Rewiring my Catalina 30....

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Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
I posted once before with some concerns about my ongoing electric rewiring project on a Catalina 30.

I posted awhile back with too many basics questions. Master Chief Jackson gave me some general guidance and directions towards finding a lot of the answers to my questions. I have traveled his and others paths and sadly they lead to more questions…

Here is my plan laid out. I have numbered the steps, if you have something to offer or add…PLEASE DO SO!

AC Layout
I made a schematic of my AC needs.
I am using a Blue Sea 8027 AC Panel with a 30 amp main breaker and 3 additional 15 sub breakers.
I have a shore power connection that leads to a 30 amp main breaker about 12” from the connection.
This then goes to the panel and the panel’s 30 amp breaker.
The three15 amp breakers go to
The Xantrex 40 Charger. The runs from the charger to each battery bank and to a 50 amp fuse just prior to connecting to the bank.
Port side outlets
Starboard outlets
The first outlet on each side is GFI
Question
Do I run all the green grounding wires from the outlets, the shore power and the charger to a bus bar?
If I do, where do I terminate this bus bar? Or does it just collect the grounds from the various devices and then ‘float’.

DC Layout
I made a schematic of my DC needs
I am using a Blue Sea 8023 DC Panel a Blue Sea 8697 Battery Switch Panel with a 100 amp main breaker
I am using a Blue Sea 4316 DC Panel in the cockpit for easier access to devices needed to run boat while sailing
OK HERE WE GO!
The main bank is in the nav table, the reserve bank is in the engine compartment.
I am going to run the alternator directly to the reserve bank, but set up the battery switch so that both banks can be charged when it is set to both.
Do I fuse each bank with with a 50 amp fuse before they are connected to the battery switch?
OR…
I run the alternator to the reserve bank, but connect the ignition to the reserve bank for starting, still allowing both to be charged when the switch is set to both. If I do that, should I fuse the starting bank with a 50 amp fuse before running the line to the ignition switch?
The battery switch has a 100 amp breaker, this is wired to the 8 breaker DC panel.
I will run my various devices back to the panel.
The panel has both the ground and neutral bus bars attached.
Do I run the neutral to the neutral bus bar on the panel and the hot to the hot/breaker side?
OR
Do I create a neutral bus bar and run all the DC neutrals to that bus bar and then run one wire to the panel’s neutral bar?
I don’t see where a hot bus bar fits into the picture. It seems to me that all the devices need to be run directly to the panel on the hot side.
Each device might need it’s own smaller fuse.
Would it be better to run a line from the device to a fuse panel equipped with small 1-5 amp fuses, then from the fuse panel to the hot side of the DC panel where the breaker is, then from the neutral side of the panel to the neutral bus bar back to the neutral side of the device?
I want to run a secondary panel to the cockpit, do I run this line off the 100 amp fuse of the Battery Switch Panel?
I want to place a 50 amp fuse just prior to the secondary panel
I assume I would do the same with a neutral bus bar and separate fuse panel here too.
If I should a second fuse panel to protect each device, should I use a fuse panel with the glass tube fuses or the new ‘car type’ fuses?
Whew.
Do I have it? Did I still over think it?
No pride of ownership here. Any help or suggestions would be great! Got to have the boat off the cradle by May 22…..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Welcome back

U wrote: "I am going to run the alternator directly to the reserve bank, but set up the battery switch so that both banks can be charged when it is set to both.
Do I fuse each bank with with a 50 amp fuse before they are connected to the battery switch? ... OR…I run the alternator to the reserve bank, but connect the ignition to the reserve bank for starting, still allowing both to be charged when the switch is set to both. If I do that, should I fuse the starting bank with a 50 amp fuse before running the line to the ignition switch?"


There's a
lot of material in your post to absorb, and once I return from taking my wife to the airport, I'd be pleased to help out.

Right off the bat though, what is this about running the alternator output directly to the reserve bank? The alternator output should go to the house bank with a suitable means for charging the reserve bank (i.e., echo charger, combiners, manual switch, oil pressure relay, etc.).

A wiring diagram would help immensely over this description - if you have one, why not post it?



 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Re: Welcome back

Oops....I meant house bank. Was one step ahead of my fingers.

I have a diagram, but it's hand written. I've found a few shareware diagram writing programs. Working on learning their system.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Catalina 30 electrical wiring issues

Thanks, Yabuhebi, for your post and your prompt and repeated followups.

I've carefully, painstakingly, and thoroughly analyzed your original post and have some brand new ideas that have been repeatedly, incessantly, well overdone and gone over again so how-come-you-don't-it-yet detail that some people still don't understand presented.

But I'll be glad to type them all up yet again, because as you know, there is only one important thing to know about boats:

1. Your boat, your choice.

2. It all depends on how it's wired.

3. You NEED a wiring diagram

******************************************************

So, to get into your proposed, presented and well documented electrical system design in great excruciatingly detailed agreement with only a few sidebars and parenthetical asides with links galore thrown in:

1. Your "text" numbering system could be somewhat improved upon by using a, b and c, or IV, XVILLMCM, or yek, doh, sey, instead of real numbers.

2. Your proposed 100 A DC service breaker is way too small. See Kalder's obviously well referenced, but as yet unknown looseleaf pamphlets.

3. The proposed multiple Blue Seas panels may potentially overlap in the space provided on your boat so you should buy more to make them all fit along the sides of the entire hull(s). The Blue Seas website link only goes to Xantrex these days, so you might as well go the www.amplepower.com 'site anyway, since there's been nothing new there in years.

4. The green ground wire should only be used to connect all your plastic thru hulls and then, and only then, be run to your GFCI outlets.

5. Your bus bars should meet at the corner of Harrison St. and Main St. and then get on the Green Bus or Triboro (orange) Bus line to meet at Metropolitan St. before transferring to the BMT.

6. The ignition switch should be connected to the OFF post of the 1-2-B switch to assure compliance with all ABYC, NEMA, Federal, State and local ordinances.

7. All the small fuses should be connected inline with the bigger fuses wherever you think it feels good to put them so they're completely out of sight and can't be checked, preferably directly below the battery big black things.

8. Your proposed "cockpit sub-panel" should be exposed to the elements to assure that its interior specifications are fully tested to their waterproof standards. Install it upside down so when you look down between your legs it's rightside up. Remember, left is always off for those toggle switches.

9. As your proposed wiring diagram will show, the reserve bank should always be used for only house loads.

10. The fuses should be kept as far as possible from the batteries and before during or after the switches.

11. The DC neutrals only meet in Vienna on alternate years. The AC neutrals meet in Greenland, usually.

12. The hot bus concept only works in a pizza place in downtown Iowa City.

13. The 8 breaker panel is totally overkill, you only need one circuit for the whole boat, port and starboard, bow and stern, up and down.

Hope this helps, thanks in advance.

Stew
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Stew;

Thanks again for taking the time to sort my troubles out.

3. You NEED a wiring diagram

I’m working on it.

************************************************** ****

1. Your "text" numbering system could be somewhat improved upon by using a, b and c, or IV, XVILLMCM, or yek, doh, sey, instead of real numbers.

My original post was through Word, the Forum system deleted my formatting…gomen nasai

2. Your proposed 100 A DC service breaker is way too small. See Kalder's obviously well referenced, but as yet unknown looseleaf pamphlets.

I’ll take a look at my system demands and take a new look at that.

3. The proposed multiple Blue Seas panels may potentially overlap in the space provided on your boat so you should buy more to make them all fit along the sides of the entire hull(s). The Blue Seas website link only goes to Xantrex these days, so you might as well go the www.amplepower.com 'site anyway, since there's been nothing new there in years.

The DC, AC and Battery Switch panel fit in a box I built along with the Xantrex Remote Panel and Bilge Pump Switch....


4. The green ground wire should only be used to connect all your plastic thru hulls and then, and only then, be run to your GFCI outlets.

Brass though hulls are OK I assume…

5. Your bus bars should meet at the corner of Harrison St. and Main St. and then get on the Green Bus or Triboro (orange) Bus line to meet at Metropolitan St. before transferring to the BMT.

…so use the panel bus bars

6. The ignition switch should be connected to the OFF post of the 1-2-B switch to assure compliance with all ABYC, NEMA, Federal, State and local ordinances.

Got it

7. All the small fuses should be connected inline with the bigger fuses wherever you think it feels good to put them so they're completely out of sight and can't be checked, preferably directly below the battery big black things.

Out of sight out of mind eh? Good thing I can appreciate your humor after only a few weeks

8. Your proposed "cockpit sub-panel" should be exposed to the elements to assure that its interior specifications are fully tested to their waterproof standards. Install it upside down so when you look down between your legs it's rightside up. Remember, left is always off for those toggle switches.

As funny as that sounds, that’s a great idea. This panel will be at seat level though, I’ll let Blue Sea know how disappointed I am when it rots out over the summer.

9. As your proposed wiring diagram will show, the reserve bank should always be used for only house loads.

I have seen ALL of your links to this subject. I plan on having 2 Group 27 batteries as the house load and 1 Group 27 in the engine bay for starting. The battery switch will link the 2 batteries to #1, the 1 engine battery to #2 and both to both. The 2 battery will be my house load, the 1 battery will be for starting and reserve…


10. The fuses should be kept as far as possible from the batteries and before during or after the switches.

11. The DC neutrals only meet in Vienna on alternate years. The AC neutrals meet in Greenland, usually.

12. The hot bus concept only works in a pizza place in downtown Iowa City.

13. The 8 breaker panel is totally overkill, you only need one circuit for the whole boat, port and starboard, bow and stern, up and down.

The last 4 I’ll ignore….
 
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Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Back again


2. Your proposed 100 A DC service breaker ...
I’ll take a look at my system demands and take a new look at that.

3.
The DC, AC and Battery Switch panel fit in a box I built along with the Xantrex Remote Panel and Bilge Pump Switch....

5. Your bus bars should meet at the corner of Harrison St. and Main St. and then get on the Green Bus or Triboro (orange) Bus line to meet at Metropolitan St. before transferring to the BMT.

…so use the panel bus bars

8.
As funny as that sounds, that’s a great idea. This panel will be at seat level though, I’ll let Blue Sea know how disappointed I am when it rots out over the summer.

9. As your proposed wiring diagram will show, the reserve bank should always be used for only house loads.

I have seen ALL of your links to this subject. I plan on having 2 Group 27 batteries as the house load and 1 Group 27 in the engine bay for starting. The battery switch will link the 2 batteries to #1, the 1 engine battery to #2 and both to both. The 2 battery will be my house load, the 1 battery will be for starting and reserve…
2. 100A DC - is altogether wrong. 30A is more than adequate for your boat. Sum up all the DC loads you possibly could run at one time...

3. Nice big panel box, fine workmanship.

5. Depends on how your wiring is laid out

8. Cannot understand the need for a subpanel in the cockpit on a 30 ft boat, nor have you explained what it is for

9. That was a joke.

As was my entire post, and perhaps you may not have noticed that. When I reviewed your original post I actually thought you were pulling my leg! 100 A DC ???? and some of your other ideas appeared devoid of reality.

Please tell me whether this is serious or not. Don't want to mislead you in a jest and have you connect green, white, yellow and black.:)
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Re: Back again

No my post was not a joke. Other than the type about the house and reserve banks, I believe most of my questions or the goals I am trying to reach were quite credible.

Now that is not to say that my ignorance of the correct terminology may have confused things. At first I took your response as legitimate, as I went through and tried to follow up on your comments I realized they were not. As I reflected on it the next day I knew that none of what you were saying was serious. In retrospect I feel pretty foolish. Believe it or not, I do have a reasonable grasp on the subject, I just want to be sure I'm doing it right.

The boat was a big investment in money and so far in time....

As for your comments....

The 1-2-B Switch Panel comes with a 100 amp main DC breaker. This is then routed to the 8 breaker DC device panel.

The question was, do I need to fuse the 2 battery banks before they reach the panel. It seemed to me to be a redunant task because the DC panel has that 100 amp fuse that you beleive is overkill.

The only reason for the subpanel was 1) I had it. 2) I was going to place control of the nav lights, steaming light, anchor light, navigation instruments, spreader light, windex light on this 6 switch panel. I sail alone and I though it would be easier out in the cockpit.

The rest of the questions.... I understand the use of stand alone negative bus bars to keep the back of the panel clean, it was just that a lot of my research showed owners using postive distibution points and that doesn't make sense.

I'm sure there are more, believe it or not I HAVE followed all of the posts and links on this forum concerning boat wiring and battery setups. I have at least 20 links in my favorites to various member hosted sites with their projects and pictures.

I just wanted to put my plan into words and make sure it will work, I obviously didn't convey that.

Chris
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Chris, now that we're finally on the same page...

1. Other than the type about the house and reserve banks, I believe most of my questions or the goals I am trying to reach were quite credible.

2. At first I took your response as legitimate, as I went through and tried to follow up on your comments I realized they were not. As I reflected on it the next day I knew that none of what you were saying was serious. In retrospect I feel pretty foolish. Believe it or not, I do have a reasonable grasp on the subject, I just want to be sure I'm doing it right.

3. The 1-2-B Switch Panel comes with a 100 amp main DC breaker. This is then routed to the 8 breaker DC device panel.

4. The question was, do I need to fuse the 2 battery banks before they reach the panel. It seemed to me to be a redunant task because the DC panel has that 100 amp fuse that you beleive is overkill.

5. The only reason for the subpanel was 1) I had it. 2) I was going to place control of the nav lights, steaming light, anchor light, navigation instruments, spreader light, windex light on this 6 switch panel. I sail alone and I though it would be easier out in the cockpit.

6. The rest of the questions.... I understand the use of stand alone negative bus bars to keep the back of the panel clean, it was just that a lot of my research showed owners using postive distibution points and that doesn't make sense.
Chris,

1. That wasn't a typo on my part, it was an attempt at humor from me, as I'm known to deal with house and reserve bank issues from time to time. I think we're past that now., at least I hope we are. I am.

2. I feel (felt) exactly the same way! I sat down at dinner and read your material and thought you were pulling someone's leg. That's why I replied in jest with 13 reply numbers. It was around April 1st, too! :)

3. There are some inconsistencies in your panel #g, and I can find no #8697 Blue Sea panel on their website [" a Blue Sea 8697 Battery Switch Panel with a 100 amp main breaker]. Did you mean 8687? That's what it looks like. There are apparent conflicts between your earlier and later paragraphs in the parts model #s. Could you clarify, please? My point is that rarely is a 100A main required for DC loads on a boat. The way Blue Sea names their panel is somewhat misleading, 'cuz the 8687 panel has a 100A battery switch, but two 15A circuit breakers to what they call "to 24 hour circuits," plus another single one to the "DC distribution panel or high amp DC load." It appears that you'd use the DC distribution panel output to feed your 8023 panel. Not having used one of these panels, I haven't and won't go into the details. If you add up all of your DC loads, even with running ALL of your interior lights, all of your nav lights including those that normally aren't on at the same time (i.e., anchor and steaming and deck lights), a fridge and all electronics, they just don't add up past 30A DC. Please review your first post and explain if you choose to do so. One of our C34 skippers used that "100A DC switch panel" which you may already have referenced in your research: http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Building_a_New_Electrical_Control_Panel. he discusses it in the text of the writeup. I can't see where the DC loads could ever get that high, but then I don't have a 20A stereo, either.:) My automobile stereo with it's powered subwoofer pulls all of 1.8A when cranked to the fullest volume the speakers can handle. It was the 100A that threw me off. You got it, go with it, because the individual breakers will handle the individual circuits.

4. No, the concept is to fuse at the batteries, NOT the panel or the switch. This is because the breakers on the panel ARE the fuses for each individual circuit.

5. Not a bad idea, but one I have never heard of except in large vessels with wheelhouses. The exterior panel should withstand the planned environment. Where in the cockpit are you going to put it? How are you going to subfeed it: individual duplicated breaker-to-breaker, or in groups, 'cuz it appears that you don't have (enough, too few) circuits in the 8023 - see below. If in groups, watch out for amperage calculations of wiring in parallel. I think it's overkill, 'cuz once you engage the circuits from down below, you're done and it's not that far on your boat from the cockpit to the panel. Consider the additional complications and extra wiring connections. Connections are the bane of all electrical systems and inserting more into a simple boat is just asking for trouble. Your boat, your choice.

6. PDPs, NDPs and bus bars are electrically exactly the same things, only one is done with a Blue Sea Power Post or Power Post Plus (P/N 2003) [http://bluesea.com/products/2003] while the other is a bar with multiple points of connection (P/N 2312). Look them up on the Blue Sea website. Then it makes sense, because all it is is different hardware for electrically positioning and connecting wiring.

The 8023 DC panel seems a bit light on the number of circuits with only eight positions. Here's what many standard boats have as separate DC circuits: running lights, steaming light, deck light, anchor light, cabin lights, macerator, fridge, stereo, instruments, autopilot, bilge pump, electronics, water pressure, shower sump pump, spare(s). Adds up quickly.

Do you have a hot water heater? An AC breaker for the heating element should be on the AC panel; all you show are the battery charger and the P&S AC outlets.

You also wrote: "The Xantrex 40 Charger. The runs from the charger to each battery bank and to a 50 amp fuse just prior to connecting to the bank." Ya don't wanna do that. With the ACR that comes with the 8687 panel, just run one shorepower charger output to the house bank. The ACR will charge the reserve bank.

Stu (not Stew:) - thought that would be a giveaway!)
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Further considerations, Chris

If your only connections to the items placed on the exterior panel are from there, and that panel is sub-fed from the 8023, you may have enough DC circuits. I didn't do a recount. It occurred to me late last night. That's why wiring diagrams, compared to written discussions, are so much more helpful. Good luck on that diagram. Stu
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Reply to Chris on his C30 Wiring

Chris,

Nice job on the diagrams, makes it much easier to help you.

1.The Xantrex shorepower charger should only go to the house bank. That’s because of #2.

2.You do not show the ACR which is “part” of the switch, but is an inherent and important part of your wiring diagram. Without it you are missing a very important part of your shorepower and alternator charging system. Show it the way the wiring diagram for the switch shows it on the switch manual. Wire it appropriately and this “combiner” will charge your reserve bank with only one output from the Xantrex shorepower unit, no switching required. Your boat, your choice to do it your way or mine.

3.The output of the B ("common") of the switch should also be shown as going not only to the house distribution panel, but also to the starter. Those are the only two things it should serve.

4.The multiple outputs on the negative side of your 8687 panel should shown to go to a negative bus bar or Power Post (your choice) and then a single line shown to engine ground, rather than the individual wires you show. You’re not gonna wire it that way anyway, so why show it that way?

5.You do not show the engine as the ground, you should. See my wiring diagram here, reply #23: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4623.15.html

6.For the cockpit wiring, consider supplying a separate circuit for night lighting of the devices. No need to keep the night lights on all the time! This depends on how you wired your individual devices. The way our boat is wired is that the compass and device night lights only come on when the running lights are turned on.

7.The cockpit wiring diagram is helpful but not necessary to what you are doing. In any event, the reference to “Battery” is meaningless and should be corrected to show it going to the switch, not the battery. If you wire it this way, anyone could steal your boat because the ignition switch is always hot. The Engine Wiring Harness Diagram might be of help here: http://c34.org/projects/projects-harness-upgrade.html

8.The “numbers” in Word work in my translation; I used Format, Bullets & Numbering, Outline Numbering.
 
Last edited:
Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Thanks to Chris

Everyone, I received this today via an email from sbo.com:

"Thanks for your help. Printing out your schematics and links and going to review them when I get home. Appreciate the time you've taken.
"

Chris,

I appreciate the message however when I tried to return it you'd locked out the email to you and it didn't show up on my Inbox for PMs. I just wanted everyone to know that, yes, one can make some good friends here on this MB!

Thanks again, Chris.

Best regards,

Stu

PS - can't wait for the next steps...:)
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Re: Thanks to Chris

Stu;

Ok, I’ve had a chance to sit down and review everything you have added and the chance to go back and look at what I’m doing…

The Xantrex shorepower charger should only go to the house bank. That’s because of #2.

The Xantrex shorepower charger actually has outputs to charge 3 banks. It takes the AC power in through the top. Since I only have 2 banks, I will connect these 2 banks with 6AWG. The charger requires a 50amp overcharge breaker for each bank.

The charger and the house bank will be in the same area. I am thinking I will fuse both charging lines with 50amp fuses right below the charger before they connect to the 2 banks.

I also assume I the grounding wire should also be 6AWG.
You do not show the ACR which is “part” of the switch, but is an inherent and important part of your wiring diagram. Without it you are missing a very important part of your shorepower and alternator charging system. Show it the way the wiring diagram for the switch shows it on the switch manual. Wire it appropriately and this “combiner” will charge your reserve bank with only one output from the Xantrex shorepower unit, no switching required. Your boat, your choice to do it your way or mine.

Ok, I do not have an ACR. Let me try and see if I have this straight.
I have the Blue Sea Panel 8687. It also has 2 additional breakers that are always hot, which I will use for the auto bilge and a spare for now.

I want to wire the alternator to that it is permanently connected to the house bank. Connecting the positive lead from the alternator directly to that bank. That positive lead will be taken to #1 on the Battery Switch. The positive lead from the reserve bank will be taken to the #2 on the Battery Switch and the Starter Switch.

I assume when the switch is on Both, both banks will be charged from the alternator when the engine is running.

This panel has the 100amp main DC breaker that I have been taking about. My intention is run a line from the 100amp DC breaker to the Blue Sea 8023 Panel, which has 8 15amp breakers.

The specs for the 8687 panel call for the power lead to be run from the Common post on the battery switch to the 100amp breaker. If I do this, doesn’t that mean the house devices will be supplied from both banks all the time? I think I should run the lead from the #1 post to the 100amp breaker and then to the 8023 panel. This way the house is only services by Bank #1.

As I look at it again, I think the lead SHOULD come from the Common post on the battery switch so when the Switch is on Both, both banks power the devices and when it is on #1 or #2, THAT bank will power the devices in the boat.
Having the 100amp breaker in the 8687 panel allows me to turn off all the boat devices with one switch. Is this ok?
The output of the B ("common") of the switch should also be shown as going not only to the house distribution panel, but also to the starter. Those are the only two things it should serve.

Did I answer this above? Especially the #2 bank going to the starter.
The multiple outputs on the negative side of your 8687 panel should shown to go to a negative bus bar or Power Post (your choice) and then a single line shown to engine ground, rather than the individual wires you show. You’re not gonna wire it that way anyway, so why show it that way?

Yes I agree, a flaw in the design software I’m using. As I look at the specs for the 8687 panel, there is no provision for any negative grounding at all with the exception of the LED lighting.

As for the negative grounding of the 8023 panel. I can either run all outputs to a separate Negative Grounding Post and then to the panel or run each individual device to the Negative side of the panel. Either way I will ground this to the engine. Either way works I assume.

You do not show the engine as the ground, you should. See my wiring diagram here, reply #23: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4623.15.html

I will ground all to the engine.

For the cockpit wiring, consider supplying a separate circuit for night lighting of the devices. No need to keep the night lights on all the time! This depends on how you wired your individual devices. The way our boat is wired is that the compass and device night lights only come on when the running lights are turned on.

I like that idea, I will run the compass lights to the running light switch. I am also moving my engine panel into the back where I can see it, I am going to run the instrument lights to the running light switch too instead of the ignition.
I plan on running the power supply for the cockpit panel from the 8687 panel too. That means at night, that 100amp breaker will power both the cockpit panel and the 8023. 14 breakers in all. I was also going to put a 50amp fuse before the cockpit panel to protect the 6 15amp breakers.
The cockpit wiring diagram is helpful but not necessary to what you are doing. In any event, the reference to “Battery” is meaningless and should be corrected to show it going to the switch, not the battery. If you wire it this way, anyone could steal your boat because the ignition switch is always hot. The Engine Wiring Harness Diagram might be of help here: http://c34.org/projects/projects-harness-upgrade.html

Yeah you are right, I think I addressed in the above response.
I just want to be sure I have adequately protected the 3 panels and connected the 2 banks properly. Thanks again for your help and I really appreciate you’re last post!

Chris
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,752
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Chris, ya missed it big time



The charger and the house bank will be in the same area. I am thinking I will fuse both charging lines with 50amp fuses right below the charger before they connect to the 2 banks.
With no ACR then this wiring will work for your shorepower charging just fine. Show the fuses on the wring diagram.

Ok, I do not have an ACR. Let me try and see if I have this straight. I have the Blue Sea Panel 8687. It also has 2 additional breakers that are always hot, which I will use for the auto bilge and a spare for now. I want to wire the alternator to that it is permanently connected to the house bank. Connecting the positive lead from the alternator directly to that bank.
I assume when the switch is on Both, both banks will be charged from the alternator when the engine is running
NO, no, no. I earlier requested that you the C34 link, which also described the dual circuit switch operational limitations, but also discussed where to direct the alternator output: AWAY from the switch. Period.
You need to stop assuming and start designing and understanding what you have. You have, it appears, an m-series switch, P/N 6007. Please, download the wiring diagram of it and it, like the stupid dual circuit switch, has a serious limitation in that their wiring diagram does NOT appear to allow the reserve bank to power the 24/7 boat loads, This is because it's got the house bank output via the C post to the DP and starter, which is fine, but that wire from the house bank goes FROM the 2 post to the 24/ loads directly, the always on stuff. The #1 reserve bank can power the boat loads (DP and starter) but you cannot keep the 24/7. Even if you had the switch on "1" when you leave the boat, those loads will be off, 'cuz they're only powered from the 2 post, house bank landing. They'd be on with the switch OFF because the house bank goes to the 24/7, but if the house banks dead, so are they and all you have left is the reserve bank. Adding the always on to a switch panel is an unusual complication to a simple 1-2-B switch. It's just like that physically as a switch, but it's wired weird inside the guts as they suggest in their wiring diagram.

YOU have to download and understand that wiring as I've described.
That positive lead will be taken to #1 on the Battery Switch. The positive lead from the reserve bank will be taken to the #2 on the Battery Switch and the Starter Switch.
I respectfully suggest that you stop what you are doing and reread my earlier reference to this post, which strongly urges you to NOT take the alternator output to anywhere BUT the house bank. Without repeating it, just reread it and understand the ACR-type device to charge your reserve bank with alternator, not using the switch. Don't run the alternator output to the switch, please. Here: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4623.0.html
This panel has the 100amp main DC breaker that I have been taking about. My intention is run a line from the 100amp DC breaker to the Blue Sea 8023 Panel, which has 8 15amp breakers.

The specs for the 8687 panel call for the power lead to be run from the Common post on the battery switch to the 100amp breaker. If I do this, doesn’t that mean the house devices will be supplied from both banks all the time? I think I should run the lead from the #1 post to the 100amp breaker and then to the 8023 panel. This way the house is only services by Bank #1.
No, it certainly doesn't. The concept of your switch, and a 1-2-B switch, which this is with your described directions of wiring from the posts to the panel breakers, is simple: 4 positions, 3 posts. Think about it. Off is a switch position, but not a post to connect a wire. Don't do it. You'll connect your reserve bank to the house panel!!! See the 8687 wiring diagram. Don't. Please. Study it a LOT more. You also have to address alternator charging.

As I look at it again, I think the lead SHOULD come from the Common post on the battery switch so when the Switch is on Both, both banks power the devices and when it is on #1 or #2, THAT bank will power the devices in the boat.
Having the 100amp breaker in the 8687 panel allows me to turn off all the boat devices with one switch. Is this ok?
Now you're starting to get it.
Either way works I assume.
Stop assuming. And, no, it doesn't.

Chris, Ya gotta know from me, this formatting is getting real old, real quick and this is really a personal thing now that I'm helping you with. It would rare if anyone else even cares about the level of detail we're getting into for your boat, and my opinions. No one else has chimed it.

Please, please send me a PM that I can reply to and I can continue to help you, but not here. I can't change the fonts, and I don't wanna sound like I'm yelling, but the type and text sometimes look that that, and it's not my position at all. The irregularity of the text as I look at drafts disturbs my sense of order! :doh:

My fingers simply can't take it anymore. :):):) Please.
 
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