I think my alternator is set up to charge whatever batteries I have on my
selector switch… Any way to do this without running new wires from my
alternator?
All the best,
Edd
Edd M. Schillay
Starship Enterprise
C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B
City Island, NY
Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log
On May 5, 2014, at 3:44 PM, Rich Knowles <[email protected]> wrote:
> Almost:) connect the alternator directly to your house battery and make that
> battery 1.
>
> Rich
>
> On May 5, 2014, at 16:28, Edd Schillay via CnC-List <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> Rich,
>>
>> I think I get it now. If I have my starter battery as #2, I start the
>> engine with #2 only (not ALL). This echo-charger could take the Alternator
>> charge going into #2 and also charge #1.
>>
>> Do I have that right?
>>
>> If so, I gots me some wiring to do….
>>
>>
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>> Edd
>>
>>
>> Edd M. Schillay
>> Starship Enterprise
>> C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B
>> City Island, NY
>> Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log
>>
>> On May 5, 2014, at 2:52 PM, Rich Knowles <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> In short, an Echo Charge is a simple regulator that derives it's input
>>> voltage from a battery connected to a charging source. It's output is
>>> connected to a secondary battery such as an engine start or windlass
>>> battery. If the input voltage rises above 3.4 volts, as I recall, the
>>>
>>> Rich
>>>
>>> On May 5, 2014, at 14:10, Edd Schillay via CnC-List <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Marek,
>>>>
>>>> Very interesting. What exactly is an echo charger and how would I
>>>> connect it?
>>>>
>>>> The previous owner had two house bank 31s and a starter battery hooked
>>>> up parallel to one of them. That starter battery turned out to be dead and
>>>> was dragging the other down.
>>>>
>>>> I replaced all with two new 31s about 4 years ago. Now one of those two
>>>> is dead and I don’t feel like dumping $300 on a replacement when I’m not
>>>> running on batteries for more than a few hours on any given day.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> All the best,
>>>>
>>>> Edd
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Edd M. Schillay
>>>> Starship Enterprise
>>>> C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B
>>>> City Island, NY
>>>> Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log
>>>>
>>>> On May 5, 2014, at 1:01 PM, Marek Dziedzic <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Edd,
>>>>>
>>>>> I don’t want to start a discussion on how to charge the batteries (as
>>>>> this would be off topic), but starting from the ALL position has some
>>>>> major disadvantages. One is that you might be hiding a problem with your
>>>>> starting battery; two is that if one battery is weak, you would be
>>>>> charging that weak battery from the strong one (you risk that if one is
>>>>> nearly dead, the other would not start the engine, either, but instead
>>>>> would discharge to equalise the voltage with the weak one).
>>>>>
>>>>> No question (in my mind), the best way is to start from the starting
>>>>> battery (hence the name) and have the echo charger making sure that both
>>>>> batteries are charged properly.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some advocate to have the batteries split into “main” and “spare”. Many
>>>>> good marine batteries can be used as dual purpose. If you design your
>>>>> system this way, you start on the “main”, it gets charged by the
>>>>> alternator and the echo charger maintains the “spare”.
>>>>>
>>>>> If I remember correctly, you have a solar system, as well. Many charge
>>>>> controllers have a dual battery option and they can be setup to charge
>>>>> the “main” battery first and then charge the “spare” (mine has a
>>>>> selectable 50/50 or 90/10 split).
>>>>>
>>>>> If you are interested, you can check some of Main Sail’s articles on that
>>>>> topic at Sailboat Owners or at his web site
>>>>> (http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/).
>>>>>
>>>>> Marek (in Ottawa)
>>>>>
>>>>> PS. Would “may the Force (May the 4th) be with you” apply, even if it is
>>>>> a day late? I know it is mixing the references...
>>>>>
>>>>> From: Edd Schillay via CnC-List
>>>>> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2014 10:58 AM
>>>>> To: [email protected]
>>>>> Subject: Re: Stus-List Mixed batteries
>>>>>
>>>>> Rich,
>>>>>
>>>>> Please do send around a diagram. I’m planning to do something similar — a
>>>>> 27 starting battery (as battery #2) and a 31 house bank (as battery#1).
>>>>>
>>>>> When I want to start and run the engine, I will do so on ALL. That way
>>>>> the alternator will charge both batteries. When sailing and “hanging
>>>>> out”, I would switch to 1 only.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a solar panel and a dual battery regulator, which would connect to
>>>>> both.
>>>>>
>>>>> Two weeks to launch and still much to do…..
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> All the best,
>>>>>
>>>>> Edd
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Edd M. Schillay
>>>>> Starship Enterprise
>>>>> C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B
>>>>> City Island, NY
>>>>> Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log
>>>>>
>>>>> On May 5, 2014, at 10:38 AM, Rich Knowles via CnC-List
>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> The best method I have found and the least problematic from all points
>>>>>> of view is to have a dedicated starting battery that does nothing else
>>>>>> but start the engine, and a house battery that can be several batteries
>>>>>> in parallel. Ideally the house batteries will all be identical. I feed
>>>>>> the alternator directly to the house battery and use a device such as
>>>>>> a Xantrex EchoCharge, a small regulator, to keep the start battery
>>>>>> charged. A simple 1/both/2 off switch feeds the house load from either
>>>>>> battery and acts as a combiner switch if needed. I have a diagram I can
>>>>>> send you if you wish.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have wired many boats this way with no complaints or incidents.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Rich Knowles
>>>>>> Indigo. LF38
>>>>>> Halifax. NS
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On May 5, 2014, at 10:47, via CnC-List <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In a pinch, I recently bought a 'starting' battery (Group 27) per my
>>>>>>> earlier post (no marine stores open after 6 on Saturdays)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Then I decided to get a replacement for my dead Lifeline AGM battery.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Of course, Murphy lurking about, I realized that my Zantrex Truecharge
>>>>>>> 40 wants all the batteries it charges to be the same since
>>>>>>> its charging schemes apply to all three outputs to the batteries.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Before I pull the 'rope-a-dope' of returning the starting battery, I
>>>>>>> need some list advice:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A lot of sailors suggest using a 'starting' battery exclusively for
>>>>>>> starting and using the house batteries for the house. I am aware that
>>>>>>> an AGM can be used for starting as well.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> However, if a 'starting' battery is better for this job (CCA, etc.) and
>>>>>>> the AGM is better for its job, how does one use a single charger like
>>>>>>> mine
>>>>>>> to satisfy different charging schemes?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 2 chargers, a smarter charger that has outputs for different battery
>>>>>>> characteristics, or 'forgetaboutit" and charge both batteries as though
>>>>>>> the were both AGMs?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Charlie Nelson
>>>>>>> Water Phantom
>>>>>>> C&C 36 XL/kcb
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> [email protected]
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