I removed my starting battery a few weeks ago and went out of town. I was in the middle of having some service work on the generator, but told them we could finish it when I came back. Well, when I got back I called them to finish it, and they said they were able to get it done while I was away. Said it ran just fine. I told them I had removed the starting battery and how on earth did they get it started, and was told they just turned the switch and it fired right up. Yup, it does, and so does the boat engine...using the house batteries!!! As long as the battery switches are on. There is an isolator and a selonoid installed, but I can't figure out how it is wired so this can happen, and for that matter, what the isolator and selonoid are supposed to be doing if I can crank the engine from the house batteries. I suspect that somehow it permits cranking if the start battery is dead, but prevents the house load from draining the start battery... I'm just guessing. Hunter says it's normal. Any "electricians" out there who can explain this to me. Thanks.
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start without a battery
I requested a copy of the wiring diagram for my 1997 42 and Hunter sent me one for a 430 and told me the two boats are the same. Once the key is turned on, the solenoid allows the isolator to be bypassed. The battery terminal of the starter battery switch is wired via the solenoid to the feeder terminal of the inverter draw selector switch. When the ignition switch is on, current from the house battery can flow, bypassing the isolator diode, to the battery terminal terminal of the start battery switch and then to the starters allowing either engine to be started. the solenoid also allows the full voltage from the alternator to reach the house bank without suffering the drop caused by the isolator. This setup will also let the start battery draw from the house bank if all switches are in the on position. bw
I requested a copy of the wiring diagram for my 1997 42 and Hunter sent me one for a 430 and told me the two boats are the same. Once the key is turned on, the solenoid allows the isolator to be bypassed. The battery terminal of the starter battery switch is wired via the solenoid to the feeder terminal of the inverter draw selector switch. When the ignition switch is on, current from the house battery can flow, bypassing the isolator diode, to the battery terminal terminal of the start battery switch and then to the starters allowing either engine to be started. the solenoid also allows the full voltage from the alternator to reach the house bank without suffering the drop caused by the isolator. This setup will also let the start battery draw from the house bank if all switches are in the on position. bw
What A Surprise!
I am shocked to hear that any Hunter boats are wired this way. I plan on checking my wiring diagram the next time I am at the boat (H450). If the engines can be started by the house batteries when the engine state battery is out of the circuit, then Hunter should have made this very clear to all owners. I consider it a very dangerous setup if you don't know about it. I even asked the dealer if that could be done and I was informed that there was no cross connection between the house batteries and engine start battery. Perhaps someone from Hunter could clear this up?????
I am shocked to hear that any Hunter boats are wired this way. I plan on checking my wiring diagram the next time I am at the boat (H450). If the engines can be started by the house batteries when the engine state battery is out of the circuit, then Hunter should have made this very clear to all owners. I consider it a very dangerous setup if you don't know about it. I even asked the dealer if that could be done and I was informed that there was no cross connection between the house batteries and engine start battery. Perhaps someone from Hunter could clear this up?????
wiring
I have scanned the fax sent to me by Hunter and would be glad to email it to you. I also have another drawing I made from the fax since the fax is a bit fuzzy. I'm at walton66@terranova.net. Joe at Hunter Cust.Serv. sent it to me so he would probably send it to you as well. Your dealer is wrong if your boat is wired per the 450 diagram I have. I got it because my 42 was not wired like the drawing in the owner's notebook. I asked for a correction and got the 450 diagram and was told that the late 42s were wired like the 450.
I have scanned the fax sent to me by Hunter and would be glad to email it to you. I also have another drawing I made from the fax since the fax is a bit fuzzy. I'm at walton66@terranova.net. Joe at Hunter Cust.Serv. sent it to me so he would probably send it to you as well. Your dealer is wrong if your boat is wired per the 450 diagram I have. I got it because my 42 was not wired like the drawing in the owner's notebook. I asked for a correction and got the 450 diagram and was told that the late 42s were wired like the 450.
It's on the house
I'm not an electrical expert, but I why wouldn't the engine be able to start on the house battery (if the system is switched to house). I would think that would be the goal, so that you can start the engine if your starter batter was dead.
I'm not an electrical expert, but I why wouldn't the engine be able to start on the house battery (if the system is switched to house). I would think that would be the goal, so that you can start the engine if your starter batter was dead.
I know why
Essentially what Hunter does is have a high current solenoid parallel the house banks to the starter battery while the engine is running. This is do to provide an alternator path to the start battery. The shore power charger has two isolated outputs; one feeding the start battery, and the other the common terminal of the house bank. This solenoid is activated by the engine key switch, which only allows the banks to be in parallel when the engine runs. When the engine is off, the house loads cannot draw from the engine start.
Essentially what Hunter does is have a high current solenoid parallel the house banks to the starter battery while the engine is running. This is do to provide an alternator path to the start battery. The shore power charger has two isolated outputs; one feeding the start battery, and the other the common terminal of the house bank. This solenoid is activated by the engine key switch, which only allows the banks to be in parallel when the engine runs. When the engine is off, the house loads cannot draw from the engine start.
additional analysis
In addition to the information already posted, If one analyzes the diagram, you will see the key does not have to be on to get voltage to either starter. The diode in the isolator reduces the available voltage but allows the starters to draw from all batteries. The solenoid bypasses the diode for one main reason and that is to get the alternator output to the batteries with minimal voltage drop with minimum additional cable. On the 42 at least, The alternator output is connected by a short wire to the starter. At that point it is cross-connected to the cable leading to the start battery on/off,not ignition, switch. When the switch is in the on position, the alt. output gets cross-connected to the start battery and to one side of the isolator. If the ignition switch is in the on position, activating the solenoid, the alt. output has access to the house bank battery selector switch, bypassing the isolation diode in the isolator. This wiring allowed Hunter to avoid running another cable from the alt to the various battery switches. If the start battery switch is in the off position, at least on my boat, neither engine will start because there is no path for either battery to reach either engine. Hope this helps. regards, bw
In addition to the information already posted, If one analyzes the diagram, you will see the key does not have to be on to get voltage to either starter. The diode in the isolator reduces the available voltage but allows the starters to draw from all batteries. The solenoid bypasses the diode for one main reason and that is to get the alternator output to the batteries with minimal voltage drop with minimum additional cable. On the 42 at least, The alternator output is connected by a short wire to the starter. At that point it is cross-connected to the cable leading to the start battery on/off,not ignition, switch. When the switch is in the on position, the alt. output gets cross-connected to the start battery and to one side of the isolator. If the ignition switch is in the on position, activating the solenoid, the alt. output has access to the house bank battery selector switch, bypassing the isolation diode in the isolator. This wiring allowed Hunter to avoid running another cable from the alt to the various battery switches. If the start battery switch is in the off position, at least on my boat, neither engine will start because there is no path for either battery to reach either engine. Hope this helps. regards, bw
Starts while autorotating!
Sometimes if I put the trans in forward, the eng starts by itself! (YANMAR 30 HP DIESEL, 15 16 3 BLADE PROP). J
Sometimes if I put the trans in forward, the eng starts by itself! (YANMAR 30 HP DIESEL, 15 16 3 BLADE PROP). J
same with a 410
My 410 would also start with the engine-start battery switched off. My dealer installed a second isolator, but the problem remained. After a great deal of head scratching, we discovered that the solar panel was defeating the diode. (!) Took some creative wiring to get around that one, none of which would work on your boat because I have separate chargers for the house and engine banks. One of the things we discovered in the process was that the wiring diagram in the owner's manual did not reflect onboard realities. By the way, while we were doing all that, I had the dealer install a throw switch so that the solar panel could charge either the house or engine bank. In port I leave it switched to the engine, but if I anchor out for long periods I switch it over to the house bank.
My 410 would also start with the engine-start battery switched off. My dealer installed a second isolator, but the problem remained. After a great deal of head scratching, we discovered that the solar panel was defeating the diode. (!) Took some creative wiring to get around that one, none of which would work on your boat because I have separate chargers for the house and engine banks. One of the things we discovered in the process was that the wiring diagram in the owner's manual did not reflect onboard realities. By the way, while we were doing all that, I had the dealer install a throw switch so that the solar panel could charge either the house or engine bank. In port I leave it switched to the engine, but if I anchor out for long periods I switch it over to the house bank.
Re: starts while autorotating
Cool! Several month back, there was a long discussion thread about whether it is better to sail in neutral or in gear, and, if in gear, forward or reverse. No one mentioned an engine that could start from the force of the prop dragging through the water. It must be that big three bladed prop.
Cool! Several month back, there was a long discussion thread about whether it is better to sail in neutral or in gear, and, if in gear, forward or reverse. No one mentioned an engine that could start from the force of the prop dragging through the water. It must be that big three bladed prop.
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