New Discovery.

[MedDreamer]

Having owned the boat for a full year I am slightly ashamed that today for the first time I found the master battery switch. The dial says "Both" 1, 2, "Off". Can anyone tell me what these settings are for. It is currently set on "Both"

I only have one battery at the moment (unless i haven't found it yet!) but am thinking of adding a second as starter backup for next year. How should I use this switch. Does it play any part in charging the battery(ies)?

Also on the battery switch panel there is a vertical row of what look like knobs (but could be covers) labelled (from the top) Aux, Auto Bilge Pump 1, Auto Bilge Pump2, DC Main. Could anyone tell me what these are?



<hr width=100% size=1>Martyn

 

[powerskipper]

The button knobs labled are poss the fuse resets may be wrong,

<hr width=100% size=1>Julie ,

 

[IPS]

OK The master battery switch you have fitted is used when there are 2 or more batteries. Most usually you would have a engine starter battery and a seperate liesure battery. So that you don't flatten both batteries when the engine is not running, you would switch to position 1 or 2 depending on your wiring arrangment, this in effect isolates the other battery which is then allways ready to start your engine. Once the engine is running put the switch in the ALL position and both batteries will recieve charge.

It sounds like the other items are fuses, unscrew the covers and you should find the fuse below. If they are buttons then they will be isolation switches.


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Kevin]

I think that these switches on the battery panel will be isolation trip switches that you can turn off if not needed for any reason or, if a problem is encountered, will trip needing to be reset once the problem has been sorted.

IMHO I feel its very important to have two batteries so that should there be a problem or over use of the DC circuit you still have the power to start the engine.

Kevin

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kingfisher]

On my boat:

Battery 1: Leisure battery
Battery 2: dedicated battery for starting the engine
1+2: both on-line for the extra grunt to start the engine when really cold
Off: all batteries disconnected when leaving the boat

This way you can listen to the radio all day, and still be able to start your engine to recharge.

Warnings:
Do not charge the batteries on BOTH, as different types of batteries require a different charge cycle.
Do not run the engine with the switch set to OFF: the alternator can't get rid of its current, and the solenoids will be deader than a dodo. Ergo, when switching from battery 1 to 2 to charge them while running the engine, always switch via BOTH of 1+2

VHF radio should be connected directly to battery 1, to make sure that a crewmember can use the radio without having to operate the switch
Also wired directly to the battery is the memory power for the FM radio
logically, bilge pumps are directly wired. That's why they have their own fuses, which is what the "knobs are. They're either fuse covers (then they can be unscruwed, containing a glass tube vial type fuse) or jumpers. If the fuse has jumped, they will be extended and you can just push them back in.

<hr width=100% size=1>Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[Wiggo]

Re: Beware

Depending on the type of switch, you may not want to move it with the engine running. If it's 'break before make', you'll blow your alternator.

IMHO, the sensible way to use these things is:

Starter connected to switch output.
Alternator to both batteries via a split charge diode block (NOT a cheapo relay from the caravan shop)
Radios (inc VHF) and bilge pump direct to battery 2.

When you flatten battery 1 trying to crank a flooded engine, you still have full power for the VHF and bilge pump. You can now switch the master switch from '1' to '2', so the starter is now connected to battery 2. Start the engine from battery 2, and leave the alternator to charge battery 1 via the diode block. Once safely home, remember to reset the switch to '1'.

<hr width=100% size=1><-- insert witty sig file here -->

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.fairlinetarga29.info>Buy my boat!</A>