Battery Banks 101~ I want to know

[Nehalennia]

Ok.
I'd like to know how you guys have your batteries set-up.

I currently have 2 - group 27 Batteries with the stock Guest Battery switch.
I'll be replacing the ProMariner Flyback 20-3 which is dead with a ProNautic 1240 and Monitor.
What I'd like to do is add 2 additional group 27's and have the existing for starting batteries and the new for the house, eventually adding an inverter.

How have you guys wired your's if you've separated your starter's from your house?

How would you suggest I do it?

 

[Presentation]

Hey Todd,

Why are you doing this?

Why not one starting and one group 31?

To answer your question, I have 3 batteries.

However with twin engines it makes more sense to have 3 batteries.

One is just for starting one engine. Guest switch is On or Off

Two are just like yours. Bat 1, Bat 2, both, none. This is connected to the other engine just like yours.

With the triple system you have an emergency start button that will connect all batteries. The idea is to start one engine, cross the batters as if you are using a jumper cable except you don’t have to open the hatch and use the running engine + good battery to start the other engine.

The single engine system is best with two batteries.

Why do you need more then two?

If you need more storage capacity for a microwave via a inverter I’d stick with one starting battery and one golf cart battery.

I’d recommend you stay with two batteries. One starting battery and one deep cycle battery.


If you need more storage power then one group 27 consider moving up to a group 31 or 4D.

 

[Sundancer]

I don't think you'd gain much by having two batteries on the starting circuit. I guess it's redundant and you could alternate even/odd days between both banks?

On our 250 DA, we just have two group 31's and never had any problem with capacity. But then again, we didn't use the refer either so it was just lights and water pump. We could run a whole weekend on one battery and still have enough to start from that battery on Sunday. With an inverter and running a refer, coffee pot or microwave and you would need the additional battery(ies) to keep up with the load. I look at it and figure the more batteries I have, the more it will take to charge them all back up! When we cruise, we did the even/odd day thing so that we always had one with a fresh charge. I also had a Guest charger running in there during the week to assure each battery was in top shape come Friday.

On our 300 DA, I haven't quite figured that out. We have either a couple of 6 volt in series or two very large 12 volt in parallel and a traditional starting battery. In the two weekends we used it before we winterized it, I never switched the battery switch. I don't know if the engine charged the house bank or if they were just charged from shorepower. I'm hoping it has a diode that charges the starting battery first and then the house battery automatically from the engine. That is the first order of business when I pull her out in the Spring. It's been driving me crazy!

 

[Nehalennia]

Hey Todd,

Why are you doing this?

Why not one starting and one group 31?

To answer your question, I have 3 batteries.

However with twin engines it makes more sense to have 3 batteries.

One is just for starting one engine. Guest switch is On or Off

Two are just like yours. Bat 1, Bat 2, both, none. This is connected to the other engine just like yours.

With the triple system you have an emergency start button that will connect all batteries. The idea is to start one engine, cross the batters as if you are using a jumper cable except you don’t have to open the hatch and use the running engine + good battery to start the other engine.

The single engine system is best with two batteries.

Why do you need more then two?

If you need more storage capacity for a microwave via a inverter I’d stick with one starting battery and one golf cart battery.

I’d recommend you stay with two batteries. One starting battery and one deep cycle battery.


If you need more storage power then one group 27 consider moving up to a group 31 or 4D.

Well the only reason that I was going to leave the 2 group 27's on the starter side is because they are set up that way now.
I figure those two can be programmed on the new charger and the same type of battery. Also the PO (previous owner) just installed them before I bought the boat.

The ProNautic Charger can charge 3 banks and be programmed for different battery type.

So for the house side I don't mind considering different alternatives for the battery but I figured I'd leave the 2-27's on the starting side.

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Todd,

I have the same set up as Doug on my 280. The 280SS 2000 owner’s manual has a good wiring diagram of the configuration.
Several things would drive the way you want to add batteries IMHO.

I agree with Doug that you could just size up the house bank by adding batteries. Depending on the draw the existing alternator might be able to keep up with the loads.

If you are intending to do heavy draws on your house batteries while on the hook I would add a separate bank for the inverter keeping the original house battery for the electronics and existing 12 volt house loads. This way you would be confident the existing charging system is not impacted. I know this is a very cautious approach.

You can add a blue sea 7600 CL-Series BatteryLink™ ACR between the existing house battery to recharge the separate bank while under power and this would provide some isolation for the charging system from the heavily discharged battery bank.

Since the charger you are getting can recharge 3 separate batteries when you are back pier side you can charge up the complete set.

I am adding an inverter charger to my 280 using the separate bank approach using the starboard engine and the 7600 to recharge underway.

 

[JV II]

I'm running a 1000W modified sine wave inverter for appliances and a 400W since wave inverter for the TV/DVD. Got two 6 volt Golf cart batteries in series on the house and a 12V starter battery dedicated to each engine. The batteries are isolated from each other by switches. When running the house bank, I can either keep it connected to one of the 12V starter batteries or separate them, to preserve the 12V starter battery. The other 12V starter battery is always isolated (except when you press the emergency jumper). The 2 golf cart batteries are potent enough to crank an engine if need be. By separating the batteries I have a 1 in 3 chance of having a charged battery for cranking in case I do something stupid. While overnight on the hook, I can switch to the house bank and have piece of mind knowing if we wake up in the morning and the bank is tapped, we'll have 2 fresh, isolated starter batteries to get us out of there.

You don't want to be cycling your very thin plated starting batteries with your inverter. They'll only last you a season if you are lucky. You may also wake up calling Sea Tow.

 

[Dave S]

Not to digress too much Todd, but where do you plan to mount your inverter? To me this is the biggest drawback because the only good place I have seen is in the mid-cabin in plain view:smt009. Plus you need the inverter batteries as close to the inverter as possible and that may mean they are no where near the existing two batteries (if that matters).

 

[JeffM]

Todd,

Last year we changed to one starting battery and one deep cycle. Prior to that we had two "all purpose" batteries that the previous owner installed. With that set-up I'd alternate batteries for starting, then run on "Both" to charge. We were able to overnight on the hook on one battery, with fridge running, until the batteries started to die.

We have not overnighted with the new batteries yet, but I used them as you'd expect: deep cycle for house, starting for, well, starting. I still ran with the switch on "Both" to charge. Last year, though, we were in the water and able to keep the boat plugged in all week to charge.

Jeff

 

[gerryb]

we didn't use the refer

...too bad.. weekends are much more fun when you do...

 

[Nehalennia]

Thanks Guys.
Jeff,
I was understanding that the batteries should be the same type if being charged together unless they're on an isolator.
Do you have one, or do I not understand correctly?

Not to digress too much Todd, but where do you plan to mount your inverter? To me this is the biggest drawback because the only good place I have seen is in the mid-cabin in plain view:smt009. Plus you need the inverter batteries as close to the inverter as possible and that may mean they are no where near the existing two batteries (if that matters).

Dave, you raise a good point. I can install it in the mid cabin panel with the larger enough cable I suppose. I believe the XANTREX ProSine inverter is ignition protected, so that one I should be able to mount in in the Engine bay, but I'll verify.

This is why I'm here, bouncing the ideas around so I can plan to do the correct and safe install, once I learn the correct way. It just sounds like there's a 1000 ways to do it.

 

[Sorrento 25]

I think an ProSine inverter/charger has a lot of value especially if you need to replace an outdated charger anyway. The remote display/control is awesome. My ProSine is between the midcabin port wall and hull side and I do not believe it is ignition-protected or it would be in my engine compartment.

I recommend one small cranking battery (not deep cycle) and as much house as you need, and both banks on the Blue Sea Dual-Circuit system with ACR isolator.

In your case I'd buy a cheap cranking battery and use your existing matched pair for your house loads.

 

[Dave S]

My ProSine is between the midcabin port wall and hull side and I do not believe it is ignition-protected or it would be in my engine compartment.

Don't inverters require an open space for cooling? I am only asking to see what I can learn here myself because I always thought they needed to be mounted out in the open for adequate ventillation.

 

[Sorrento 25]

Yes they need ventilation. It is a fairly large open area originally for the AC option, and I added a vent in the access panel and an exhaust fan in the cockpit stair riser to the cabin. It also serves to ventilate the mid cabin.

 

[Nehalennia]

Not to digress too much Todd, but where do you plan to mount your inverter? To me this is the biggest drawback because the only good place I have seen is in the mid-cabin in plain view:smt009. Plus you need the inverter batteries as close to the inverter as possible and that may mean they are no where near the existing two batteries (if that matters).

I'm verifting this, but I am thinking of running good size cables for any inverter. I still haven't figured out which inverter to get, and it's lower on the list at this point, GPS is next.

Also,
ProMariner sent the tracking # today.
The Charger should arrive today:thumbsup:

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Bigger is better. I should get my 2.0 kw Prosine next week and I am running 250MCM cable to it. 20 feet round trip. I am putting it on a shelf under the captain’s chair in the cockpit making sure the area is water resistant.

The cable is around 0.700 inches in diameter almost ¾ of an inch. This is heavy duty stuff all dependent on the length and the current draw. I'll post some pics in the mod section when I get started.

 

[Nehalennia]

Bigger is better. I should get my 2.0 kw Prosine next week and I am running 250MCM cable to it. 20 feet round trip. I am putting it on a shelf under the captain’s chair in the cockpit making sure the area is water resistant.

The cable is around 0.700 inches in diameter almost ¾ of an inch. This is heavy duty stuff all dependent on the length and the current draw. I'll post some pics in the mod section when I get started.

Yeah I wan't to see what you do for sure. I thought about putting mine under the Cockpit sink but we'll see.

 

[Nehalennia]

Ok, the new ProMariner "ProNautic 1240" charger has arrived and after reading it's capabilities I believe it is more than plenty for what I had expected. It is bigger than the old charger but I have made a plywood base I can reuse the existing holes of the current mounting spot and will mount it in the same place.
OLD ProMariner FlyBack 20-3

I also purchased the Digital Monitor I'll either mount next to the main dist panel or at the helm.
I would like to now buy and install theXantrex 1500 @ Costco $89

wire it into the mid-cabin and back to the A/C input panel. I have not looked as yet if this is a good or feasable location, but I don't think I want it in the engine bay.

I only want to do this correctly and once.
Any feedback or advice is appreciated.

 

[jc27]

New member not sure how to post my own thread so thought I would put on this one any help whould be great, I have 4 group 27 batterys in my 1996 370 (2 motors 1 generator and 1house) I was thinking of changing them to 3 group 29 and 1 4d marine batterys the 4d being my house battery all are tied in together any thoughts to me doing this will this help interstate thinks it will help alot but just what to do the write thing thank you love the site its helped to speed up winter in boston for me and empty my wallet.

 

[Nehalennia]

........ it will help alot but just what to do the write thing thank you love the site its helped to speed up winter in boston for me and empty my wallet.

Welcome. I won't be able to answer your question accurately, but I can say that this site should help lighten your wallet slower than if you weren't here.

I have found

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

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