help in decoding an old manual battery charging system

[vas]

me again...

instead of reviving a year old thread and since the issue is slightly different, I'm posting a new one with a link to the old one for reference.

Spent the day sorting out cabling, stripping cabin lights and toggle switches (LEDs only need a thin 4X0.22 from nearest BMS point) and rerouting power (220V, 220Vinv, 24V and USB) points.
At some point I have to sort out the engine room cabling which is an absolute mess. Went down there today nosing around and trying to figure out how things are wired with minimal success

So as a reminder, atm the el.panel on the lower helm features the following two bits that as we concluded with MapisM, PaulG and Alf are

a timer for the charge duration up to 12h:

and a charging power selector 0-3:

On the engine room I have a nice big rusty box that I thought was dead but is live 220V

next to it is a split charger by the looks of it (sorry no photo of it, will take one tomorrow), with one wire coming from a yet unidentified spot and two going to the two banks.

Currently boat has a Centaur intelligent whatever battery charger laying on its back next to the 6batteries (4service, 2 engines)
Even at battery level wiring is a nasty, rusty incoherent spaghetti:

Plan is to decomission the rusty box and hang the Centaur charger in its spot giving me more space to shift batteries about.


Now, by the looks of it, the rusty box is nowadays just there as a distribution box, taking shorepower (and genny power as well!) and feeding it to the intelligent charger. Further the rusty box MUST be connected to the 0-3 rotary switch on the el.panel increasingly pushing more amps to the batteries.
Since all that mess is useless, can someone confirm that I'm not missing something sinister and I can go ahead with the plan?

Obviously I'll trace all wiring back to where it came, mark them, remove them from the rusty box, fit a small distribution box and go from there.

any objections?

cheers

V.

 

[No Regrets]

State of the art: In 1960...

I think you may be advised to remove the old stuff and replace it as you suggested. It looks like a potential ignition system for a large fire.

Your plan is sound.

I love the retro look of that old stuff though!

 

[BartW]

the rusty box seems to contain a transformer and 4 rectifier diodes,
a very old fashion battery charger,
despite the retro look, you have to get rid of this.
same for all the old cabling
the centaur you can use again,
but before fitting a distribution box, I would make and finalise the electric diagram (perhaps you have that already)
DC 24V ? and 230V in a separate box,
and provide space for the fuses, and relay's , amp and voltage measuring resistors and coils, etc.... and extra's you might need now or in the future

speaking from experience here, last year on BA, the Italian electrician added two more distribution / relay boxes,(on top of several existing boxes)
for the hilo platform, scuba compressor fuse, and second shore power lead switchover relay
but unfortunately both too small, so that this year I have to add again 2 more boxes for distributing power to another scuba compressor, new extra battery charger / invertor, and 2340V +24V fuses for the stabilizers.

in a summery,
make sure you have enough space in your DC and AC distribution boxes.
if you like, I can make a list from all electric stuff I have in the engine room, as a checklist for you,

 

[vas]

in a summery,
make sure you have enough space in your DC and AC distribution boxes.
if you like, I can make a list from all electric stuff I have in the engine room, as a checklist for you,

thanks Bart,

I have a vague list, but not accustomed to 24V and their THICK cabling means that I must be v.careful specifying and fitting such boxes.
Fe, I always thought that the 1000-1500W inverter I want to install for a series of two pin plugs around the craft would fit at the lower helm. That was until I realised that it's practically 5m routing 24V cables to get there from the battery bank and that's plain silly. So inverter goes next to the intelligent battery charger and a reasonable 3X2.5mm2 220V carrying cable will do the 4m route nicely
I know where I want to fit them, just not finilised the list. Some things (especially for 220V) happen in the second el.panel I fitted, all the BMS, a long list of 20A relays and a few more.

Care to post a few pics and the list you've done so that I can cross check and make sure I wont forget much and start chaining boxes around the lazarette bulkhead

cheers

V.

 

[Divemaster1]

V..

Top picture is Voltmeter ... switch between Shore & Generator and mechanical timer for charging.

Second is voltmeter for batteries ... switch between Service & Starter batteries and 0, 1, 2, 3, 0 switch for charger AMP

Metal box looks like an old charger where the supply from Shore/Generator via charger switch is fed... obviously not working as designed as they have used this feed the "new" charger.

.. So Metal box out and in with new distribution / Junction Box as you propose... but cannot be sure we're not missing anything... sorry !!

Edit : do trace shorepower input first ....

 

[BartW]

thanks Bart,


Care to post a few pics and the list you've done so that I can cross check and make sure I wont forget much and start chaining boxes around the lazarette bulkhead

no pics right now, and not really interesting, too many separate boxes for me liking,
here is a list of what comes to mind, will check again, and add if something missing:


Connected to Engine battery bank:
- connection for engine starter (s) and alternator
- connection via fuse for bow thruster
- Connection via amp meter shunt and general switch to DC switchboard for engine cirquits (nav lights, instruments, …)
- Connection to relays box for charger to battery banc selector
- Connection via fuse for hilo platform
- Connection via switch to other battery bank (emergency backup)

Connected to Domestic battery bank:
- Alternator
- Connection to via amp meter shunt, and general switch to DC switchboard for domestic appliances
- Connection via fuse to invertor / charger
- old connection for charger to battery bank selector box
- Connection via switch to other battery bank (emergency backup)

Connected to 12V battery bank:
- Genny starters and alternators
- 12V charger
- 12V distribution panel, via amp meter shunt and general switch
- Via switch to central (12V) point from engine battery’s (emergency backup)

230V stuff in the area:
- Mains selector, genny 1 / genny 2 / shore supply , connections via Amp measurement coils
- Invertor cirquit
- Remote on/off Relays and breaker for Airco cirquit,
- Relais for 2nd shore connection for airco automatic switchover
- Breakers for scuba compressor’(s)
- Breakers for invertor in / out
- Isolation transformer 's)

and some more coming,

for the stabilizers,
will probably replace 2..3 small boxes by one new big electric box

and will add one more invertor, same like the other 3Kw, used for:
- backup for the first
- driving the stabs during navigation
- battery charger for the engine battery bank
- soft start for the airco