem is solved. And, if you (OP) ever want to (like the first time a failing device drains your starting battery), you could switch over the generator starting battery to a house battery, with little or no cost.

One thing though. In Post #9, it sounds like you intend to use the newly found genset battery switch to keep the genset battery disconnected part of the time and connected part of the time. I'm not sure why you would bother with this. Just leave it connected to the charging system anytime your other batteries are connected. That way it stays charged and you don't have to worry about remembering to connect it when you want to charge it. If I read your comment wrong, sorry.

Sea ya...

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Question about GenSet battery Charging in Silverton 322

There are plenty of mid sized cruisers that utilize starting batteries as house batteries. Once you get above the 35' range, they really devote a second set to the chore. Mainly, the manual recommends the use of the battery switch to control the discharge. In fact, there may only be one starting and one 'house' battery, each on separate circuits. The genset battery should be on a constant trickle charge thru the charger. If both main batteries gor down, the genset will still fire and recharge the other 2 batteries. Go with what you have and make sure it's wired properly.