How to combine battery banks on a 2014 Oceanis 45?

[Mike Banks]

I would not change it at all--just make sure that it is working properly.

The systems that need to be separated by electronic or manual switching on the discharge side are those the manufacturer of your yacht designed to be separated.

On my vessel, there was no bow thruster, but the forward bank was a heavy marine battery which ran the anchor windlass, the forward deck wash pump and the forward heads and shower discharge pump. It was two twelve volts batteries connected in parallel charged through a blocking diode by solar, the engine alternator, and shore power through a regulated charging system.

[john61ct]

Doing nothing means the solar must be direct attached to the Starter / engine circuit, what a waste, far needier and more expensive House bank gets poorly maintained.

Unless you're suggesting two solar systems? Again, wasteful. . .

[YANDINA]

Originally Posted by tarian

Define a marine environment, in the sense were your battery's are getting wet , humid , or exposed to elements , I think you will find that many cruisers use parts that are cross used from the automotive industry and boats , and before I get started again Salt does not float in air so no such think as humid salty air.
I can assure you that my battery banks are dry , well ventilated and away from any moisture , if there not you are doing something seriously wrong,
Hee Hee marine environments I ain't putting ity up the mast.
Oh and are lead acid Marine leisure battery's different from RV leisure battery's or as usual the price goes up when we say MARINE
To op the VSR is fine your wires will not corrode if well insulated , and will not be an issues in your lifetime. unless you want to stand there and throw water over it every now and then to keep the Marine purest happy

"MARINE" doesn't have to imply expensive. Yandina sells 100, 200 and 600 amp Combiners with zero voltage drop (no cooling fins), submersible rating, unlimited warranty, zero quiescent current, at prices comparable to diode or FET isolators. They are bi-directional so shore power chargers can back-feed to charge all batteries.

[Marathon1150]

Lots of good advice above, as always. Here is what we do on our Beneteau:

i. all solar/wind power goes directly into the house bank (2 x 4D Lifeline AGM);
ii. A Xantrex echo charger sends power, when available to the starter battery from the house bank;
iii. the windlass battery is connected to the starter battery and benefits from the echo charge simultaneously. This battery is within a few feet of the windlass, so the wire going to the front of the boat is a relatively small one.

Note that wiring is not standard Benteau. We replaced one of the standard B switches with an isolator switch. Normally, the start battery is isolated from the house bank except for the echo charger which is a one way pathway. When necessary (so far it has never happened), we can use the house bank to start the engine.

good luck with all of the choices presented by forum members - one of them is bound to work.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by YANDINA

Yandina sells 100, 200 and 600 amp Combiners with zero voltage drop (no cooling fins), submersible rating, unlimited warranty, zero quiescent current, at prices comparable to diode or FET isolators. They are bi-directional so shore power chargers can back-feed to charge all batteries.

Everyone, Ms. Foster is a professional engineer and, if I understand my history of marine DC electrickery, was the inventor of the original combiner, aka VSR/ACR, back in the days when diode-based "isolators" were the best we had. Check out http://www. yandina.com for great information and top-notch products, supported by unqualified lifetime guarantee.

Hello Ann-Marie, we thank you for all you've done for the community, and are honored by your renewing your support of our forums here.

Please clarify the above if any of it is inaccurate, and Welcome!

[YANDINA]

Products etc., at Yandina Marine Electronics but the interesting stuff at Hints and Projects
Some of those hints are getting to be 25 years old so may be out of date with modern solutions.