290enticer

ok, had some time to check out how everything is wired. The converter/charger is a Guess charge pro w/smart technology. My battery one is my left battery, my battery two is my right battery. Both engines will crank on bat 1 position, both engines will crank on bat 2 position and will crank in "all" position. ok...the house battery is currently charged only by the converter/charger, everything is grounded together, the hot from the house battery goes to a small fuse box, from there the amp is fused and a fused hot wire goes up to the small control panel in the cabin for all cabin lights, radio, and fresh water pump. So, looks like all overnight accessories are coming from only the house battery when main is turned off. if i disconnect the house battery, no accessories will work unless i turn on the main battery switch. This tells me that the other two "cranking" batteries are also tied into the accessories. So, when i am overnighting, i will turn my main battery switch to "off" and run only on house. My auto bildge pump works when main bat switch is turned off. This is probably wired into constant b+. I do want to get a acr so i can charge all batteries with the engines running. I will move the charge line from the converter/charger from the house to the other cranking battery, This way i can plug into shore power and have my two "cranking batteries" topped off. How does this sound?? I think it will work!!

STV_Keith

Except the converter/charger will only charge the one battery it is connected to when plugged into shore power, unless you turn the main battery switch to ALL.

Question I have is you say the accessories work with the house batteries disconnected and the battery switch on either or both batteries? This indicates that the house and the switch are tied together somewhere.

290enticer

the converter/charger will charge two batteries, i will have it so it will charge both of the cranking batteries when plugged in. Did i say that??? The cabin accessories will only work off the house battery....you are getting me confused...I'll try again tomorrow after work...pretty sure they wouldn't work if the house was disconnected. I will try again tomorrow and confirm. Thanks

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Hard to follow when the house is powered in relation to the battery switch position, you counterdict yourself:

....."if i disconnect the house battery, no accessories will work unless i turn on the main battery switch. This tells me that the other two "cranking" batteries are also tied into the accessories. So, when i am overnighting, i will turn my main battery switch to "off" and run only on house."



Ok, you have a charger only. We are only dealing with 12vDC here. Makes it easier to discuss.

Is there a main cabin switch on the dash?

Sounds possible that the cabin is wired to the house battery only thru the fuse block, but that power lead goes thru a relay which is triggered off a factory ran 12vDC lead, thus the reason the battery switch has to be on for the cabin to power up.

I suggest to leave the charger connected to the house battery. That one will always have the largest draw down and should be your main focus. Being a 2 bank charger and wired as is, you are fine. Actually, I'd connect both output leads to the house battery only to double that charge, giving you longer battery life while plugged in at dock when the stereo and lights are on.


Your start batteries will always be charged just from the motors. Just starting the motors will draw down the batteries very little and will be replenished in several minutes of run time. The ACR will charge the house battery while the motors are running, and also charge the start batteries when plugged into shorepower if you run both charger leads to just the house battery. The good thing is, that change over can be done in 1 minute or less. So don't fret to much on that.


Damn, didn't think this was going to be US1 Electrical.

290enticer

I know...sorry guys, i will try it again tonight after work. I was wanting to move the charger off the house so it would charge from the motors because i never stay at the dock. We put the boat in and out and don't really want to have to plug it in everytime i bring the boat home to charge the house. When i plug the boat in the charger comes on and all the ac outlets in the cabin work, thats why i though it was a converter/charger, i also have microwave and frig in there. Thought about getting a dc/ac converter so i can run the frig away from shore power.. This will draw from house also probably.

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Just plugging in the boats gives you your 120AC, which you see with the outlets. Gotta have 120 for the charger. If you have no AC while on the water, then you have no inverter. Standard shorepower features.

How the charger is hooked up make ZERO difference on how the batteries are charged while on the water, only while plugged in. Which is why I suggest leaving it on the house battery. Give it priority for charging.

290enticer

CORRECTION: I have been in the boat playing around with fuses and switches. The house accessories are NOT tied into the other two cranking batteries. With the bat switch off and house battery on only, have all cabin lights and radio. Disconnect the house battery leads and turn on main battery switch to all and NONE of the cabin lights or radio work. So, i still feel like i need the acr to charge my house when im away from 120ac. If i don't do this and on the lake all weekend, i have no way to charge my house battery. us1, you are correct, its just a charger, followed the wires from the big rv plug, they split off and go to the charger and ac outlets, frig and microwave. Now, i may put a dc/ac converter on my house so i can run the frig out on the lake and even more reason to tap into alt for charging. Not really worried about the microwave though. I still think that the charger needs to go to the cranking batteries and charge the house by the motors when running via acr??? What do you think. Can you recommend a nice dc/ac converter that will run a frig, i need to look at the frig for the amp draw. Well, finially have this thing figured out. Ps...I may want to put a battery switch on my house bank just incase a cabin light gets left on while sittting in the driveway all week..huh??

STV_Keith

Look at xantrex inverters (DC to AC converter). They make sizes from 1000w to 3000w in the Freedom line. That's what I was going to put in my Scarab to run the AC.

As I said before, I do recommend an ON-OFF switch on the house batteries. It's nice to be able to disconnect them to make sure there is no unintended battery draw.

290enticer

yeah, i probably will. You had an ac unit in your scarab? Well, that would be nice for the kids to go down into the cabin and be able to watch tv and take a nap, while the wife and i....soak up the sun. do they make ac units for boats? how do they adapt on the cuddy??

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Yes, you can install an AC for your boat. I put one in the Fountain. You'll need more battery power and a good sized inverter to run it though, same as with your micro. Is your fridge AC only? The one in my cruiser is DC, they also make some that are AC/DC. See what you have.
Your house battery will charge off your motors while running, going thru the ACR, so not sure why you feel the need to remove the charger off the house battery? Why you feel the need to put a charger on the 2 batteries that should be always fully charged from your motors is confusing to me. But I guess the ACR will charge the house secondary to your start batteries, so you'll still be ok. Just not the ideal setup. The charger and ACR are 2 completely separate systems. 1 has nothing tho do with the other. I've already beaten the horse on keeping the charger on the house. But do put a ON/OFF switch on your house battery for emergency quick disconnect use.