Joe,
Is this what you were about? Jeff says ARCs parallel batteries while work which can create problems. He prefers FET isolators although a battery sensing external voltage regulator should overcome the problems of a diode split charger.
https://www.pysystems.ca/resources/tech-talk/keep-charged-charging-scenarios-using-battery-combiners-and-battery-isolators/
I guess I have been lucky with my ACR so far or else the two banks are close enough in size not to create a problem.
Mark Powers
Couple of comments
Why 2 alternators?
I’d want to see the current acceptance curve on the battery to see what rate of charge they can actually accept. Firefly speaks of .2c as the rate of charge which is around 40 amps? You are thinking of derating to 80 already. If for example the curve show an acceptance rate of less than say 80 amps for 75% of the time size the alternator at 100 amps. High rates of charge develop heat , need large size wires that need substancial support on the alternator case. The small issues add up.
In my steam era “wet cell golf cart set up” my dear old Powerline 120 amp derated to 80 amp rarely puts out more than 40 amps and spends most of the time at 10 or less. Like taking a Ferrari grocery shopping.
I confess I don’t fully understand the charging parameters Firefly recommends and whether Balmar regulators and common shore power chargers can provide the required profiles.
Deb and I over the years have spend much of our sailing a long way from the dock. Having equipement on board that you absolutely rely on that may be difficult to replace in more remote places can be an issue wothy of consideration . We’ve seem more than one sailing trip turn into a fiasco for folks when electric winches that are no longer made fail, odd sized batteries decide to die, and engine parts fail when replacements are weeks away. We had a brand new golf cart battey fail 2 weeks in. We were able to hop in a car, and 2 hours later be on our way with a replacement.
What looks dandy at a boat show or at the dock in Halifax can become a huge hassle when a long way from home.
I whole heartedly agree with Thor’s last line. A dock neighbor with a very expensive new European build sail boat once lost much of our short Canadian sailing season while he waited for an appointed factory rep to come and check out an idiot light that suggested he had motor problems. When the appointed factory rep did check things out it turned out to be a fault with the idiot light. It reminded me of the old KISS (keep it simple stupid) formula.
Herb G. Huber, MISTOFFELEES NS 30C#91, Bridgeview Marina, Sarnia, Ontario
An interesting review of battery options from a fulll time cruising perspective…
https://www.morganscloud.com/2018/05/11/battery-options-part-2-lead-acid/
To Paul Miller;
I enjoyed your thorough and well-thought-through article on rewiring in the latest INA Newsletter. And, of course, your bow thruster, but I have congratulated you on that before! (ok, sounds like a “suck-up” as they say on the Internet, but I do like to thank people who do things, and do it well)
Q: Regarding your circuit breaker panel. How did you do the label writing for the panels?
I’ve attached pictures of the old-style panel replacements for Cat’s Whiskers; first the Guest battery switch replacement; (it’s surround is painted, and installed and no pic of it there until the snow drifts melt) and the two new panels for circuit breakers, and one with the panels painted, along side the old “battery monitor panel” showing what the original looked like.
I have a brother label-maker, but it seems that one can’t get white letters on black??
Thanks for any advice you (or others) can give;
JohnS, NS26C Bath, ON.
Thanks John,
I composed them in Inkscape, printed them on Avery peel and stick label stock, added a layer of packing tape, and cut them out with scissors just before applying them to the board.
Duck brand “Easy Start” tape works better than the thin nasty packing tape.
John,
You can buy packages of labels from most chandleries. For my Brother Label maker I gave up on finding white on black and went to black on gold.
Mark Powers
Been very happy with a Dymo label maker that I got at Costco, but can be found at most office supply stores or on the internet.
They sell two levels of tape; the more expensive outdoor UV and weather resistant works very well and is worth the extra money.
You can buy much cheaper knock-off tape that will fit, but it doesn’t hold up. (I know because I’ve tried, and have a lot left over. I’ll give it away for free, but only to someone I don’t particularly like.)
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch 26U #233
Mark
FYI Amazon carries White on Black labels for Brother label makers:
https://www.amazon.com/Brother-Standard-Laminated-Resistant-Single-Pack/dp/B004I2I05S?crid=10LD7MK7GYZQQ&keywords=brother+label+white+on+black&qid=1646395527&sprefix=brother+label+white%2Caps%2C371&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=blb09-20&linkId=197b7110dff3d508865e90bff1f440bf&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
biankablog.blogspot.com
John,
You can buy packages of labels from most chandleries. For my Brother Label maker I gave up on finding white on black and went to black on gold.
Mark Powers
You are absolutely right about the difference of tapes. My Brother P-Touch label maker, using the less expensive tapes on my clutches, only last about 2 weeks before they become unreadable.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA