ACR question

[fish brain]

I am considering installing a Blue Seas ACR on my boat. I am unclear if I would still need a battery isolator switch. I get that it separates the batteries whenever they are being charged, but does it stop them from drawing down when you are not operating?

 

[stephennicholls531]

You will still need a battery isolator switch. If you check out the Blue Sea “Add a battery“ product, you’ll have the correct battery switch and the matching ACR. Your post mentioned “batteries”, so I’m assuming you have both a start and a house battery in your boat... The Blue Sea web site has a ton of good info on properly wiring up batteries if you need more information.

 

[fish brain]

You will still need a battery isolator switch. If you check out the Blue Sea “Add a battery“ product, you’ll have the correct battery switch and the matching ACR. Your post mentioned “batteries”, so I’m assuming you have both a start and a house battery in your boat... The Blue Sea web site has a ton of good info on properly wiring up batteries if you need more information.

I had already checked out the Blue Sea website, it's funny that the don't have the add a battery link up in the products section. I totally ignored the stuff on the side that seemed to be if you like that, you might like this link that so many websites have.. I looked at the instructions link, and they don't talk about the isolator switch there.
Thank you for pointing me to it.

 

[ReelSlim]

As mentioned above the Add a Battery kit has what you need other than fuses and connectors etc. They are good to deal with if you have any questions as well. I talked with one of their reps since I had twins and a kicker for best practice installation. He gave me the part number for a diode that I ordered on line for $5 so that the isolation wiring would isolate my batteries as soon as it sensed ignition power from each of my twins on cold start ups. Here is the one i bought from Amazon.

 

[Newf]

No isolation switch shown here other than your normal start/run switch and I'm assuming this is set up correctly. So is the isolation switch required for the ACR to work or is it installed for a different reason? Just curious because on my boat I have an isolation switch that's tied to the house battery only and is positioned no where near the ACR. I switch it off to power off everything connected to the house battery whenever I shut the engine down. I can start the engine without turning this isolation switch on so I assumed that it had nothing to do with the ACR. And yes I know what butt-U-Me means. I'm just very electrically challenged and very willing to learn.

but does it stop them from drawing down when you are not operating?

Again, my electrical knowledge is very limited but I would think that the answer is no. When you are not operating, anything that you have left on will draw down the battery. Having an ACR would not change that.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

You need the switch to turn off power to the Boat and also to give you the option to combine incase your Start battery is bad. Blue Sea has three positions, On-Off-Both.

 

[fish brain]

View attachment 66214
No isolation switch shown here other than your normal start/run switch and I'm assuming this is set up correctly. So is the isolation switch required for the ACR to work or is it installed for a different reason? Just curious because on my boat I have an isolation switch that's tied to the house battery only and is positioned no where near the ACR. I switch it off to power off everything connected to the house battery whenever I shut the engine down. I can start the engine without turning this isolation switch on so I assumed that it had nothing to do with the ACR. And yes I know what butt-U-Me means. I'm just very electrically challenged and very willing to learn.


Again, my electrical knowledge is very limited but I would think that the answer is no. When you are not operating, anything that you have left on will draw down the battery. Having an ACR would not change that.

Here is the diagram from Blue Sea. When the switch is off everything is off unless they are wired directly to the battery.

Battery switch - COMBINE position
Power available to House and Start circuits

Engine off - No charge present
ACR - Open

 

[Newf]

You need the switch to turn off power to the Boat and also to give you the option to combine incase your Start battery is bad. Blue Sea has three positions, On-Off-Both.

Thanks for your reply. I have a Blue Sea switch but it's only a two position On/Off model and is wired to the house battery only. That is why I mentioned in my post that I can shut off anything to the house battery but my start button/start battery for the engine is still live. I cannot isolate it. Also I cannot combine my batteries through a switch. Not sure why they (Ranger Tug) installed it that way as all of their other model boats have the switch where you can combine the batteries as you describe

Here is the diagram from Blue Sea. When the switch is off everything is off unless they are wired directly to the battery.

Your post just came through while I was typing mine. I do not have that set-up. As noted above I have a ACR but just a two way switch tied to the house battery.

EDIT: So on mine if I have a dead start battery I would have to jump it with the other battery. OR use my Noco booster.
.

 

[fish brain]

Thanks for your reply. I have a Blue Sea switch but it's only a two position On/Off model and is wired to the house battery only. That is why I mentioned in my post that I can shut off anything to the house battery but my start button/start battery for the engine is still live. I cannot isolate it. Also I cannot combine my batteries through a switch. Not sure why they (Ranger Tug) installed it that way as all of their other model boats have the switch where you can combine the batteries as you describe

Your post just came through while I was typing mine. I do not have that set-up. As noted above I have a ACR but just a two way switch tied to the house battery.
.

I'm no marine electrician, but I would think that you should be able to isolate all your batteries when not in use. I would seriously consider getting a 1-2 both type switch.

 

[Newf]

I'm no marine electrician, but I would think that you should be able to isolate all your batteries when not in use. I would seriously consider getting a 1-2 both type switch.

I'm not either and I don't disagree with you. To start the engine I just energize with the push of a button at the helm and then on the same small panel push another button to engage the starter. So I guess the start battery is isolated when I shut it down, just not through the Blue Sea switch. Being able to combine the batteries if you had to with the flick of a switch would be nice though.