Am preparing to upgrade the charging system on Zendo and am wondering if anyone has any thoughts. I am going to install a 2 or 3 bank smart charger (depends on whether I go with 2 house banks and a starter or 1 house bank and a starter). Thought I might install a dedicated starting battery at the same time. The standard Off-A-Both-B switch is something else to remeber when I am dropping the hook (Turn it back to A or B after being on Both while motoring into the anchorage). Battery Combiners look like the ticket, but they screw up use of wind or solar -- which are included in the future plans. Isolators appear a good choice, but I don't have an externally sensed alternator -- that leaves me with the 0.7 volt drop. Also, what precautions should I take when I run 12 volt batteries in parallel for a house bank? What size fuse, what type, etc. (I am thinking of going to a large house bank and a starting battery.)
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Steve
West Marine Advisor
West Marine has a good write up in their catalog on installing battery banks and the parts to go with it. I would recommend that you start by reading that. I installed an automatic switch in my system to go between the shore and interter. I couldn't find on at a marine supply, but I could at a trailer supply. It was made for both land and marine use. Only $50, and saves the inverter if someone other than me is turning switches.
West Marine has a good write up in their catalog on installing battery banks and the parts to go with it. I would recommend that you start by reading that. I installed an automatic switch in my system to go between the shore and interter. I couldn't find on at a marine supply, but I could at a trailer supply. It was made for both land and marine use. Only $50, and saves the inverter if someone other than me is turning switches.
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Les Blackwell
I upgraded my electrical system on a H380
I upgraded my electrical system on my H380 the first year I had it. I based my design on what Nigal Chaulder said in his latest book on Boat Systems. The battery charger is now a Statpower Model 20 (I felt I didn't need the 40 or the inverter). It uses the same fuse holders and fuses that came with the boat. I replaced the single house 4D battery with four six volt batteries wired in series/parallel to give one house bank. This now gives me 440 amp doubled what I had in the 4D and in about the same space. The alternator has been modified for a smart regulator, which is mounted just above the engine. A snubber has been added to the output of the alternator to protect it if the battery switch or circuit breaker is opened wheile the engine is running. The output wire has been upgraded and now goes o the house bank battery switch. A Link 20 has been added at the chart table to monitor the start and house batteries. A Battery Combiner has been added so that the alternator can charge all battereis without having to change battery switch settings. This will also work with any future inverter/charger added. I use a deep discharge Group 24 for the starter battery. I have used this system for two years with about 55 days of cruising. We can anchor for about three to four days with the freezer/refrig running and not run out of power. We do not use an inverter except for battery charging for small electronics (tooth brush, razor, etc.). The system has worked well for my wife and I. If you want a electronic diagram of this system, please send me your address and I will mail one to you (to anyone that wants one). I do not have a fax or scanner as yet. Best wishes on your upgrade.
I upgraded my electrical system on my H380 the first year I had it. I based my design on what Nigal Chaulder said in his latest book on Boat Systems. The battery charger is now a Statpower Model 20 (I felt I didn't need the 40 or the inverter). It uses the same fuse holders and fuses that came with the boat. I replaced the single house 4D battery with four six volt batteries wired in series/parallel to give one house bank. This now gives me 440 amp doubled what I had in the 4D and in about the same space. The alternator has been modified for a smart regulator, which is mounted just above the engine. A snubber has been added to the output of the alternator to protect it if the battery switch or circuit breaker is opened wheile the engine is running. The output wire has been upgraded and now goes o the house bank battery switch. A Link 20 has been added at the chart table to monitor the start and house batteries. A Battery Combiner has been added so that the alternator can charge all battereis without having to change battery switch settings. This will also work with any future inverter/charger added. I use a deep discharge Group 24 for the starter battery. I have used this system for two years with about 55 days of cruising. We can anchor for about three to four days with the freezer/refrig running and not run out of power. We do not use an inverter except for battery charging for small electronics (tooth brush, razor, etc.). The system has worked well for my wife and I. If you want a electronic diagram of this system, please send me your address and I will mail one to you (to anyone that wants one). I do not have a fax or scanner as yet. Best wishes on your upgrade.
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Dean Strong
"Sailboat Electrics Simplified"
I just completely rewired my main electrical system and batteries for my Hunter 30. The above referenced book by Don Casey was very helpful, as was the West Marine Advisor mentioned in the previous posting. They both recommend the same system for wiring batteries. I used a West Marine battery combiner and three on/off switches(one for the starter/engine, one for the house bank and a link between the two. My previous on/off/both switch was in the aft berth; I moved the new ones to the electrical panel at the nav station. If you use more than one battery for our house bank they are easily linked. This system is so simple and fault free. No worries about draining batteries, no worries about shorting out your alternator, as is the case with an on/off/both system.
I just completely rewired my main electrical system and batteries for my Hunter 30. The above referenced book by Don Casey was very helpful, as was the West Marine Advisor mentioned in the previous posting. They both recommend the same system for wiring batteries. I used a West Marine battery combiner and three on/off switches(one for the starter/engine, one for the house bank and a link between the two. My previous on/off/both switch was in the aft berth; I moved the new ones to the electrical panel at the nav station. If you use more than one battery for our house bank they are easily linked. This system is so simple and fault free. No worries about draining batteries, no worries about shorting out your alternator, as is the case with an on/off/both system.
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Peter Albright
Don't Forget the Fuses
West has lots of good ideas, but only mentions the need for overvcurrent protection. Blue Sea has some good information on their site, including excepts from ABYC standards. The following was from my reply to Glenn Ashmore, in rec.boats.electronics, regarding unequal cable lenghts to 2 batteries. He had two 395 AHr banks, connected with 2/0 cable. Smaller systems will have smaller sizes, but the layout doesn't change. 1. On the positive leads, you need to have overcurrent protection within 7" of the battery, or 72" only "If the conductor is connected directly to the battery terminal and is contained throughout its entire distance in a sheath or enclosure such as a conduit, junction box ...". This does not apply to starter conductors. (ABYC E-9) 2. If your cable is rated 105 deg. C, the ampacity is 330 amps, outside the engine space (280 inside). 90 deg would be 285/233 (ABYC E-9). This is based on continuous flow, which the National Electrical Code defines as 3 hours. 3. I would agree with Peter Bennett, use independent leads and two switches. Each lead should have its own fuse. This provides separation and redundancy, for service and for faults. 4. Fuses need to have 5,000 amps of interrupting rating(ABYC E-9), which requires ANL or class T fuses. The power released on a short circuit can exceed 50,000 watts. The fuses should be sized at the wire ampacity, they are there to protect from short circuits. I would use class T, because they will carry 200% for 50 seconds, but clear 600% in about .01 seconds. 2/0 cable would use 350 amp fuses. 5. After the two batteries are combined, I would use thermal circuit breakers for each individual sub-feeds: house panel, nav panel, winch, etc. I would use 3,000 AIC thermal breakers, like the Blue Sea 7000-7005 series. A 150 amp breaker will clear a 600 amp fault in .1 second, well before the melt time on the class T fuse. For the branch circuits, the magnetic trip breakers are fine. Fuses are great for clearing faults, but breakers are much easier to reset. 6. Ideally, your alternator regulator and charger should have a separate voltage sense leads, both negative
West has lots of good ideas, but only mentions the need for overvcurrent protection. Blue Sea has some good information on their site, including excepts from ABYC standards. The following was from my reply to Glenn Ashmore, in rec.boats.electronics, regarding unequal cable lenghts to 2 batteries. He had two 395 AHr banks, connected with 2/0 cable. Smaller systems will have smaller sizes, but the layout doesn't change. 1. On the positive leads, you need to have overcurrent protection within 7" of the battery, or 72" only "If the conductor is connected directly to the battery terminal and is contained throughout its entire distance in a sheath or enclosure such as a conduit, junction box ...". This does not apply to starter conductors. (ABYC E-9) 2. If your cable is rated 105 deg. C, the ampacity is 330 amps, outside the engine space (280 inside). 90 deg would be 285/233 (ABYC E-9). This is based on continuous flow, which the National Electrical Code defines as 3 hours. 3. I would agree with Peter Bennett, use independent leads and two switches. Each lead should have its own fuse. This provides separation and redundancy, for service and for faults. 4. Fuses need to have 5,000 amps of interrupting rating(ABYC E-9), which requires ANL or class T fuses. The power released on a short circuit can exceed 50,000 watts. The fuses should be sized at the wire ampacity, they are there to protect from short circuits. I would use class T, because they will carry 200% for 50 seconds, but clear 600% in about .01 seconds. 2/0 cable would use 350 amp fuses. 5. After the two batteries are combined, I would use thermal circuit breakers for each individual sub-feeds: house panel, nav panel, winch, etc. I would use 3,000 AIC thermal breakers, like the Blue Sea 7000-7005 series. A 150 amp breaker will clear a 600 amp fault in .1 second, well before the melt time on the class T fuse. For the branch circuits, the magnetic trip breakers are fine. Fuses are great for clearing faults, but breakers are much easier to reset. 6. Ideally, your alternator regulator and charger should have a separate voltage sense leads, both negative
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Ed Schenck
Write if you would. . .
like a sketch of my H37C electrical. One starter, three house, all Gels with combiner and Heart 2000W inverter/charger. Ed s/v Ladylove h37skipper@aol.com
like a sketch of my H37C electrical. One starter, three house, all Gels with combiner and Heart 2000W inverter/charger. Ed s/v Ladylove h37skipper@aol.com
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