battery combiner

stevebirch2002 · May 31, 2006

Hi Victor

I use standard Leisure Batteries on my Vega with a Beta. 100AH ones are
about £30 - £40 here in the UK.

What exactly do you mean by a battery combiner?

Steve Birch (Technical)

vsschreffler · May 31, 2006

Hi Steve,

As I understand it, a battery combiner senses the voltage of the two
banks and combines them to receive charge. When the batteries are
used the combiner isolates each so the house can't deplete the
starter, etc. This eliminates the need for the OFF-1-BOTH-2 switch.

The unit I've ordered is really inexpensive; about $60US right now.

Yandina Combiner 100 Battery Combiner - C100

The two battery Yandina Combiner 100 battery combiner is a voltage-sensing relay (13.3V) which connects two batteries together when either is receiving a charge. When the charging stops the relay opens allowing each battery operates independently. You nev

www.defender.com

IF this link doesn't work, try the defender.com site and search for
battery combiner.

Congrats on launching!

Victor

stevebirch2002 · May 31, 2006

Hi Victor

Now I understand, it is a VSR

Cheers

Steve Birch (Technical)

bbach1949 · May 31, 2006

I've been using that system for the past 6 years with no complaints. I'm
going to add a third battery with a combiner for that one as well. The
alternator or shore powered battery charger charges the house battery which then
"overflows" to the starting battery and, in my case, the third battery through
combiners. A switch allows combining manually if need be. Just make sure all
batteries are the same type (wet cell, gel cell, or AGM) because they
require different voltages. Also, the biggest and newest battery should be the
house battery.

Bill Bach V 1071

tom_rutter · Jun 1, 2006

Hi,

I'm thinking of adding one of these too, as I'm always forgetting to change
the battery switch back to 1 after running the engine. How do you make sure
that the engine doesn't try to start through the combiner (if you've left
the shore power charger on, or in my case the solar panel is charging). Or
do you just have a combiner rated for engine start currents?

I was planning to put the house battery in the bilge position, but that
means a very long cable run under the engine and back as far as I can see.
I am scared to put the engine battery there because of flooding (a sealed
battery might still work underwater though? as salt water isn't that
conductive), but as you say, you can always manually combine them to start
the engine. Is there a better way?

Cheers,
Tom

stevebirch2002 · Jun 1, 2006

Hi Tom

I have kept my batteries in the bilge and have flooded once when a crew
member overfilled the water tank for an hour!. After pumping out the
excess water the engine started first turn and we carried on to
Cherbourg for a cross-channel trip! The battery lasted another coupleof
years after that!

I still like the Battery Switch (1 - both - 2 - off) as I then keep
complete control on which is being charged and which is providing the
power.

Cheers

Steve Birch (Technical)

tom_rutter · Jun 1, 2006

Fair enough, I'll probably move at least one of mine back there. Do you
know where the cables go on the way to the battery switch? The conduit
seems to go under the engine, and then I assume that they just come back
along the engine compartment, or along the side of one of the cockpit
lockers to wherever the battery switch is installed. Seems like a
roundabout route, but it's quite neat.

I quite like the simplicity of the 1/2/Both switch, but I've forgotten to
change it back a few times and it's annoying that the GPS turns off every
time I start the engine. I don't rely on it that much for navigation but I
like to know its there and working.

Tom

pjacobs55 · Jun 1, 2006

It's lucky the crew member wasn't using the salt water hose ;-)

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'

zippydoda_captain · Jun 2, 2006

Hi All.

My batteries (2 x 100ah) are in the original position under the floor.
I've mounted a 1/both/2 isolator behind them above the fuel tank, this
gives the shortest run of cable from batteries to switch. Two heavy
cables then run from the isolator/battery negative under the engine
floor pan (in the conduit) and loop back up to the engine (chassis/start
soloniod). A separate pair of lighter cables from the 2 isolator
terminal and battery negative then feeds another isolator by the switch
panel supplying the boat electrics (always from Battery 2). I've never
had problems with things switching off when I start the engine (usually
on battery 1).

Regards,

Ray (Tortuga)

Ray Wilton

Ship and Field Support Manager

School of Ocean Science

University of Wales (Bangor)

Menai Bridge

Angelsey

LL59 5AB

Tel 01248 382614

Fax 01248 716367