Using a VSR with a 1-both-2 off switch.

[zoidberg]

"Station calling, say again all after 'Oops!'"

 

[thesaintlyone]

If you decide to go with the Blue Sea Dual Circuit Switch do not bother buying the packaged item. I purchased the Switch Seperately for around £70 and used the Victron Cyrix VSR as reccomended by PaulRainbow at around £40. The Blue Sea Package is £170

Not sure how it does what it does but both my batteries seem to be charged using a single 100watt Solar Panel and Controller connected to the house battery. or at least it has been whilst faffing about testing my engine on the hard.

 

[halcyon]

If you decide to go with the Blue Sea Dual Circuit Switch do not bother buying the packaged item. I purchased the Switch Seperately for around £70 and used the Victron Cyrix VSR as reccomended by PaulRainbow at around £40. The Blue Sea Package is £170

Not sure how it does what it does but both my batteries seem to be charged using a single 100watt Solar Panel and Controller connected to the house battery. or at least it has been whilst faffing about testing my engine on the hard.

You should be able to isolate batteries separately for link starting, you need to allow for any type of engine battery failure. For instance a shorted cell in the engine battery would convert the battery to 10 volt. Linking it to the 12.7 volt service bank would give the equivalent of 14.7 volt and a large charge current. You should link the switched side of the isolator switches, thus allowing the faulty battery to be isolated.

Brian

 

[PaulRainbow]

You should be able to isolate batteries separately for link starting, you need to allow for any type of engine battery failure. For instance a shorted cell in the engine battery would convert the battery to 10 volt. Linking it to the 12.7 volt service bank would give the equivalent of 14.7 volt and a large charge current. You should link the switched side of the isolator switches, thus allowing the faulty battery to be isolated.

Brian

Unfortunately, the BlueSea switch does not allow any of the above. The shorted cell scenario you mention would almost certainly lead to the battery boiling and gassing significantly, easily leading to an explosion. Which is why i always say go with separate isolators and an emergency switch, totally flexible.

 

[lw395]

Unfortunately, the BlueSea switch does not allow any of the above. The shorted cell scenario you mention would almost certainly lead to the battery boiling and gassing significantly, easily leading to an explosion. Which is why i always say go with separate isolators and an emergency switch, totally flexible.

Or know where the 13mm spanner is.
If you have a shorted cell, you need to get the battery out of its bank.
On many boats it's very easy to simply move a house battery to the start circuit, in the unlikely event that it becomes necessary.
The money spent on over-complex switch configurations would allow timely replacement of the engine battery removing the issue at source.

As things get more complex, the chances of the owner understanding exactly how his boat works decrease exponentially.
I looked at a boat for sale a week or so back, it had a VSR, 1B2 switch and a diode splitter for good measure ..... Plus one of those cheap removable key isolators.

 

[zoidberg]

Plus one of those cheap removable key isolators.....

I have five of those, sitting in a drawer and looking for a job to do.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Or know where the 13mm spanner is.
If you have a shorted cell, you need to get the battery out of its bank.
On many boats it's very easy to simply move a house battery to the start circuit, in the unlikely event that it becomes necessary.
The money spent on over-complex switch configurations would allow timely replacement of the engine battery removing the issue at source.

As things get more complex, the chances of the owner understanding exactly how his boat works decrease exponentially.
I looked at a boat for sale a week or so back, it had a VSR, 1B2 switch and a diode splitter for good measure ..... Plus one of those cheap removable key isolators.

Seriously ? An on/off switch for each bank and one to use in case of emergency, hardly over-complex. As for "money spent" the whole lot costs £75, cheaper than most 1-2-B switches.