Posted by svbagatelle (svbagatelle@…>)
Hi Mike,
how is the upgrade going? I assumed everything is installed now.
Were the Lifeline batteries from Invertersrus as promised? The price
seems almost too good to be true.
I have installed a new Blue Sea DC panel with digital multimeter
and will use the same shunt to feed into the Xantrex Battery Monitor.
I have also put in a Blue Sea 5511 switch that disconnects both
battery banks, with an emergency parallel position.
I am trying to decide whether to get an Optima 34M as starting
battery instead of a 3rd Lifeline 31, but I am not sure if they are
compatible for charging purposes. The Optima sure is cheaper though.
And I was planning to use a battery combiner (like the Echo charge)
for charging, but I note that the TrueCharge allows charging several
banks, with the current is allocated on the basis of the extent of
discharge. This may be preferable to a battery combiner, I wonder if
the battery combiner will either drain the battery with the higher
level of charge or overcharge it.
I am also getting a solar panel with a controller which can charge
one primary (house) bank and at the same time give 2 Amps to the
other bank. This should keep the start battery topped up.
Look forward to an update on your refit.
cheers
Paul
Bagatelle
— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “seychellois_lib”
<seychellois_lib@…> wrote:
Its taken me awhile but finally have the upgrade put together - not
installed yet - but all the bits and pieces are assembled for my
upcoming trip to do the install. here’s what I finally went with.
BTW,
all equipment bought from Jackrabbit marine except for AGM’s which
were a terrific bargain at <invertersrus.com>. Low price and
shipping
was free!!.3 Lifeline 105 AH AGMs one will be used as starting batt but has
ample
reserve to provide some emergency power to the house if ever
necessary.Balmar 7 series 80 amp alternator
ARS 5 regulator, batt and alternator temp sensors
Truecharge 20+ charger + batt temp sensor (plus 2ea. 25 amp surface
mount circuit breakers between charger and batteries - hidden
requirement in the installation instructions)Xantrex XBM batt monitor + batt temp sensor, house bank only
Echo charge start batt charger - hooked up to house as source during
steaming.Blue seas 8080 battery isolator switch to replace standard guest 1,
2,
both, off battery switch.When I install I plan to run the alternator output directly to the
house bank (currently routed through the Guest switch) True charge
will keep the start topped up while at sea and charging from the
alternator.The primary advantage of all this is the additional power available
in
the house, my ability to monitor what I consume, and improved charge
performance which I need because I’m simply not steaming much these
days. The disadvantage is the added complexity, more things to go
wrong, etc. I do carefully watch what power I use, I have no
refrigeration or other big consumers, worst offender is my laptop
which I use for navigation on the go and movies on the hook.I think I’m going to give the new LED sensibulbs a try in my most
used
lights to cut them back as well but have not done this yet.— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “svbagatelle”
<svbagatelle@> wrote:Mike,
interestingly enough, I have been planning a refit and upgrade of
my
electrical system on much the same lines. I would love to
compare
notes as to suppliers and prices, etc. You can email me for
details.
I also want a larger house bank, as I plan to install Frigoboat
refigeration in the existing ice box. I am planning on a 2 G27
AGM
house bank, but I have been convinced that I could mix them with
a
Optima starting battery using the EchoCharge or an Ample Power
combiner. I am thinking of a 100A alternator either from Ample
or
Ferris, and the NextStep regulator or ARS5 , respectively. I
think I
will go with temperature compensation, though one respected
dealer
has recommended against it (because of sensor failures) unless
the
battery compartment is small and not well insulated. I assume
that
you like me will use the existing compartment, where 3 G27s just
fit,
if you put the new AC charger on the bulkhead rather than at the
bottom.
As for battery monitor, I have not decided between the older
Link
10 and the newer XBM, or a more sophisticated (and expensive)
Ample
Power Energy Monitor. I am looking at the Truecharge 20 with
temperature sensor for shorepower charging.
I also plan to use solar panels (perhaps as many as 2 Kyocera
85
watt panels, if I can get them for a reasonable price) with solar
regular, and to replace my cabin lights with compact fluorescents
and
LEDs. I have ordered one reading light from Taylor Brite to try
it
out first before replacing the others. This should reduce
consumption
by 1A per light. I am also rewiring and installing a new DC panel
at
the first stage, then putting in the alternator, refrigeration,
battery monitor and charger when I haul out in Florida in June.
I have decided after long research not to install a windlass,
since
in the Bahamas I anchor in shallow waters. Instead, I am going to
remove shackles and splice the line to the chain to make it
easier to
haul the rode through the bow roller.
Good luck!
Paul
Mull 1987 30/32 “Bagatelle”— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “seychellois_lib”
<seychellois_lib@> wrote:As my cruise durations have increased and the number of hours I
spend
steaming has decreased I’ve found that my electrical system is
no
longer meeting my requirements.I have the standard self regulated 55 Amp alternator originally
delivered with the boat it charges a wet cell start batt and a
wet
cell house of about 75 AH capacity. Using the 50% discharge
rule
I’ve
got about 32 AH to work with (at best) which just isn’t enough.So, I started researching an upgrade and, as these things tend
to
do,
it just got bigger and bigger. I think I finally have a complete
system designed. it consists of:2 banks (start and house)
1 ea AGM 110 AH start (could go smaller but want same form
factor as
house and some extra amps for emergencies)2 ea AGM 110 AH house
Xantrex charger with temp sensor for dockside charging - (not
used
at
all during cruises - I anchor out)Balmar 7 series 80 AMP alternator + Balmar ARS5 regulator +
batt and
alternator temp sensorsXantrex echo charge (automatically switches off charging to
start
batt
when it’s reached full charge)Xantrex link 10 house bank monitor
I have a few questions for a knowledgeable individual re this
upgrade.
Some specific knowledge of the F30 would also be useful. I could
answer some of these myself if I had access to my boat but,
unfortunately it’s 1000 miles away.
Can anyone confirm whether the standard Guest switch
supplied
with
86 vintage F30s was designed to interrupt the alternator field
current
when inadvertently switched to the off position? Not sure about
this
given the OEM alternator is self regulating.Regarding alternator output (I know this sounds like a stupid
question) How does the alternator output get back to the Guest
switch
once the engine has been started? I can not remember seeing a
separate
cable from the alternator to the switch (although I am sure it
does
get routed through the switch). Is there a “bus” cable between
the
start motor and the alternator at the engine which allows the
use of
the same cable to supply current via the battery switch to the
start
motor when starting and then provide alternator output current
via
the
battery switch to batteries when the alternator begins to
rotate
just
after starting? The reason I ask is that Jack Rabbit Marine
where I
plan to buy most of the gear) recommends routing the output of
the
alternator directly to the house bank and installing the “echo
charge”
unit between house and start so that the start battery, which
rarely
discharges more than a few amps, is not subjected to the full
house
bank charge cycle needed after a day or two on the hook when
the
house
bank is down to 50% charge.Any comments on my upgrade plan?
Thanks
MikeF30 Jacqueline