Hello All, I am upgrading my charging system and have a house bank consisting of 4 Trojan T125’s (one bank) and a start battery. I will be charging with a new Truecharge 40 while at the dock and on the hook (via Honda 2000)and I also have the OEM 55A alternator (which will be upgraded in the future). I have been reading info on the Jackrabbit marine and Bluesea websites to determine what type of battery combiner would work best for me. I want to do the following: 1) Keep my house and start bank separate 2) Charge both from the either the alternator or battery charger 3) Not over charge the start bank i.e. long hrs motoring etc. 4) While charging on the hook with my Honda 2000, I would like to be sure all available amps are going to the house bank if desired. So far I have 5 options: 1) Bluesea CL 7600 ACR rated at 60A 2) Bluesea SI 7610 ACR rated at 120A 3) Bluesea L 9110 ACR rated at 450A 4) Xantrex Echo Charge 5) WM units? Do any of you have suggestion on which units will work best? Also, the Trucharge has multiple outlets for charging. Do I run one lead to the house bank only (and let the combiner or Echo connect the banks) or do I run a separate lead to each bank? Thanks Frank
Battery combiners and chargering
- Thread starter Frank P
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any of them will do the job
Frank I have exactly the same combination on our boat, bank size, alt, shorepwr charger and genset. My understanding is you don't need any of the combiners you listed unless you charge off the alternator for prolonged periods and do so frequently. The reason being the when connected to shore power or the genset, the Truecharge 40 will charge the house bank and start battery independent of each other such that you won't overcharge the start battery. The reason I know this is because I have a remote panel which shows charge rate/capacity for each leg. The OEM alternator and regulator isn't big enough to overcharge anything such that the ecocharger or ACRs are needed but may be when you upgrade the alternator.
Frank I have exactly the same combination on our boat, bank size, alt, shorepwr charger and genset. My understanding is you don't need any of the combiners you listed unless you charge off the alternator for prolonged periods and do so frequently. The reason being the when connected to shore power or the genset, the Truecharge 40 will charge the house bank and start battery independent of each other such that you won't overcharge the start battery. The reason I know this is because I have a remote panel which shows charge rate/capacity for each leg. The OEM alternator and regulator isn't big enough to overcharge anything such that the ecocharger or ACRs are needed but may be when you upgrade the alternator.
Thanks Don
How are charging both banks off of your alternator. Also, how are monitoring your charge rate? I most likely will add a Link 10 for the house bank. Thanks Again Frank
How are charging both banks off of your alternator. Also, how are monitoring your charge rate? I most likely will add a Link 10 for the house bank. Thanks Again Frank
battery monitoring
Frank There are a bunch of different monitors which would serve your purpose, The one I choose is described in the link. The Link10 is certainly among the most popular and would serve you well. My stock OEM alternator is 55 amps and is direct connected to both the start battery and house bank. The monitor indicates no overcharge on the start battery in this configuration so no need for an ecocharger in my case. As long as you use either shore power or the genset to charge a low house bank, your start battery should be happy.
Frank There are a bunch of different monitors which would serve your purpose, The one I choose is described in the link. The Link10 is certainly among the most popular and would serve you well. My stock OEM alternator is 55 amps and is direct connected to both the start battery and house bank. The monitor indicates no overcharge on the start battery in this configuration so no need for an ecocharger in my case. As long as you use either shore power or the genset to charge a low house bank, your start battery should be happy.
Same as Don
I too have Trojans for house and group 27 for starter with a truecharge 40 setup to charge both. I control which bank gets charged by the stock 55 alternator with the A/B switch but it is typically the house that needs the charge since I rarely use the starter bank.
I too have Trojans for house and group 27 for starter with a truecharge 40 setup to charge both. I control which bank gets charged by the stock 55 alternator with the A/B switch but it is typically the house that needs the charge since I rarely use the starter bank.
Beware ACRs
My 376 came with a simple combiner - i.e. a relay which came in when I turned on the ignition. When charging from shore power I fitted a 12v 1A power brick from an old computer accessory to the combiner coil with a diode in the line from the ignition switch to avoid backfeed. So once again both batteries were being charged, but only when a charging source was available. Everything worked just fine. Then, after 10 years, the contacts on the combiner became oxidized and it stopped connecting house and engine batteries together. Always fancied an ACR so I bought the Blue Seas 60A one and reconfigured my DC circuits. Was surprised to discover a warning in the box about having the relay go in and then come straight out again if the second battery was too low thus dragging the combined voltage lower than the drop out voltage of the relay. They warned that chattering could also occur but I did not see any! Next problem was that, if I only ran the engine for a short time, the engine batt voltage would come up to 13.6v and the ACR would come in (I had it set up for engine battery priority). Then, when I stopped the engine, I was dismayed to see the engine battery still charging the house bank because the combined voltage was above the ACR's dropout voltage of 12.6V. Worse still the coil was also drawing best part of an amp during this phase which went on until the engine battery was down to 12.6v. I wanted my engine battery FULL so I rebuilt my original combiner and restored the wiring. ACR now redundant.
My 376 came with a simple combiner - i.e. a relay which came in when I turned on the ignition. When charging from shore power I fitted a 12v 1A power brick from an old computer accessory to the combiner coil with a diode in the line from the ignition switch to avoid backfeed. So once again both batteries were being charged, but only when a charging source was available. Everything worked just fine. Then, after 10 years, the contacts on the combiner became oxidized and it stopped connecting house and engine batteries together. Always fancied an ACR so I bought the Blue Seas 60A one and reconfigured my DC circuits. Was surprised to discover a warning in the box about having the relay go in and then come straight out again if the second battery was too low thus dragging the combined voltage lower than the drop out voltage of the relay. They warned that chattering could also occur but I did not see any! Next problem was that, if I only ran the engine for a short time, the engine batt voltage would come up to 13.6v and the ACR would come in (I had it set up for engine battery priority). Then, when I stopped the engine, I was dismayed to see the engine battery still charging the house bank because the combined voltage was above the ACR's dropout voltage of 12.6V. Worse still the coil was also drawing best part of an amp during this phase which went on until the engine battery was down to 12.6v. I wanted my engine battery FULL so I rebuilt my original combiner and restored the wiring. ACR now redundant.
Thanks for the input gents.
I guess I will need to do some more thinking as I will most likely be installing a high output alternation in the near future and will need some type of ACR at that time. As mentioned about ACR’s reliability, it has crossed my mind about the unit going out and needing to have plan to bypass it if necessary. I think it would be nice to leave the stock alternator installed to take care of the start bank and add a second high-output alternator dedicated to the house bank which would eliminate the ACR altogether. However, I don’t think it is in my budget. Thanks Again Frank Legend 40.5 Malu Lani
I guess I will need to do some more thinking as I will most likely be installing a high output alternation in the near future and will need some type of ACR at that time. As mentioned about ACR’s reliability, it has crossed my mind about the unit going out and needing to have plan to bypass it if necessary. I think it would be nice to leave the stock alternator installed to take care of the start bank and add a second high-output alternator dedicated to the house bank which would eliminate the ACR altogether. However, I don’t think it is in my budget. Thanks Again Frank Legend 40.5 Malu Lani
the alternator should charge the house first,
Then it should combine to do the starting battery. Why? the house is usually several hundred amps. the start is just one start battery. If the start charges first the combiner could be handling the full amperage output of the alternator in the bulk mode, if the house is down. buy charging the house first then combining to charge the start, even a discharged start would be only a 100 or so amps. and unless totally dead would need less to charge it. so you would greatly decrease the loads on the combiner and associated wiring. The jack rabbit site has great advice good prices and great service. Believe what they say.
Then it should combine to do the starting battery. Why? the house is usually several hundred amps. the start is just one start battery. If the start charges first the combiner could be handling the full amperage output of the alternator in the bulk mode, if the house is down. buy charging the house first then combining to charge the start, even a discharged start would be only a 100 or so amps. and unless totally dead would need less to charge it. so you would greatly decrease the loads on the combiner and associated wiring. The jack rabbit site has great advice good prices and great service. Believe what they say.
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