Battery, Charge controller, switch wiring - clean slate

Jan 11, 2014
11,319
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Ugh apparently I’m not smart enough to post a pic...
It is pretty simple, once you figure it out. Next to the "Post Reply" button there is an "Upload File" button. Clicking on this will give you a pop-up window for the file browser, select "Browse" that will give you a standard file browsing window, find the photo you want to post select it and you're done.

There will be an option to show the photo in the post as a thumbnail or a full image. In deference to those who may have limited bandwidth or are using cellphones and paying for data, I usually select thumbnail. This posts a small image that can be clicked on to see it full size. Saves some bandwidth and download time if you don't want to see the photo.

On a Mac, it is not possible, or at least I haven't figured out how, to post directly from the Photos App. When I post, I export the photo first and then upload it. When exporting a photo, there will be options to choose the size and quality of the photo. Again in deference to those with limited bandwidth, I chose large or medium depending on the detail I want to display.
 
Apr 7, 2016
184
Beneteau First 305 Seward, Alaska
Thank you so much @jssailem for the email and the post! I couldn’t figure that out last night. And @Davidasailor26 mainesail updated the drawing on post 11 on this forum. I’m doing that for the most part without the solar. Today’s project is the battery charger, the emergency parallel, and the ACR. When you look at a picture it all makes sense because mainesail is an electrical genius. Then I look at the pic and compare it to my actual system, and it gets a little less clear. I just wanted to make sure I had it right. I am going to leave the negative switch for a potential (more like possible) third house battery in the future. Or more likely an always hot panel for things like the bilge. That is why I’m installing an emergency parallel switch. I understand the concept and am positive I can wire it. Mostly just need someone to take a second look see.

Pic 2 is my basic plan. I haven’t actually measured and cut the wires yet so the actual placement may change a bit.

Pic 1 is how I plan to wire the two devices. There is an A and B side with B going to the house. The #2 is the starter isolation.

I plan on using all #4AWG for the wiring except the starter isolation where I plan to use #16AWG.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. I have plenty of prep work so I’ll check back before I do anything too bad.

Juice
 
Last edited:
May 17, 2004
5,025
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
And @Davidasailor26 mainesail updated the drawing on post 11 on this forum.
Good point. I hadn't noticed that since it's not specific to the Beneteau switches, but yes the layout is the same and it works.

I presume that on the Blue Sea switch your inputs will be on the 1 and 2 side? Where will your outputs from that switch go, to the respective start / house circuits? If so, it looks sound to me, although you won't have an emergency cross-over capability for the two banks, unless I'm just not thinking through it enough to see how.
 
Apr 7, 2016
184
Beneteau First 305 Seward, Alaska
B33A35B6-9C09-41CF-AD22-084BCA035460.jpeg
Ok one more thing... wire the ACR to the cold side and the emergency parallel to the hot side? The plus is the battery switches.
 
Apr 7, 2016
184
Beneteau First 305 Seward, Alaska
I’ve spent the morning fixing and rerouting all the bad DIY jobs from previous owners. Now im ready to get to the project at hand.
 
Apr 7, 2016
184
Beneteau First 305 Seward, Alaska
Good point. I hadn't noticed that since it's not specific to the Beneteau switches, but yes the layout is the same and it works.

I presume that on the Blue Sea switch your inputs will be on the 1 and 2 side? Where will your outputs from that switch go, to the respective start / house circuits? If so, it looks sound to me, although you won't have an emergency cross-over capability for the two banks, unless I'm just not thinking through it enough to see how.
Take a look at the pic I just posted. The numbers aren’t the same as the original pic. I had to change some stuff around. The most recent pic is the (most?) correct one.
 
May 17, 2004
5,025
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Take a look at the pic I just posted. The numbers aren’t the same as the original pic. I had to change some stuff around. The most recent pic is the (most?) correct one.
Actually I think I liked it better the other way - with the ACR on the hot side and emergency parrallel on the switched side. That was is more like Maine's picture. Benefit is that if the start battery internally shorts you can switch it off, then use the emergency switch to send power to the starter from the house. If the crossover is on the hot side then you can put the batteries in parrallel but you can't take one bank completely out and use the other.

My bigger concern is that I don't see how the Blue Sea 6010 can serve as an emergency parrallel switch. As far as I can tell the 6011 has a "combine" position, but the 6010 doesn't.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,319
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
My bigger concern is that I don't see how the Blue Sea 6010 can serve as an emergency parrallel switch. As far as I can tell the 6011 has a "combine" position, but the 6010 doesn't.
That's correct. There are 2 very similar switches, one allows the batteries to be combined the other just turns them both on or off. The one you want is 5111, Dual Circuit Plus.
 
May 17, 2004
5,025
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
The one you want is 5111, Dual Circuit Plus.
I can't find a 5111 in Google. I'm thinking just an on/off switch would work on the cold side of the main switches. Off for normal use, on for combine/cross-over. In a Beneteau adding a ground bus bar and repurposing the ground switch works for this purpose, although it doesn't leave the future expandability flexibility Juice talked about wanting.
 
Apr 7, 2016
184
Beneteau First 305 Seward, Alaska
Yeah you are correct, i was looking at everything and I went back to the store and got the 5511e.
 
Apr 7, 2016
184
Beneteau First 305 Seward, Alaska
Ok, on the final stretch of this project and I have a couple more issues. Than I can let it go and I’ll move onto something else...

1. For some reason the positive from the alternator runs to the positive on the starter which I have run to the start battery switch. Shouldn’t this run this to the house batteries? That way I don’t accidentally kill the alternator and it charges the house batteries first.

2. The directions show the start isolation wired to the “run” spot on the key switch. Maine sail’s picture has it run to the alternator. Which is the correct spot and how important is this? The directions show it as optional.

As an update, with the exception of the start isolation wire, the battery charger, ACR, and emergency parallel are installed and only required me to use a couple hundred expletives! Thank you everyone.

Juice
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Lot of what looks like belt dust on the alternator. (Not good stuff to breath)
Check your belt alignment and tensions.
Or it may just be good Alaska Dust... Still I would clean it off of the alternator. A clean alternator is a cool running alternator...
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,319
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
1. For some reason the positive from the alternator runs to the positive on the starter which I have run to the start battery switch. Shouldn’t this run this to the house batteries? That way I don’t accidentally kill the alternator and it charges the house batteries first.
Yes. Engine manufacturers ship their engine with this set up for a couple of reasons. It is cheaper for the boat builder to install the engine by running one cable to the starter for both the alternator and starter, than 2 cables and if the alternator is connected to the starter there will be a connection to the battery and load which will prevent blown alternators and warranty claims.

2. The directions show the start isolation wired to the “run” spot on the key switch. Maine sail’s picture has it run to the alternator. Which is the correct spot and how important is this? The directions show it as optional.
This wire takes the ACR offline while the engine is starting. Starting the engine creates a large short amperage draw that can mess things up. If you look closely, I believe the directions are to attach it to something that will receive power only when the starter is engaged. The high amperage draw can drop the system voltage which may or may not cause some electronics to gag and need to be restarted. This wire is not essential.

As an update, with the exception of the start isolation wire, the battery charger, ACR, and emergency parallel are installed and only required me to use a couple hundred expletives! Thank you everyone.
Only a couple hundred? You need to get more involved in boat upgrades. :biggrin:
 
  • Like
Likes: jssailem
May 17, 2004
5,025
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
1. For some reason the positive from the alternator runs to the positive on the starter which I have run to the start battery switch. Shouldn’t this run this to the house batteries? That way I don’t accidentally kill the alternator and it charges the house batteries first.
Short answer is Yes as jssailem and dlochner said. See Maine's post in #14 of this thread for the details.

2. The directions show the start isolation wired to the “run” spot on the key switch. Maine sail’s picture has it run to the alternator. Which is the correct spot and how important is this? The directions show it as optional.
I think Maine's picture has it going to the start button if I'm reading it right. That would make sense - you want that input powered when the starter is running as dlochner said.