Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and two

[fxykty]

We’re a cat with two diesel engines, with a 140A externally rectified and externally regulated alternator on each engine.

We generally motor for short periods on both engines and would like to maximise charging. Otherwise we would generally charge with just one engine. We had a built-in diesel generator but decided that we really don’t want three engines to service, so we got rid of it and upgraded our alternators and belts.

Each alternator is regulated by a MC-614 and has a shared voltage sense with the other MC-614 to the house battery. As part of installing these two alternators we also installed flat belt pulleys and cleaned up the spaghetti wiring of several generations of owners and electricians. Part of this was removing the existing Centerfielder.

Now that it’s out the wiring is a lot simpler. Do we really need a Centerfielder to manage the output of two alternator regulators?

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by fxykty

We’re a cat with two diesel engines, with a 140A externally rectified and externally regulated alternator on each engine.

We generally motor for short periods on both engines and would like to maximise charging. Otherwise we would generally charge with just one engine. We had a built-in diesel generator but decided that we really don’t want three engines to service, so we got rid of it and upgraded our alternators and belts.

Each alternator is regulated by a MC-614 and has a shared voltage sense with the other MC-614 to the house battery. As part of installing these two alternators we also installed flat belt pulleys and cleaned up the spaghetti wiring of several generations of owners and electricians. Part of this was removing the existing Centerfielder.

Now that it’s out the wiring is a lot simpler. Do we really need a Centerfielder to manage the output of two alternator regulators?

It is my understanding that older MaxCharge regulators on twin engine setup would fight each other and result in only one charging. The Centerfeeder was introduced to counter this. Subsequent MaxCharge regulators I believe now have sensing built in so CF is redundant. I could be wrong on this because my Maxchargers were refunded prior to the introduction of the CF. We use our engines so little that it wasn't worth the ag to investigate further.

[Seafarer7]

I don’t think you have to have the Centerfielder. With a similar configuration to yours, I opted not to have one. The twin alternators / MC-614s work fine: just that both sets may not put out equal amounts into the battery bank. When in bulk charge mode both sets put out significant amounts of charge (eg 110amp:90amp), but when you hit absorption or float mode, one side tends to retire earlier (charge drops to near nothing) while the other side carries the remaining minimal load (eg: 25amps:0amps)

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Seafarer7

I don’t think you have to have the Centerfielder. With a similar configuration to yours, I opted not to have one. The twin alternators / MC-614s work fine: just that both sets may not put out equal amounts into the battery bank. When in bulk charge mode both sets put out significant amounts of charge (eg 110amp:90amp), but when you hit absorption or float mode, one side tends to retire earlier (charge drops to near nothing) while the other side carries the remaining minimal load (eg: 25amps:0amps)

Yes there is no issue paralleling different charge sources. You just can’t tell which one will do certain stages but normally you don’t care as the battery is getting charged anyway.

[rslifkin]

It should work fine without it. As Seafarer7 said, it just may not share load equally when the alternators aren't putting out full power. But that shouldn't be a problem.



I run twin alternators into my house bank (twin engines) with just their basic internal regulators for now and it works fine. Both put out power and it all just works.

[SV Confianza]

Do you want BOTH to be charging at the same time? Can you handle that much input (like a lithium bank?), because then you probably need it. Otherwise when one is charging, the other will think the bats are already full, and not be charging.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

It should work fine without it. As Seafarer7 said, it just may not share load equally when the alternators aren't putting out full power. But that shouldn't be a problem.



I run twin alternators into my house bank (twin engines) with just their basic internal regulators for now and it works fine. Both put out power and it all just works.

Yes to use LA terms. Both stock regulators will put out all they can during bulk phase , once the terminal volt rises each alternator will still contribute during absorption phase but you won’t know how the current percentage will break down across the two alts. You don’t care as the batteries will be charging anyway , eventually depending on exact regulator settings one alternator will finish the charts over the other.

Two sources won’t “ interfere “ with each other but they won’t split the load current evenly with extra control systems ( which is what the balmar does ) but in most cases you don’t care which one is working a bit harder then the other one. ( under big loads both will work hard however )