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I have a couple questions about running my batteries. I finally have my tank in and engines are back up and running and I am going to redo the batteries and electrical. I should in theory have 4 battery banks?
1 for each engine, 1 for gen set and 1 for the house. Then be able to parallel them in case one goes dead? Could I use the house batter to start the gen set and not add 4th battery?

Matt

My opinion is to have 4 batteries just as you spelled out......one for each engine, one for the generator and one (or a pair) for the house.

Not sure what the long term success will be yet.....but I used a smaller battery for starting the genset......may last....may not...time will tell.

hb

coolair wrote:I have a couple questions about running my batteries. I finally have my tank in and engines are back up and running and I am going to redo the batteries and electrical. I should in theory have 4 battery banks?
1 for each engine, 1 for gen set and 1 for the house. Then be able to parallel them in case one goes dead? Could I use the house batter to start the gen set and not add 4th battery?

I think that the recommended setup is as follows:

1) One big or two smaller batteries (connected in parallel) for the port engine...
2) Identical setup for the starboard engine...
3) One or more batteries (connected in parallel) for the house... Presumably deep cycle batteries would be preferable for this application...

I will go with harry. One port isolated from one for starboard and a pair isolated from both port and starboard that will also start genset.totally imposible to lose all three battery banks or one battery bank killing another. Port can start port engine,starboard engine and genset and vice versa all isolated with three battery switches and one parallel switch

I guess a photo should explain better. House bank tie together,port and starboard independent.batteries how not been maintain,clean or touch since 2005. I wish i could do the 12 ton crimp connection for you just a little to far to travel tonight!

I have never had a generator on my boat so I assume it has its own alternator for charging its battery while running. Maybe the generator powers the onboard battery charger?
At any rate, I would suspect any good multiple battery system should incorporate Automatic Charging Relays (ACR). The alternators on your engines(when running) will automatically close the circuit and charge the house battery and the generator battery. When the engines are turned off, the circuit is opened, thus preventing multiple dead batteries. The ACR replaced the old school battery isolators which were not as efficient. You would still have the aforementioned master switches for the batteries of course.

I don't have a gen set, but I do have an inverter that runs my 110 fridge whenever I am away from the dock, along with the microwave and coffee maker. Here's my set up: 4 deep cycle batteries, numbers 1 & 3 on starboard side, 2 & 4 on port side. Port is the house side, and 2 & 4 are hooked up in parallel all the time. I took a regular 2 battery selector switch and turned it upside down and wired it thus: the common goes to positive on battery 3, position 1 goes to positive on battery 1, and position 2 goes to positive on battery 2. Positive on battery 1 goes to the starboard battery shut-off switch. The normal running position is position 1, thereby placing batteries 1 & 3 in parallel. When I am going to spend the night (or longer) on the hook I switch to position 2, thereby placing batteries 2, 3 and 4 in parallel for the house load, and isolating battery 1 from all loads except the bilge pumps. When I go offshore I turn the switch to off, which isolates battery 3 from all loads, so even if I fried or killed all 3 of the other batteries I have one good one.
So far the longest I have spent on the hook without starting the engines is 36 hours. At that point the 3 battery bank showed 12.2 volts and started the engine without hesitation.

Kevin unlike the big boys a genset ( in america ) as found in a 31 puts out 120 also can be hooked up 220 volt but thats would be unheard of in a 31 . 120 volt powers battery charger in turn charges the batteries when underway engine alternators 13.8 volt directly to batteries thru isolation blocks that feeds the hungrest one first.

On my cummins, I have two group 31's four each engine to start them and one group 31 for the house. Total of 5. 3 Battery switches and a parrell.

If I can't get them started I have no business being out there.

Bob, Harry
so you have a 4 port battery charger? That was my other thought, the house bank would also start the gen set. I am running gas motors, so i do not think i need the 4/0 wire. I have a small set of crimpers that does up to 1/0, plus i will solider

Matt wrote:so you have a 4 port battery charger?

I do have a 4 port battery charger

http://www.dualpro.com/media/pdf/PS4b%20insert.pdf

hb

My boat has 3 battery systems - 1 group 27 for the starboard engine start, 1 group 27 for port engine start and 4 6v deep cycle golf cart batteries (2 each in series and the whole bunch in parallel) for the house and the 120v inverter. Each has its own charging leg from the Lewco shore charger. Port engine charges port battery and starboard engine charges either the starboard battery or the house, which ever is lowest through a battery isolator. The engine start batteries can be tied together in parallel with a momentary toggle to a solenoid at the starting station. And all batteries can be brought in together by the battery switches position. Position 1 bring on the primary function for that battery system eg start, battery and position 2 (both) adds that battery system into the any other system that is on position 2. I also have a Harbor Freight little 800w generator for an emergency boost if needed.

coolair wrote:Bob, Harry
so you have a 4 port battery charger? That was my other thought, the house bank would also start the gen set. I am running gas motors, so i do not think i need the 4/0 wire. I have a small set of crimpers that does up to 1/0, plus i will solider

If you need a better crimper, for the larger lugs, go to Harbor Freight. I picked up a hydrolic one for around $60 before the 20% coupon. It makes a nice crimp.

I don't think we are on the same page.when i mention crimper i am refering to Y-35 Burndy 12 ton hydralic crimper . Each size wire from # 6gauge wire to 750 mcm requires a seperate die about $2800.00 with 10 dies.

When I rebuilt my battery system I found that my local Batteries Plus store had compression type terminations that remove the need for soldering or special crimp tools on the 2/0 welding cable I used. All you need is a couple of standard open end wrenches. Simple and easy. When I finished each termination I sealed it with heat shrink tubing. If you need info on installing these I can refer you to a writeup on the B33 site.

bob lico wrote:I don't think we are on the same page.when i mention crimper i am refering to Y-35 Burndy 12 ton hydralic crimper . Each size wire from # 6gauge wire to 750 mcm requires a seperate die about $2800.00 with 10 dies.

Bob you are right, we are not on the same page. Looks by around $3,000.00. The $60 Harbor freight comes with more than enough dies than I will ever need and when you are short a die, inovate. Did that already. Plus it does make a nice crimp. It is like a chevy and a Mercedes, get you to the same place, at the same speed, just that one cost less. Like a times vs a Rolex, they both keep time.

The harbor freight special I think will work just fine for a few crimps. Normally I look for any excuse to buy a new tool. But I have no use for a tool to crimp 750 mcm. I would think crimping 750mcm is a pretty specialized deal. The biggest stuff I deal with on a daily basis is #4. As far as #6 I do that by hand, kinda hard to drag a hydraulic tool up on a roof! Most of what we do with big stuff we use lugs or split bolt connectors. But, a compression fitting sounds pretty cool, I have seen them for smaller wire, like speaker connectors but not big stuff. Check out the link, interesting...

http://www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=75

Can the compression be used on a boat? If you have a fire will the insurance pay off?

We really do not have choice.federal,state and most of all PPEG our long island utility requires a 12 ton crip on all transformer termination .the the six sided two piece die makes a tell tale indention symbol in the crimp that indicates a 12 ton crimper made the crimp.most important 15 KV splice,transformer elbow break must use special die made just for that purpose.any electrical contractor dueing high voltage would have to have a hydralic crimper with most of the most popular alluminum and copper dies.