paralleling batteries
- Thread starter glandry924
- Start date
If you're asking about an ACR, once voltage rises for a certain period of time, a relay energizes and connects the batteries. All you might want to know about an ACR is provided at marinehowto.com
Making Sense of Automatic Charging Relays - Marine How To
Making Sense of Automatic Charging Relays - Marine How To
It depends about what you mean by ‘paralleled’. The example above is common for charging systems. Meanwhile, on my Hunter 41DS there are also switches to parallel both the start and house batteries, which is only active via a relay when the engine ignition switch is turned on.
Every boat is wired different ..... especially after 2-3 owners .... you'll have to check yours (electrically). Normally, the alternator output would be used to trigger the solenoid to close and parallel the batteries. On my boat, it had been rewired to a breaker to activate the solenoid. Some solenoids (ACR) sense the charging current and automatically parallel the batteries.
Nowdays, ACRs and solenoids and getting rarer. Most modern boats use a FET diode battery isolator or a DC-DC charger.
Nowdays, ACRs and solenoids and getting rarer. Most modern boats use a FET diode battery isolator or a DC-DC charger.
TLDR; for sure, you need to trace the wiring in the boat as-is.
Yeah,
I have copies of most if the factory wiring diagrams that were available. I am second owner and original owners only did minor items like adding a below deck Garmin set of instruments.
Meanwhile, the boat is still a little odd. For some reason, I think one of the early models during the ~2008 ‘great recession’ and when Hunter switched from teak veneer to the full-on synthetic wood interior. And an iron keel instead of lead.
anyway - yeah, for sure, the only way to know is to trace the wires and do some testing. I theory my boat has an ACR, aka ‘echo charger?’. According to the original schematics, there was (and is on my boat) a small red lead, probably to return start-battery voltage to what was originally specc’d. Meanwhile - yes the relays on the combiners still (which can be engaged/disengaged at the main battery panel), and yes a different/newer model echo/DC-DC charger for the start battery that doesn’t need that extra lead.
My apologies in advance if I have some terminology incorrect. I have spent time investigating the behaviour and documenting. To the best my abilities so at least I know where power is flowing, within what I think a very convenient, yet overly complicated system.
Yeah,
I have copies of most if the factory wiring diagrams that were available. I am second owner and original owners only did minor items like adding a below deck Garmin set of instruments.
Meanwhile, the boat is still a little odd. For some reason, I think one of the early models during the ~2008 ‘great recession’ and when Hunter switched from teak veneer to the full-on synthetic wood interior. And an iron keel instead of lead.
anyway - yeah, for sure, the only way to know is to trace the wires and do some testing. I theory my boat has an ACR, aka ‘echo charger?’. According to the original schematics, there was (and is on my boat) a small red lead, probably to return start-battery voltage to what was originally specc’d. Meanwhile - yes the relays on the combiners still (which can be engaged/disengaged at the main battery panel), and yes a different/newer model echo/DC-DC charger for the start battery that doesn’t need that extra lead.
My apologies in advance if I have some terminology incorrect. I have spent time investigating the behaviour and documenting. To the best my abilities so at least I know where power is flowing, within what I think a very convenient, yet overly complicated system.