Battery Boosters--Noco Genius GB 70

Newf

Crew Member
Was wondering if anyone carries a battery booster on their boat as an extra safety measure. Every time I shut down my engine when I'm anchored I always get this weird feeling, thinking, will it start when I need it. Now that I've started to take my young grandson with me I would like to have that extra comfort level..Looking at the Noco Genius GB 70. Small and compact, which is what I want. Has anyone used them and what are your thoughts. Thanks..

Newf.
 
I carry a Noco GB40 on my boat. Haven't had to use it to start my boat, but I did loan it to a guy in trouble off Malcolm Island last summer and it started his.
 
Noco GB40 carried on boat. One of those presents you hope you never have to use.
Lots of sales going on right now, anything is better than nothing.... Note peak amps for your need.
 
Also carry one. Great piece of mind for a couple hundred bucks. Also use the charger/conditioner.
 
the NOCO GB70 is great, I believe the boost cables are soldered directly to the internal battery. Other brands I've melted the cables and connections on the booster.
GB70 is on sale at Canadian Tire right now.
 
I just picked up the motomaster booster box for 99. Its an AGM with 700 cranking amps
 
Thanks for the comments guys and thanks for the "On Sale" tip Canso. I just bought it online. I've spoken to a couple of other guys that have it and they are quite happy with their's so it will at least give me a bit of piece of mind to have it on board..
 
I'm much happier having dual batteries with a blue seas add a battery kit
Start battery is used for main/kicker starting and a bulge pump only
Everything else is on the house battery
 
I'm much happier having dual batteries with a blue seas add a battery kit
Start battery is used for main/kicker starting and a bulge pump only
Everything else is on the house battery

I love this site--learn something every day. After doing a Google search on "blue seas add a battery kit" I realized I have a similar set-up on my boat. I understood that my house and starting battery operate as you stated above but not being an electrical guy I never understood how the charging system worked for both batteries. There's a couple of youtube videos on the"blue seas add a battery kit" that gives a good explanation of how this works. The only difference that I see with my system is that I have a 3-pole switch and not the 4 pole shown in the videos that would allow the two batteries to be combined for starting purposes should the need arise. Not sure why the builder would not have used this set-up. (I could always use jump cables I guess) In any case, I now have a better understanding of how my charging system works and I also have a new booster pack that I may never use but will have "just in case" LOL.
 
the acr (auto charge relay) combines the batteries while charging, and isolates while discharging below a specific voltage... the blue seas battery switch turns on both batteries when on, both off for off, and then theres an emergenc combine...... this vs the 1, 2, both and off switches... they do the same thing but with out the human error, starting on the deep cycle, leaving both on while at anchor playing stereo etc.
 
the acr (auto charge relay) combines the batteries while charging, and isolates while discharging below a specific voltage... the blue seas battery switch turns on both batteries when on, both off for off, and then theres an emergenc combine...... this vs the 1, 2, both and off switches... they do the same thing but with out the human error, starting on the deep cycle, leaving both on while at anchor playing stereo etc.

Hi Fixit,,A bit off topic from my original post and forgive me for being a little daft when it comes to electrical but if you could indulge me with a question or two. On my switch it's either on or off,, no other positions. (maybe that's what you mean by the..".. this vs the 1, 2, both and off switches...)

When my switch is in the off position I can still start my engine, meaning (I'm assuming) there is no connection from this switch to my start battery. I only have to turn the switch on to power the VHF, GPS, radio etc. When I shut the engine down and at anchor, I leave this switch on to power the electronics with the house battery. While at anchor and engine off, would I be correct in assuming that there would be no current draw on the start battery? In this case, with the engine stopped, is it the ACR that isolates the start battery from the house battery and prevents it from being discharged even though they both are connected to the ACR? Final question: since my switch has no emergency combine or "Both" position, the only way to use the house battery to assist in starting the engine should the need arise , would be to jumper the two, or is there something missing in my thinking?? Thanks in advance for any feedback that you could provide to enlighten me.
 
What fixit mentioned is similar to what I use so I may be able to help a bit.

Sounds like your engine might always be live (not connected through a switch) and the disconnect switch is for your house battery (electronics, etc.)
Not sure of your system without seeing it, (or seeing a schematic or rough drawing of its layout) but this might be something that interests you.
That first setup, (add a battery kit) is nice in that it always keeps both batterries charged while running. If your on the hook, it will disconnect the main engine battery, but it can be combined should you run your house battery down, or vice versa, if for some reason your starting battery runs out of power... It should never leave you stranded with 2 dead batteries.
It sounds like the way you are wired now you might have to use a jumper cable to bring a dead starter battery back to life or get your boat to crank over to start should your starter battery become dead.
Blueseas makes really nice products, well worth their money imo.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/7650/Add-A-Battery_Kit_-_120A


a link to the switch itself
https://www.bluesea.com/products/5511e/e-Series_Dual_Circuit_Plus_Battery_Switch

a link to the acr
https://www.bluesea.com/products/7610/SI-ACR_Automatic_Charging_Relay_-_12_24V_DC_120A


just a link to a couple other common battery wiring schematics.
https://www.bluesea.com/resources/170/Battery_Management_Wiring_Schematics_for_Typical_Applications
 
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W
Hi Fixit,,A bit off topic from my original post and forgive me for being a little daft when it comes to electrical but if you could indulge me with a question or two. On my switch it's either on or off,, no other positions. (maybe that's what you mean by the..".. this vs the 1, 2, both and off switches...)

When my switch is in the off position I can still start my engine, meaning (I'm assuming) there is no connection from this switch to my start battery. I only have to turn the switch on to power the VHF, GPS, radio etc. When I shut the engine down and at anchor, I leave this switch on to power the electronics with the house battery. While at anchor and engine off, would I be correct in assuming that there would be no current draw on the start battery? In this case, with the engine stopped, is it the ACR that isolates the start battery from the house battery and prevents it from being discharged even though they both are connected to the ACR? Final question: since my switch has no emergency combine or "Both" position, the only way to use the house battery to assist in starting the engine should the need arise , would be to jumper the two, or is there something missing in my thinking?? Thanks in advance for any feedback that you could provide to enlighten me.
When my battery switch is in the off position I get no power to anything but my direct wire bilge pumps.
 
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When my battery switch is in the off position I get no power to anything but my direct wire bilge pumps.

Yep, that's the way it should be.
 
Yep, that's the way it should be.
I was surprised that Newf said he could start his boat with his battery switch in the off position. Kind of defeats the purpose of isolating the batteries
 
Yes, not really all that or as safe either... a bit better chance of having something short out and possibly starting a fire when its not expected or no one's around. (Mouse or something chewing on a wire?) May never happen, but less chance if batteries are isolated from the rest of the equipment in the boat. And if boat kept in the water, less chance of galvanic corrosion happening if you can isolate the batteries when anchored or moored.
 
I was surprised that Newf said he could start his boat with his battery switch in the off position. Kind of defeats the purpose of isolating the batteries
Hi Fishtofidno and bigdogeh,,My engine gets isolated on shutdown through panel switch. I stop it and then use the on/off button to shut off the power. If I stop engine without hitting this on/off button I get an alarm notifying that power to engine has not been shut off.
IMG_4300.jpg

This two position switch shown below is not tied to the start battery I guess because as noted previously I can start with this in the off position. I have searched a web site for owners of these boats and found that this model (Ranger R21) is not factory fitted with the multi-position switch but apparently the bigger models are. Not sure why but that is the case.. They noted that to combine the two batteries if required for starting you would jumper. Some guys make up a short jump cable while others noted that they have actually replaced the switch with a multi-position one.

IMG_4304.jpg
Apparently this is the relay that allows both batteries to be charged and prevents the start battery from discharging when engine is off and I have the house electronics on. Was not aware of what this was or how it worked but thanks to the comment in this thread I have learned a few more things about my boat..Thanks to all who commented.. And yes the bilge pump does have a direct (fused) link to the battery.
IMG_4299.jpg
 
Sounds like you may be fine just the way you are. (you might want to look into the combining switch (eSeries Dual Circuit Plus) to save from using jumpers if that's the only way to combine batteries and if the larger or upgraded tugs use them.) Nice to see the ACR, and that switch on your panel sounds like it may be a push button isolating switch. Rangers tugs have a pretty good rep as far as I know. Looks like fairly nice wiring from the pics. (much of it labelled which is a bonus)
You may want to look in to hooking up some small led's to your main guage's panel from the ACR. I have this on mine and it's kinda nice in that it gives you peace of mind that your acr is working as it should. You see the led's coming on for a bit, then off... showing when the acr switch is combining and which batteries are getting charged by the alternator or battery charger. Or if you see rapid flashing, one of your batteries is getting low. There are led's already on your acr switch that show this also, but you can run (wire) separate led's up to your control panel where they will be more noticeable.

http://assets.bluesea.com/files/resources/other/LED-Status-Chart.png

from the blueseas acr literature:
"If the COMBINED indicator LED is flashing, the
ACR is in a lockout state, and will
not combine batteries until the lockout condition is removed. Ensure neither battery is
below 9.5V for a 12V system or 19V for a 24V system. Also ensure positive voltage
is not present on the Start Isolation terminal."

This condition is where the other switch (eSeries Dual Circuit Plus) would become handy as you could combine (jump) the batteries using the switch to get your boat going if the start battery (or house battery) got that low... (below 9.5V)
 
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