Combiner question

[pegasus1457]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Yes, the EchoCharge is a follower, i.e., it will follow the charging profile of whatever is connected to the house batteries. Presumably, EVERY CHARGING SOURCE, including your alternator, has a smart, multi-stage regulator. If it doesn't, it should.

The EchoCharge is still shown on Xantrex's website: Xantrex Technology Inc. - Recreational Vehicles - echo~charge - Product Information

Bill

Do you think a 30-year-old Motorola alternator has a multi-stage regulator?

Re the Xantrex, I looked on their marine products page and didn't find it. How stupid of me

[btrayfors]

Very unlikely. External regulators rule these days. A good one is the Balmar MC-612. A bit pricey, but generally reliable and very good design.

Bill

[pegasus1457]

Bill --

I have ordered a Xantrex echo charger and have it in my hands, but I realize that I have some questions about its use that are not resolved by reading the skimpy manual that comes with it.

Installing it is straightforward, but I don't understand what I do with the existing Guest 1/2/both/off switch. It is obvious that I do not want the switch in "both", or I will defeat the purpose of the echo charger.

If my house bank is connected to "2" then I would leave the Guest switch in position "2" all of the time?

That means the heavy cable to the starter, as well as my engine control panel, as well as must be on "1". The heavy cable is already hard-wired to pos "1" of the switch. Do I have to move the engine control panel to "1"?

What do I have to move to be able to start the engine even if the house bank is flat?

Or can I leave everything the way it is connected now?

I hope you will be charitable if these questions seem ignorant.

pegasus

[btrayfors]

Pegasus,

Not ignorant at all.

I'm not quite sure what you've already done, and what you plan.

I assume you're adding a dedicated starting battery. Is that right?

The starting battery should be on it's own ON-OFF switch. Both the house batteries -- if that's what you have wound up with -- should be tied together, preferably by directly wiring them in parallel.

The house batteries should go to position 1 on the 1-2-Both-off switch. And, you should leave this switch in the #1 position. If you like, you can run a heavy cable from the #2 position on this switch to the dedicated ON-OFF switch for the starter. In this way, you could tie the house bank to the start battery if you ever need to, but normally it would be in the #1 position.

To recap:

1. You need a dedicated ON-OFF switch for the start battery. You need to move the heavy start wire from the #2 position on the existing switch to the load side of the new ON-OFF switch. Turn if OFF when you leave the boat.

2. You need to move the house battery positive wire to the #1 position on your existing 1-2-BOTH-OFF switch. Leave it in this position all the time (your house battery load) or, if you like, turn it off when you leave the boat. This switch now becomes your HOUSE load switch and, in an emergency, could supply power to the starter (or from the start battery to the house load) by switching to the #2 position.

3. Wire the EchoCharge, according to instructions, between the house bank batteries and the start battery.

4. If you like, run a heavy cable from the #2 position on your house load switch to the load position on your start battery switch. This is for emergencies.

All cables should be protected by an appropriate CPD. ANL fuses are probably best.

Hope this helps a bit.

Bill

[pegasus1457]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Pegasus,

Not ignorant at all.

Thanks

I'm not quite sure what you've already done, and what you plan.

I assume you're adding a dedicated starting battery. Is that right?

Hope this helps a bit.

Bill

For the short term (this season) I had planned to split the 2 existing 85Ah batteries into 2 banks, one of which will serve as the starting battery.

Longer term, I will connect the 2 batteries together as my house bank and add a smaller starting battery. But that will be a winter project, since I will have to add a new battery box in the lazarette to keep the new battery solidly anchored.

Thanks for your advice,
Micheal
aka Pegasus