wiring schematic puzzle

[strippingguards]

This is a 'home-made' wiring schematic for my boat. Could someone please take a look and tell me if there are any flaws that may cause problems? I am using one OFF-1-BOTH-2 switch and one ON-OFF switch to seperate my starting battery and house battery.<br />

<br /><br />Thanks

 

[petryshyn]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

If you lose the on/off switch and replace it with another A-B-Both-Off switch, you will be more versatile in battery selection for either house or engine......

 

[strippingguards]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

I am more concerned about the battery charger schematic. With it hooked up this way I am assuming that the shore charger will charge my house battery until full and then the combiner should kick in and make sure the starting battery gets charged as well.<br />Conversly, when the motor is running the charging system of the motor (stator and rectifier) will give charge to the starting battery and once full, the combiner should kick in to charge the house battery.<br />Are these assumptions correct for my charging system?

 

[strippingguards]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

 

[petryshyn]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

Other than your choice for ground placement, it should work....<br /><br />what are you using for batteries?

 

[strippingguards]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

schematic<br />I use a starting battery and a deep cycle battery.<br />I don't understand what you mean about my choice of ground. Could you elaborate on that?

 

[petryshyn]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

I'd prefer to see the house charger and combiner grounds terminate at the house battery, rather than daisy chain through 2 panels before reaching the batteries.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

interesting. I don't think I see the current from the engine running to both batteries, though, for simultaneous charging when underway. (i.e., looks like the combiner/isolator is set up for the onboard AC charger, but not for the engine's charging system -- but I may be missing it....) And I guess I'm missing the purpose of the second switch. With the first switch set to "both" I think you would parallel the battery banks for starting, wouldn't you? (that is, without the second switch) And couldn't the charger be set up to charge both banks using just the first switch? (output to #1, second output to #2, then charge both with the switch set to "both") (?)

 

[oldboat1]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

Thought about this a bit more. A few years ago, I installed a battery isolater to permit charging of two batteries from one alternator. The current from the alternator was routed to the isolator, and then to the two batteries. This required creating (splicing in) a loop from the rectifier to the isolator, then back to the original wire/wire harness and the starting battery. When I looked at the diagram, I didn't see something similar to that -- which makes me think the setup will not succeed in charging both batteries from the engine.<br /><br />(not pretending to be an expert here -- obviously, factory instructions for installation of your combiner would take priority.)

 

[strippingguards]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

I hear what you are saying but this is a combiner/isolator combo - not just a simple isolator. That makes a big difference here.<br /><br />My conern was actually the charger - The manual for the charger says that it can charge up to 4 batteries by parralleling them together - so I hope that my combiner is doing this job.<br /><br />Schematic: I agree that I don't like the black negative wires from the charger and combiner being routed through the auxillary control panels but I guess my laziness has something to do with it - the charger's ring terminal connector was a hair too small for the battery terminal to I took the easy way out and put it on a screw on the negative bus. Could this cause a problem - I can very easily rectify this arrangemnt.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

Doug -- think the charger current would likewise be routed to and through the combiner to each of the battery banks, wouldn't it? That is, the combiner splits the current as appropriate. (As I read the diagram, the charger goes directly to the starting battery without passing through the combiner.) Interesting stuff. Let us know how it works -- will let you get back to wiring.<br /><br />Hey -- I like your graphics. What software are you using? <br /><br /> Curt (oldboat)

 

[strippingguards]

Re: wiring schematic puzzle

Adobe Illustrator<br /><br />Thanks for your thoughts Curt. I wired it all up yesterday and I have shore power connected to the battery charger which I will leave on perminantly while not using the boat. It's a pulse/trickle/desulphation charger that can be left in place for long periods of non-use.