Battery selector switch settings

[DrNickS]

I usually run with my battery selector set to "both" and spend very little time anchored. I have a slip with shore power to maintain my batteries (a 27 starting and 8D house battery).

How do most of you set your battery selector when starting, cruising, etc?

[jcollins]

I was thinking about this tonight.
Postiion 1 - Group 27 house battery. (at least 5 years old)
Position 2 - Group 27 Odyssey 2150 (2) Starting batteries.

When on shore power I'll alternate 1 or 2. A few days on each. But most of the time it's on 1. Someone told me years ago with my other boat not to leave the charger on "both". I don't think it really matters if all the batteries are the same. But, if one is weaker it could pull the other battery down.

When I'm running, mostly on all. I'm assuming more volts for the thruster when I need it. (I was following your other thread)

[AlanD]

Same here, I run on both batteries ON for the thrusters. Alternate between 1 & 2 when on shore power, not sure why I do this, but I do it. More importantly, when I anchor at night off shore power, I leave it on 1 or 2, not both, so I can ensure I have a starting battery in the morning.

Alan

[JackK]

I have two 4D's in my '03 and run on both unless on the hook. Then I switch to my house battery (2).

My charger is wired individually to both batteries. It does not go through the selector. So if you are alternating due to the charging, you may not have to.

Jack

[Conrad Nay]

I have a very basic question re the battery selector switch (hey, we've only had our Albin for two weeks!): once the engine is started and charging is taking place, can I switch the batteries? E.g., I like to start just using the start battery, but then would like to switch to "All" so that I can charge all batteries. Will I break something even if I do it quickly?
Conrad
A25 Vagabond

[JackK]

You can switch the batteries while the engine is running but must never go through the off possition. Your alternator will burn out if you do. In other words, you can go from 1 - BOTH - 2 but not 1 - OFF - 2.

Because of this risk, I avoid switching while the engine is running.

Jack

[Elizabeth Ann]

This may be just artifact knowledge from when our 'large' boat had an outboard not the current inboard with the Albin.

I have always been under the impression that running on 'both' was bad because both batteries could potetially be drained if there was an electrical problem.

Once started, can we continue to run on house batteries?

Also, when on shore power, is isolationg the switch neccessarry?

[RicM]

I did some testing to determine my battery setup, and you can too. First check to see, if indeed, your charger is tied directly to the batteries. Turn on your DC main and play the radio, turn on the GPS and the fridge, then head to the store leaving it all running with the AC panel (and charger) turned off. Get a good multimeter (I broke down and bought a digital model at the orange box for about $39.995). Get the extension hookup wires with the aligator clips. (Alternately you can, of course, borrow one, but believe me there are few tools more useful than a good meter on a boat).
Back at the dock, hookup your shore power, and turn your battery select knob to "off". Connect your new meter to the posts on battery 1, and it should read about 12.5-12.8 Volts DC. Turn on your AC panel and flip the charger switch on and off while looking at the meter (this is why you need the long hookup cables). The voltage should jump up (13.5V approx) when the charger switch is on, then back when flipped off. If your boat is like mine (03 28TE) you will see the jump, confirming that the charger is wired direct to battery #1, regardless of the position of the battery switch. Repeat on battery #2. Why? you might ask. Wouldn't anyone with a lick of common sense wire them both the same? Yes, but it would appear that both boats I have bought from others were at some point owned by complete electrical idiots, complete with household type wire nuts, masking tape insulation, zip cord wiring etc. DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING!
My boat came with a pretty high end charger that can adjust to different battery types, can be set for different charging speeds (use the slowest if you gave time), and knows enough to fully charge battery #1 then switches to battery #2, then switches to trickle to maintain.
If you sit at the dock hooked to shore power like I do to keep the beer cold and some frozen bait aboard you should keep your batteries turned to "off", AC and charger "on" when you're not there. The only other thing you want working and wired direct to the batteries is the bilge pumps.

When running out & fishing (motor on & off for drifting) I keep my battery switch on "both" as this keeps my electronics from cutting out when I restart after a drift. When we anchor up for lunch or dinner I try to remember to switch to "battery 2" position to protect battery one for the restart after a meal and a nap. I usually remember to switch the selector to "off" when I return to the dock and I'm leaving the boat alone. I did just install an alarm this year (I just installed a bunch of pricey new electronics, see New Helm Station thread) that is wired direct to battery 1 as well, they claim that it will take several weeks to draw down a full battery, but with the charger on it's not an issue.

[Pitou]

If you sit at the dock hooked to shore power like I do to keep the beer cold and some frozen bait aboard you should keep your batteries turned to "off", AC and charger "on" when you're not there. The only other thing you want working and wired direct to the batteries is the bilge pumps.

Boy do I wish I could do that ..... In my '02 Albin installed a Norcold DC only fridge. When on shore power I have to run the DC power to keep "the liquor locker" cold!!!
When dockside ... on the AC side the battery charger is on and on the DC side the refrigerator stays on. Battery switch ... house stays on / starting battery off and isolated. I'm always sure to check the battery water levels every couple of weeks.

[JackK]

Pitou / Kevin -

If your boat is wired like mine, you can isolate which battery the bilge pumps are on. In my case it is #1 and they are wired direct with a fuse block on the positive side. So if you need to protect the "Cold One's" and the bilge, set the selector to #2 and the charger on.

This way the fridge is on the house battery (isolated by the switch) and the bilge is protected by the charger and battery #1.

Just a thought.

Jack

[Elizabeth Ann]

When running out & fishing (motor on & off for drifting) I keep my battery switch on "both" as this keeps my electronics from cutting out when I restart after a drift.
-RicM

Hmmm - yesterday while fishing all my electronics dropped out while starting after a drift. This happened twice yesterday and has only happened once or twice before in the previous 2 seasons with the boat. I can't figure out why. We haven't run the shore powered charger yet this season. Could that be it? Does the alternator from the engine put out enough juice to keep the batteries charged under normal operating condditions?

Thanks for the test RicM.....I'm going to try that out today or tomorrow.

[RicM]

Dropouts are a real hard thing to nail down, were you playing the radio and running the fridge? Sometimes the fridge compressor is running, sometimes it's off if the refer interior is cold enough. There's a thousand variables that bring the voltage down just enough. With all the gear being digital, if the voltage drops even .1V below the power requirements, the whole system reboots, there is no "brownout". I just ordered one of these Startguards:
http://www.newmarpower.com/DC_Power_Con ... oners.html
I had one on my old boat and it worked great, only about $150 and easy to install. Eliminated the problem completely.

[Pitou]

Pitou / Kevin -

If your boat is wired like mine, you can isolate which battery the bilge pumps are on. In my case it is #1 and they are wired direct with a fuse block on the positive side. So if you need to protect the "Cold One's" and the bilge, set the selector to #2 and the charger on.

This way the fridge is on the house battery (isolated by the switch) and the bilge is protected by the charger and battery #1.

Just a thought.

Jack

My #1 is HOUSE battery and #2 is ENGINE battery. At layup early in my ALBIN ownership I disconnected one bat at a time to see if the bilge pumps ran by toggle switches and by filling the bilge with water all with the selector in the OFF position .... all checked out no matter which battery was powered up. That's a good thing. I keep the "cold ones protected" on shorepower with switch on 1 and leave #2 at rest. When on the run I keep the switch on both and If we throw the hook I switch to 1 and save that starting battery.

Jack/DogOnIt I hope to meet you in a couple of weeks in Boston. It will be my pleasure!!