Dual battery isolator vs Voltage Sensitive Relay

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

1..Understood.
2..How difficult would it be to change the windlass to the house bank?
3..In most cases with equipment that automatically parallels banks WHEN CHARGING SOURCES ARE PRESENT the higher charging voltage closes the relays or passes through the diodes and provide charging to both. The charging voltage is always higher than the resting voltage of the bank(s). That's simply how they work.
4..Is that only when you're on shorepower? If so, then it should be different when you're providing charging via your alternator. You're not plugged in when you're recovering your anchor, are you?

2) about 30ft of wiring and associated voltage drop
Its worked this way for at least 12 years with no issue so not seeing a real need to change it

3) understood

4) we are never on shore power, we are permanently on the move.

[john61ct]

Yes a typical Starter isn't designed to cycle a windlass load.

Now if distance from House is just too great, a second deep cycle bank, while not ideal,

if properly provisioned for the windlass duties

could certainly handle cranking as a trivial secondary task.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Yes a typical Starter isn't designed to cycle a windlass load.

Is 2 x N150 a typical starter?
It is on an engine our size but its more than I had as a house bank on a previous vessel.

N150 Technical Specifications

Volts:12
CCA:1000
RC:300
AH:155
Weight (kg):39.20

[john61ct]

Not designed for carrying a heavy load for more than a few seconds.

Sure a larger Ah capacity can of course help.

If the engine is always running with the windlass so that alternator is putting out high enough amps to largely cover its load, fine, then the battery really is just a buffer, not getting drained at all.

But if a windlass session is removing say 30Ah from the bank, you're better off with

deep cycling batteries, just a fundamentally different design.

These generally do not reference any CCA spec, just not relevant.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by john61ct

.

If the engine is always running with the windlass so that alternator is putting out high enough amps to largely cover its load, fine, then the battery really is just a buffer, not getting drained at all.

.

Engine is always running
Big alternator
Windlass is pulsed up so not a continuous drain.

[john61ct]

Alrighty then.

Best to actually test of course, e.g. Ah counter like Watt's Up

>> alternator is putting out high enough amps to largely cover its load, then the battery really is just a buffer, not getting drained at all

[Maine Sail]

Ignore the brand of combiner/VSR and focus on wiring and the reasons why one method can work better than another in certain situations..

Making Sense of Automatic Charging Relays











.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Ignore the brand of combiner/VSR and focus on wiring and the reasons why one method can work better than another in certain situations..

Making Sense of Automatic Charging Relays

Informative article and will wade through it later when I have more time.
Interesting to see several of the "myths" were what I had concerns about (-;

Thanks

[millsie]

Winches should always come off the start battery.
As the main engines should be running when using the winch

Use the cryrix to charge off the start bank to the house. Make sure you have circuit protection on the input and output

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by millsie

Winches should always come off the start battery.
As the main engines should be running when using the winch

Use the cryrix to charge off the start bank to the house. Make sure you have circuit protection on the input and output

As I posted earlier the charge sources should go to the larger of the banks to prevent the Cyrix or other ACR from cycling. Start batteries should be dedicated to starting.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by mitiempo

As I posted earlier the charge sources should go to the larger of the banks to prevent the Cyrix or other ACR from cycling.

Well, it does specifically say in the Victron blurb

Intelligent battery monitoring to prevent unwanted switching and cycling

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by millsie

Winches should always come off the start battery.
As the main engines should be running when using the winch

Use the cryrix to charge off the start bank to the house. Make sure you have circuit protection on the input and output

Very much the position with my boat.

[Simi 60]

To the few that offered a cyrix to me, unfortunately, being in Australia would make postage cost prohibitive.
Freight alone would most likely cost more than the $68 inc. freight I paid for it locally.

Thanks anyway.

[moseriw]

The old Windlass Discussion:

Usuallythe windlass takes 110A
Usually the alternator gives 50-75A starting from 3600 rpm (Alternator)
which is 1200 rpm on the engine.


With 600 rpm (idle) the alternator will give you 10-15A


And that is bloody useless for the Windlass.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by moseriw

The old Windlass Discussion:

Usuallythe windlass takes 110A
Usually the alternator gives 50-75A starting from 3600 rpm (Alternator)
which is 1200 rpm on the engine.


With 600 rpm (idle) the alternator will give you 10-15A


And that is bloody useless for the Windlass.

I must be missing something.
My maxwell 3500 which is bigger than most has a 1200watt motor
1200 watts to amps is 50 amps, never had the 110amp breaker trip and I pull a 65 tonne trawler up using the windlass.
100 amp alternator at idle produces 50 amps.
What am I missing?

Add: actually, looking at website shows the maxwell breaker to be 80amp