Installing a Master Switch

[chriswh86]

Im currently looking at getting a boat that doesnt have a master switch, for the power system?

Just woundering if anyone else has done this, and is it required in BC? I heard it was.
Anyways do you just run power from the batteries through the switch and out to all other power equipment.

Thanks
Chris,

 

[vetteman]

Im currently looking at getting a boat that doesnt have a master switch, for the power system?

Just woundering if anyone else has done this, and is it required in BC? I heard it was.
Anyways do you just run power from the batteries through the switch and out to all other power equipment.

Thanks
Chris,

I don't think that they're required in BC. A lot of guys don't use them. Could be wrong here though. I'd never be without one myself.
My switch gives me the option off Batteries Off, Battery 1, Battery 2, and Batteries 1+2. I never use 1+2. Accessories like downriggers etc. are wired directly to battery 2. In line fuses on everything. I always leave my batteries off when I park the boat, or at least when I remember to do so.
Dave

 

[TenMile]

They are not a requirement. As an alternative, you can use an Automatic Charge Relay (ACR). BlueSea makes a nice one. It allows you to isolate your starter and house battery like vetteman has outlined above. When your batteries are charging (either from an Alternator or shore power), the ACR senses the charge state and will combine both your start and house systems and charges them both. It has some safety over-rides so that it won't combine a good and bad battery together. They also have an emergency switch that allows you to manually combine batteries.

Personally, I wouldn't own a boat now without an ACR as I've experienced too many dead batteries using the combiner switches.

 

[chriswh86]

I think ive heard of those now that you mention it TenMile, Belive we used one back in the day on a dual battery sterio install. Basically its a smart charger system that senses the charge and if 1 battery is full it will start to charge the other etc.

Good Setup, Where can I buy a Bluesea ACR and about how much?

Chris

 

[TenMile]

Westmarine or Trotac have them. One system is called an Add a Battery system. I think they run about $100.

 

[chriswh86]

awesome,

sounds like a supirior system being that you can still manually select any battery and auto charges

 

[ReelSlim]

They are a good system for sure. But if you use the 1 -2 -ALL- OFF switch properly you should never have a battery issue that will leave you hanging. Start on 1.......once running switch to ALL while running your main engine and running out ......and switch to 2 once you are ready to drop the gear and then shut down the main engine. Now start the kicker........you'll know at any of these stages if a battery is heading south and you will always have a charged battery to get you home.....IMHO There are of course other combinations that will work as well to ensure that the batteries are isolated from each other when they aren't being charged......

 

[Fish-Hunter]

They are a good system for sure. But if you use the 1 -2 -ALL- OFF switch properly you should never have a battery issue that will leave you hanging. Start on 1.......once running switch to ALL while running your main engine and running out ......and switch to 2 once you are ready to drop the gear and then shut down the main engine. Now start the kicker........you'll know at any of these stages if a battery is heading south and you will always have a charged battery to get you home.....IMHO There are of course other combinations that will work as well to ensure that the batteries are isolated from each other when they aren't being charged......

X2! This is the system that we use on our boat for now. Will add a charge monitoring system when the boat gets refitted in the future.

 

[Sculpin]

I would install some kind of main switch. I used to run a Guest dual battery switch which worked but had to keep turning the switch etc.

I'm refitting my boat right now and installed the Blue Sea add a battery kit, Blue Sea dual bus bar, and appropriate fuses for protecting the stuff up front.

Besides a sound hull (i.e. one that will keep you floating) and a good motor (one that will get you there but more importantly get you home) the electrical system is the heart and soul of everthing working together properly.

Peace of mind is priceless too.

 

[seagal]

Hi Chris. Some great information from everyone. I would highly recommend running dual batteries and an isolation switch. I run the same system ReelSlim describes. The batteries in my boat were installed 5 years ago when I installed this system and have been trouble free since the get go. Like Sculpin said piece of mind is priceless.

 

[chriswh86]

ive had a look over the Bluesea system. One thing, i notice in the add-a-battery system they sell, the master switch only offers off and on positions. Does anyone find issues with this? just woundering if that poses an issue if say, battery 1 fails and you need battery 2. Or does the bluesea unit realize bat 1 is fubar and put bat 2 to the main?

there are 2 batteries in my boat now, im only running stock electronics on the boat, so basically having 2 batteries right now is just for peice of mine. But i do expect to add a bit better of a sterio, fish finder and gps plotter.

 

[TenMile]

So the Bluesea does have some capabilities here. If it detects a failed battery that won't charge or is shorted, it will no longer combine both the batteries and keeps the two isolated and protected.

For emergency starting, the switch they sell lets you manually combine both the batteries to get the boat to start.

 

[Rockfish]

I have duel batteries and an isolator switch. As an extra safety factor I also have a completely isolated third (not hooked up to anything) fully charged starting battery and a set of jumper cables. The big Opti’s need a lot of power to start them and the third one I use as ballast to partially counter balance the kicker. Nice to know it is there if I ever need it.

 

[claymcpher]

Not a good idea to switch the switch while running, may send power surges thru the alternator/regulator/rectifier between contacts and cause a failure. Generally I run the switch in both possition til i get to where im going then over to 2 when I turn off the main and start up the kicker, my kicker has a small charging system but it keeps up, and when it comes to buying a new battery ( dont cheap out) get one/2 with a high 12v capacity say 700 cca or higher in the 24 series(good) or the 27 series (better) 31 series (best), they will generally last longer if a problem may arouse

 

[Charlie]

It is fine to switch the the newer battery switches to and from the different positions, it is just not recommended to turn a battery switch to the "off" position while the engine is running!

I wouldn't be running those batteries in that "both" position? That is NOT what the both position was designed, or should be used for. It is designed ONLY to be used to parallel both batteries when both do not have enough charge to start your main engine. Which BTW... the newer engines have a build in monitoring system and if the battery(s) are not producing the required minimum amps - the engine won't even turn over.

The main two problems people don't seem to understand, is batteries do NOT charge equally. If you manually split that incoming charge, you have a system in the engine that tells it when the battery is charged and automatically reduces the amps to the battery. Result... in the both position you are talking part of the engine charging system out of the equation resulting in the engine possibly over charging one battery and/or leaving one battery undercharged. Then you also have the charging system delivering amps that are split between to batteries - so, best case, it will take twice as long to charge the batteries and one battery will NEVER be fully charged. It is better (and better for the batteries) and faster to charge one battery at a time.

In essence what the Bluesea is designed to do is monitor the batteries and automatically switch the charging system as required needed by the batteries. If you have one battery dedicated as the starting battery, start the engine with that battery and let the engine top that battery back off - takes only a few minutes. Then switch the battery switch to you working battery (regardless of state of charge) and let the one battery do all the work and get all the charge. There really is no need for a Bluesea; however, my advice, if one can't remember to use a start battery and they other for a working battery. Don't like using the battery switch to manually charge the correct battery at the correct time (or keep forgetting), buy a Bluesea!

Also, remember in that "both" position the only thing you are doing is connecting two batteries together in a "parallel." That would be to batteries - good or bad, charged or not. If one battery is fully charged and the other drained while that switch is in both, they will "equalize" Meaning one fully charged and one fully drained battery, the batteries will equalize ending up with two equally half charged. That probably won't leave enough amps in one battery to start the main. Example anchoring over night and leaving one battery on, draining which I do all the time.

Then the other mayor problem in that "both" position, if you have one battery that fails, it will quickly drain the good leaving you with two completely drained batteries.

If you run that switch in the "both," I hope you also have either a pull start on your main and/or a tow rope - as one day trust me, you will be needing one or the other!

 

[Sculpin]

Here is the Blue Sea add a battery kit recently installed on my boat. I know there is alot of other extra's in there but you can get the idea with the relay switch etc.

My starter battery should always be topped. I will test it out in a couple of days with a meter etc. to make sure everything is working properly.

 

[chriswh86]

ahh I see it now nice wiring setup! Got to love lable makers and a budwieser! nice job.

I dont have nearly as much room as you do, i only have room under a seat in the back of my I/O boat to add the 2 batteries/charge unit and master switch. Will be cramped but I should be able to figure something out

 

[Sculpin]

ahh I see it now nice wiring setup! Got to love lable makers and a budwieser! nice job.

I dont have nearly as much room as you do, i only have room under a seat in the back of my I/O boat to add the 2 batteries/charge unit and master switch. Will be cramped but I should be able to figure something out

Ha ha. Yes it was a wind down afternoon.

I thought I had alot of room but it filled up pretty quick!

You should be able to fit the switch, relay, and batteries in a pretty compact space. What are the dimensions of the underseat compartment?

 

[wildwest]

The BLUE SEA stuff is very good quality,more money than others but built well and will last.Noticed the washdown pump too,I installed one of those and they are the cats butt...now my buddies are cleaning the deck!!They love it.

 

[chriswh86]

Sculpin - I dont know the dimensions off the top of my head. I can probebly fit 2 batteries, ACR, Master Switch and a fuse panel its just going to be quite compact. I like to work in spaces that your boat has, but will make do with what i have I will have to just design a good layout plan.

Are the Optima blue top batteries smaller than most comparable batteries? Finding some smaller batteries would be handy if infact i need to replace them.

Chris,