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Dual banks with Duo charge?

S

Sheldon Haynie

Jan 1, 1970
0
Anyone have experience with dual banks (small starter and big house) with
the Balmar Duo-Charge? I am taking two seized up alternators off a
Westerbeke 46 (don't ask about why they are seized) and replacing with a
single 100A Balmar alternator. Rather than futz about with the battery
switch for charging, I would prefer to have a separate path for charging so
I do NOT forget to switch etc.


--
Sheldon Haynie
Texas Instruments
50 Phillipe Cote
Manchester, NH 03101
603 222 8652
 
S

Sheldon Haynie

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yes I would be interested, my boat is a bit mature and the wiring was to or
above standard in 1962. Lets just say I do not have a schematic for it and
need to create one.

I want the DuoCharge so that the starter battery can eventually diverge from
the house bank, currently both are flooded cells.


I installed a Duo-Charge when they came on the market, as I'd been
looking for something like that at a reasonable price for a while. My
logic was about the same as yours. It works like a champ. For my
purposes, it is the ideal solution. I have a dual output alternator,
but I prefer the Duo-Charge for its flexibility. Also, if you have
solar or wind power the Duo-Charge doesn't care where the charge comes
from.

The early units had abysmal documentation. I contacted Balmar and
they shipped me a new manual which was much better. I expect that
problem is fixed by now. The unit would not be appropriate for 2
large banks, as it is current limited to 30 amps. To keep a starting
battery topped off, that isn't a problem.

If you're interested, I have a wiring diagram of my boat before and
after installing the new alt/regulator/DuoCharge.

____________________________________________________________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson <usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com>
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/

--
Sheldon Haynie
Texas Instruments
50 Phillipe Cote
Manchester, NH 03101
603 222 8652
 
S

Sheldon Haynie

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thanks Larry, that would work well, IF the batteries were to be common
chemistry. Currently I have Flooded parallel-series connected 6V for House
bank and a small flooded for starter, Eventually I plan to change those
over, probably to an AGM for the starter. I do loan Lioness out and I want a
fool proof system.

S



Sounds like a job for a 100A or more battery isolator, to me. Connect the
alternator to the common terminal of the isolator and one of the battery
banks to the output terminals. The diodes in the isolator will keep the
big batteries from sucking the guts out of the little starting battery.
The alternator will charge whatever batteries are low just fine.....

Because you say you are forgetful, I won't mention using a continuous-duty
solenoid relay to hook the house batteries up to the starting batteries in
parallel from a little switch at the helm. One boater I did some work for
was brainwashed that all diode isolators were like bubonic plague, which
they're not, so I mounted a 12V, continuous-duty, 250A solenoid relay
between the + on the house batteries to the + on the starter battery. At
the helm, I put a simple toggle switch marked CHARGE! with a BRIGHT RED
indicator in your face. The toggle switch wasn't turned ON until the
engine was running. The toggle switch to turn on the coil of the relay got
its power through a 3A fuse hooked to the engine power switch so you
COULDN'T leave it on when you switched the engine off, even if the switch
was left on. What was neat was that bright, red light. It was hooked up
ACROSS the toggle switch, not to ground. If you cranked the engine and
DIDN'T turn on the house battery charging switch after the engine cranked,
the light LIT! Turning on the house battery relay extinguished the bright
light and charged everything in parallel. It didn't make any difference
where you left the charging switch when you turned the engine off, as long
as you turned it off to disconnect dead house batteries before you turned
the engine switch on next time you cranked it. If the house batteries
weren't dead, you can just let the solenoid come on with the key to the
engine as it makes no difference and helps crank the diesel with all the
batteries pulling at once, which is where he leaves it all the time....on.

A great advantage to using the solenoid and not the isolator was there was
still enough power in an almost-dead starting battery to power the solenoid
if the starting battery wouldn't crank the diesel. Once "on", with the
house batteries now hooked up like jumper cables, the house batteries will
crank the diesel to kick it all into charge, dead starting battery and all.
The guy I hooked it up for simply loves the way it works.....(c;

Larry

--
Sheldon Haynie
Texas Instruments
50 Phillipe Cote
Manchester, NH 03101
603 222 8652
 
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