@ debonAir: I followed your reasoning for wiring the alternator to the starter post, keeping the Batt switch in “1,” and adding an ACR to Bank 1 to charge Bank 2. Sounds pretty reasonable. I’m also intrigued by the
Alternator Protector Device (APD)—seems like it would handle many common faults (loose connections, a bad battery selector switch, or selecting OFF on the batt switch while charging).
Where did you put the APD? It says to keep it as close as possible to the Alternator. Do you know if there is any passive electrical draw from the APD?
@ Tin Kicker: I get Mainesail’s recommendation for wiring the alternator output directly to the House Bank (he describes his reasons in great detail) rather than to the starter post. It seems this would alleviate the potential Battery Selector Switch problems and, thus, most of the need for an APD. However, it does require a longer wire run (probably about 3 ft in the E323) and, likely, the need for fusing in the line. I’m guessing 4GA wire would be sufficient here for a 50-70A alternator.
@ Anyone: Poke some holes in this idea, if you would: If I play with Mainsail’s recommendation and end up with a 3 ft charging wire to my
House Bank, it seems this this circuit should be fused within 7” or so of the alternator output (although I don’t recall MaineSail specifying this). Any easy way to do this would be run the alternator output wire to an ANL fuse block mounted to the engine stringer below the alternator. The other end of the ANL fuse block would power the 3-ft charging cable to the
House Bank. This hot-wires the
House Bank to the alternator (essentially eliminating the mishaps from the Batt Selector Switch and, thus, the need for an Alternator Protection Device). And, it still allows charging of the
Start Bank by selecting “ALL” on the Battery Switch. (I.E. this is like MaineSail’s recommendation but simply using the Batt Selector Switch as a manual Battery Combiner, rather than an ACR).
In debonAir’s worst case scenario, where the
House Bank fails (or is otherwise removed from play) all I’d have to do is move the alternator output wire from the ANL fuse block back to the starter post and select the
Start Bank on the Battery Selector Switch to overcome the problem of the failed
House Bank. Not an instant fix, but not difficult or time consuming either.
Plus, I wouldn’t have to buy or install an ACR or an APD. And, being on a mooring buoy without AC or solar, I like to minimize passive draws on the battery. Even at .015A the ACR is passively drawing 11A▪H per month–that’s equivalent to 4 continuous hours of a running bilge pump.
Any obvious drawbacks I'm missing here?