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ACR vs. manual 1-2, 1+2 switch

Started by Fisherdv, May 01, 2018, 12:02:47 PM

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Fisherdv

If I go with the dual battery setup should I use the blue seas add a batt kit with ACR or just an old fashioned 1-2, 1+2 switch? I would not combine batt unless needed for starting if using the manual switch. It seems this would be the cheaper, easier way to do it. ( I like to keep things simple with less connections.) I would charge the two batteries at home with a dual bank charger. Worried the ACR could fail, or cause problems. What do you guys think?
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

Diablo

Automatic vs manual. How's your memory and attention to detail when boating / fishing?
With ACR both batteries charge when charging source is available. No charging source batteries isolated = no drain on starting battery.
'98 19SR  '15 E Tec 115, '10 Honda 8
'67. 23 Tollycraft, 283 Chevy
'04  14' Western, '15 Tohatsu 10
'87  37 Roughwater two 8.2 Detroit diesels SOLD
'88 17SR  '90 Johnson 90, Honda 8, SOLD

Fisherdv

If I go the manual route I look at it as having a spare battery on board with the ability to use it if needed. It would be fully charged in the garage with a dual bank charger so fully charged for a day of fishing. I would put this "spare" battery on the port side to balance the weight. All I would need is the battery and 2 cables to tie it in to my blue seas battery switch so this would be the easiest and cheapest route. Sound good?
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

kitsapkidd

I'll have the "old fashion" : 1, 2 or 1+2 switch. I've been told to have it set to both (1+2) by Defiance. This logically seems to make sense, but....

Is there any advantage/disadvantage either way aside from memory/attention to detail?  9.9 kicker has a  6 amp alternator I believe. Thanks.
2018 17' Sea Chaser, Yamaha F90 & T9.9

Fisherdv

If you set to both you kind of defeat the purpose of having a second battery. You want to have a spare if needed. By running both you could drain both batteries at the same time. Also if running both they would have to be the same battery and same age to avoid problems. I would run one or the other and only combine them if needed to start.
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

Diablo

If your batteries are combined you have one battery. If you 'accidentally' drain the combined batts at sea. "Oops I forgot to isolate them ." Well maybe you can pull start your kicker.
I'm a believer in starting and house batteries. House is for all electrical loads. Start battery is only for starting. If you can start your motor you should have power available again. Some like to have bilge pump and VHF connect to start, not me. I don't want anything that might drain my start battery. If I can't start my motor because the bilge pump was stuck on connected to the start battery and I didn't realize it and my house batt doesn't have enough juice to start the main.  :shrug9:
Combining batteries to start shouldn't be done unless both batteries are at pretty much the same charge / voltage. A battery that is discharged would be a drain on the charged battery.  :twocents:
'98 19SR  '15 E Tec 115, '10 Honda 8
'67. 23 Tollycraft, 283 Chevy
'04  14' Western, '15 Tohatsu 10
'87  37 Roughwater two 8.2 Detroit diesels SOLD
'88 17SR  '90 Johnson 90, Honda 8, SOLD

Packman

Ditto what Diablo said. That is the setup I have on my 19' Sea Ranger and it works great.  No thinking required, upon starting the system charges the starter battery, when that is charged up the ACR connects and then both batteries are charged.  I also only have the motor on the starting battery, nothing else so I don't worry about having the starter battery drained by an accessory.  All other devices are on the house battery.  I often drift fish with the motor off, running my electronics and VHF, and I never have to worry about starting the motor.  I do have a switch that will combine the batteries in an emergency, but I have never used it.  I swap out my Optima batteries every 5 or 6 years, so they stay fresh.
When I bought my (used) boat it had a switch for battery selection. That is the first thing I changed out and installed an ACR in its place. 
Sea Ranger 19, Mercury 115 4-stroke

Fisherdv

Anyone have any issues or ACR failure?
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

First Cabin

Quote from: Fisherdv on May 01, 2018, 05:13:18 PM
Anyone have any issues or ACR failure?

No. 

Though I did have a misunderstanding once.  While out fishing in the ocean and without me recognizing it, the house battery got weak and voltage on it went below 9.5v.  I started the main and could not understand why the voltage was so low and would not come back up with the main running.

I returned to port and later learned that the ACR did exactly what it was supposed to.  It isolated the low voltage battery and would not combine it with my good starting battery.  My NMEA network is powered by my house battery so the fishfinders all showed low voltage.

Once I replaced the battery, the ACR worked as it should. 

First:  1982 15' SeaHunter, Yamaha 70 2-stroke, Yamaha F6
Second:  1987 17' SeaRanger, Merc 90 2-stroke, Yamaha F8
Current:  2002 17' SeaChaser, Yamaha F100, Yamaha T8

Fisherdv

#9
How would you go about charging the batteries at home in the garage with a battery maintainer with the ACR connected? I would assume just hook the battery maintainer charger straight to the battery terminals as normal?
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

First Cabin

Quote from: Fisherdv on May 01, 2018, 05:47:38 PM
How would you go about charging the batteries at home in the garage with a battery maintainer with the ACR connected? I would assume just hook the battery maintainer charger straight to the battery terminals as normal?

I turn the battery switch to "off" and plug in my dual bank onboard charger.
First:  1982 15' SeaHunter, Yamaha 70 2-stroke, Yamaha F6
Second:  1987 17' SeaRanger, Merc 90 2-stroke, Yamaha F8
Current:  2002 17' SeaChaser, Yamaha F100, Yamaha T8

Rokefin

#11
I have used the "old fashion" style 1, 2 or 1+2 for 5 years and for 3 of those years I ran with the switch on "both" and all has worked well but I ran on my main at all times and never shut it off. I now swap  batteries using 1 or 2 but mainly use the #1.

All seems fine with my previous use but after reading all the "battery" threads with many more "battery" postings to come, and I appreciate all the posts because I am finally starting to get it :facepalm:   I believe the use of a "start" battery with a "house" battery with an "ACR" is the preferred ticket :applause:    As I plan to use my kicker more for trolling and would like to do more drifting I want assurance that my motors will start after I shut them off.

AJFishin

I don't have a ACR and my battery switch is wired like in the diagram below. It's been like this for awhile and no issues, knock on wood. :stooges:
But I also can see why an ACR would be nice.
'96 Sea Ranger 19, 2016 Mercury 115 EFI CT (115F231D) 
'96 Sea Chaser 16, 2019 Suzuki DF60AV (Sold) 
'87 Sea Chaser 17, 1987 Johnson V4 90 (Sold)
My YouTube channel: youtube.com/socalseachaser

Fisherdv

#13
I watched a video on the ACR from blue seas and it shows that while charging it combines both batteries, not charge one at a time or only the one that needs charging like I thought. At least that's how I interpreted it. My issue with this is that if I add one NEW battery now, the battery I already have is older and the batteries will be two different brands. I just don't like combining two batteries together of different age and type for charging or not. In the old fashioned way I would only combine the two batteries if absolutely needed for starting. The second or "spare" battery would be charged at home. Then while out I would run one or the other batteries so the one being used would get charged by the motor. Kitsapkid posted above that his new 2018 17SC came with the old 1,2 1+2 setup from the factory so I guess they are still doing it that way too, although cost may have been the factor there.  I think I'm leaning twords the old fashioned way like you have now AJ (pictured). I ran my last boat for 15+ years like that and no issues. Sometimes I think you just gotta keep it "old school"  Not that im that old myself :twocents:
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

DevMah

Fisherdv

Your boat is a 2018 I don't think you are going to have a big age variance.... now find a battery with the same MCA and reserve.

IMO
The best off shelf set up is using the add a battery kit


https://www.bluesea.com/products/7649/Mini_Add-A-Battery_Kit_-_65A


This will keep your house and start separated, charge both batteries and you have the ability to combine to start of off battery 2.

The best part is you only turn the switch on and let the kit do it's job... no worries about manually combining, or draining your start.

Dev

2015 21' Sea Ranger w 150 Yammy  (Tight lines) Sold
2012 Lund 1650SS  w 2012 60HP Mercury-Sold

Fisherdv

My boat came with a Centennial dual purpose group 24 battery. I would like to purchase the same battery for the second but I cannot find any store in my area that has it and most places will not ship a battery. So would it be ok to use a second group 24 battery of a different brand and maybe a slightly differing rating with the ACR kit? They would be close, but not an exact match. Also, by having the ACR charging both batteries at the same time would that put more of a strain on the motors alternator?
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

AJFishin

Fisherdv, have you tried giving Battery Systems of San Francisco a call?
The store near me carries the Continental brand and battery your looking for for $98. It's in stock, but expensive to ship at $30.
'96 Sea Ranger 19, 2016 Mercury 115 EFI CT (115F231D) 
'96 Sea Chaser 16, 2019 Suzuki DF60AV (Sold) 
'87 Sea Chaser 17, 1987 Johnson V4 90 (Sold)
My YouTube channel: youtube.com/socalseachaser

Fisherdv

I'll try that, thx Aj. If I can't find the same one I have now I may just get an AC/Delco voyager battery. I've used those before and really liked them
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

Chief of the Boat

Does your Costco sell Interstate Batteries?  My friend just bought two Group 24 Marine deep cycle for $75 each. 

Fisherdv

2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

DevMah

Quote from: Fisherdv on May 02, 2018, 08:29:02 PM
My boat came with a Centennial dual purpose group 24 battery. I would like to purchase the same battery for the second but I cannot find any store in my area that has it and most places will not ship a battery. So would it be ok to use a second group 24 battery of a different brand and maybe a slightly differing rating with the ACR kit? They would be close, but not an exact match. Also, by having the ACR charging both batteries at the same time would that put more of a strain on the motors alternator?

When combined in parallel  the alternator just thinks it's one big battery. Yes there is going to be more strain as it will take longer to charge, but this is no different than charging a older battery.



Dev
2015 21' Sea Ranger w 150 Yammy  (Tight lines) Sold
2012 Lund 1650SS  w 2012 60HP Mercury-Sold

Fisherdv

2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

Fisherdv

#22
Can I use one 80A circuit breaker to feed both the front and rear blue seas fuse panels? Front and rear fuse panel leads combined to the "out" post of the breaker?

Edit: I am going to use two separate breakers
2018 Sea Chaser 16, Honda BFP60

DevMah

Quote from: Fisherdv on May 05, 2018, 06:27:19 PM
Can I use one 80A circuit breaker to feed both the front and rear blue seas fuse panels? Front and rear fuse panel leads combined to the "out" post of the breaker?

Edit: I am going to use two separate breakers

IMO
I would fuse the fwd panel and sheath to  the rear panel ABYC E 9.10 allowas you to run up to 40" of cable from a battery as long as it in in a sheath.

You can connect both to one fuse  but the wires would all have to handle 80A for fwd and aft panels.

Dev
2015 21' Sea Ranger w 150 Yammy  (Tight lines) Sold
2012 Lund 1650SS  w 2012 60HP Mercury-Sold