1,2 Both Switch - When on Both do the 2 batteries even out on charge?

[PaulRainbow]

The AA, RAC and Greenflag are all eagerly awaiting your phone call to tell them what batteries you use, because at this moment in time, battery problems are the most common reason for a call out. In 2014 the RAC alone attended 450,000 battery related callouts. Way back in 2006 they attended over 130,000 vehicles with batteries that needed replacing !!

{/quote}

I think you will find that most of those are simply flat batteries. Battery reliability has increased greatly since I han my first car Austin A35 which had a starting handle for when the battery was flat when leaving work on a freezing cold night.

The problem today is mainly all the extra gadgets on cars these days and particularly the electronics that are constantly powered even when the car is not in use. This is why I have manitainance battery chargers on all my classic cars that I don't use much.

The 130,000 figure for 2006 was for knackered batteries alone.

My point is/was, batteries do fail, despite JDs comments to the contrary.

 

[PaulRainbow]

One snag you may find with the BEP cluster is that the emergency combining switch parallels the batteries. This means that you will be unable to leave a duff battery disconnected and run on just the other as you can with your old selector switch.

It would be better if the combining switch paralleled the starter and domestic circuits then you could leave a duff battery isolated.

Check with the wiring diagram of your BEP cluster. It is possible to rewire it to do as I suggest if not already wired like that.

They usually comes as you describe, i would also wire them to parallel the load circuits, rather than the batteries. Easy to change.

 

[geem]

The 130,000 figure for 2006 was for knackered batteries alone.

My point is/was, batteries do fail, despite JDs comments to the contrary.

Isnt that stating the obvious? We all know they dont last for ever. Most just fail to hold a charge in a car. A bit of cold weather and it doesnt have enough amps to start the engine. You just install a new one and off you go. I have never seen a battery fail catastrophically in a car under normal use but once when I was rallying I had my battery bracket snap. The battery smashed itself to tiny pieces and all i was left with was two lead posts still attached to the battery terminals. It stopped the engine just as I crossed the finishing line. I suppose this is possible in a boat in extreme weather. How many people have adequate battery clamps for rough weather?

 

[NormanS]

I would hope that most boats would have their batteries secured to withstand bad weather. Are your's not?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Isnt that stating the obvious? We all know they dont last for ever. Most just fail to hold a charge in a car.

It was obvious to me, but i was answering a specific comment from JD.

I have never seen a battery fail catastrophically in a car under normal use

The problem here is that you only see a few batteries during your average year. Because of my work i get to see many more batteries. I've personally had a few fail, but I have seen hundreds fail in all sorts of ways through my work.

 

[geem]

I would hope that most boats would have their batteries secured to withstand bad weather. Are your's not?

Mine our. Since the domestic bank alone weighs 260kg I am more than aware of what damage they could do in a knock down. The battery box lids are 10mm perspex with neoprene seals and fixing screws. The batteries themselves are installed with timber restaining arms over each battery all screwed down. The battery box also has its own ventilation system sealed from the saloon area. It has both a dorade ventiiator and the abilty to turn on a centrifugal fan for additional ventilation during high amp charging to remove gas. Its all orginal to the build.
How many people have batteries under bunks sharing the space with other items. I have seen a few like this.

 

[GHA]

With all these exploding batteries glad there's some monitoring & alarms onboard

 

[rogerthebodger]

With all these exploding batteries glad there's some monitoring & alarms onboard

With all these exploding batteries I do wander why health and safety has not banned their use.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I suspect that most battery problems attended by breakdown men are for time expired batteries failing to start the engine at home or when left for a reasonable time.
My car battery is getting a bit hesitant this cold weather and may well pack up between now and March.

The AA, RAC and Greenflag are all eagerly awaiting your phone call to tell them what batteries you use, because at this moment in time, battery problems are the most common reason for a call out. In 2014 the RAC alone attended 450,000 battery related callouts. Way back in 2006 they attended over 130,000 vehicles with batteries that needed replacing !!

Tell them you'll share your secret for £1 per callout and you'll be a millionaire :encouragement:



Next, (if your new millions are not enough) make phone calls to Jeanneau, Beneteau, Bavaria, Halberg Rassy, etc, etc and offer to share your wiring designs and switch discoveries. Because at the moment they all seem to be using separate switches for each bank. In fact, most of them have been doing so for several years.

 

[PaulRainbow]

With all these exploding batteries glad there's some monitoring & alarms onboard

With all these exploding batteries I do wander why health and safety has not banned their use.

Of course, there is really no such thing as an exploding battery.

Well, at least not in closed minds.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Stop it!
This thread is degenerating into a slanging match unworthy of the forum.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I suspect that most battery problems attended by breakdown men are for time expired batteries failing to start the engine at home or when left for a reasonable time.
My car battery is getting a bit hesitant this cold weather and may well pack up between now and March.

Most battery callouts are for flat batteries, but in 2006 the RAC replaced 130,000 dead ones. Of those, you are correct that most would be time expired. There are a lot that fail unexpectedly though. I've seen people stop to answer a phone call, car won't start, stop to get a loaf of bread, car won't start, etc. I've seen them fail whilst driving along, the car has just cut out and ground to a halt.

 

[PaulRainbow]

With all these exploding batteries I do wander why health and safety has not banned their use.

You're usually a smart man Roger, i'm puzzled why you can't work this one out ?

 

[rogerthebodger]

Of course, there is really no such thing as an exploding battery.

Well, at least not in closed minds.

I don't doubt that batteries can and do explode. I for one would like to know how often and under what circumstances batteries explode so I can tale action and prevent it happening to me .

Having played with cars and boats from the late 1960's I have seen the reliability and performance of lead acid batteries grow in leaps and bounds.

My domestic battery bank are all sealed deep cycle and I have seem individual batteries within a bank due to a shorted cell thus overcharging the other cells in that battery. Once I identify which battery I disconnect that battery until I can replace it or the whole bank with like for like batteries.

Currently my engine start battery has failed but can use my domestic bank to start my engine by selecting the appropriate position on my 1,2,both engine isolation/selection switch. I have a new engine start battery in my 4x4 ready to take down

 

[PaulRainbow]

I don't doubt that batteries can and do explode. I for one would like to know how often and under what circumstances batteries explode so I can tale action and prevent it happening to me .

I don't have that data Roger. It's obvious though that in general batteries are safe and reliable, although failures (including explosions) do happen. Not to the degree that we should all stop using them or keep them in sealed vaults, but enough that we need to take measures for safe handling (well documented) and be aware of what might happen if one fails at sea, taking sensible measures to mitigate the risks and effects. I know you are aware of all of this, you've built a lot of redundancy into your own systems. Not everyone is so aware.

 

[ColinR]

They usually comes as you describe, i would also wire them to parallel the load circuits, rather than the batteries. Easy to change.

how do you change it?

 

[PaulRainbow]

how do you change it?

Fit the battery cables to terminals (B) and (D) in the connection diagram. Connect the loads to (A) and (C). The two wires from the VSR also go to terminals (B) and (D)

This way, you can use the middle switch for a quick jump start, or turn the switch off to isolate the dead battery, turn the middle switch on and everything runs from the good battery.

 

[VicS]

how do you change it?

Beaten by PR

 

[PaulRainbow]

Beaten by PR

Vic, i saw that you posted regarding the square cluster, i'd assumed the OP had the one with four in a row. If he does have four in a row the links don't need changing, just the wiring. If, on the other hand, he has the square cluster, your post would be the appropriate one.

Perhaps Colin can clarify which one he has.

 

[ColinR]

Fit the battery cables to terminals (B) and (D) in the connection diagram. Connect the loads to (A) and (C). The two wires from the VSR also go to terminals (B) and (D)

This way, you can use the middle switch for a quick jump start, or turn the switch off to isolate the dead battery, turn the middle switch on and everything runs from the good battery.

thanks!