Battery selector switch question...

[Roger Morris]

Does anyone know if it's normal for the voltage meter to show voltage ONLY when BOTH battery selector switches are in the on position. I have two on/off switches, and the voltage meter only shows voltage if the top switch is on. If only the bottom switch is on (top switch off), no voltage is displayed. It's a 2001 Sea Ray Sundancer 290. Thank you for any help you can offer. Should note, 3 brand new batteries...two in parallel, and the other by itself.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Guessing this is the gauge on the panel inside the cabin area.With 2 batteries joined they might have eliminated 1 feed to the panel and left one engine battery completely independant .
Only way to tell is start by hooking up just 1 battery and see what works and what dosent, do the same for the other battery.

 

[insfnds]

What if you only turn on the upper switch, does the volt meter work then as well?

If the volt meter is in the cabin, it is only for the house bank. Your boat has two separate 12v systems, one for the port engine, one for the starboard engine. One of these (the parallel batts) is also the house bank which in this case is controlled by the upper switch and displayed on the cabin volt meter.

FYI: The other battery typically supplies power to the helm electronics.

 

[Roger Morris]

Thanks for replying and the info...yes, if only the upper switch is on, then the volt meter shows proper voltage. Thanks again--I appreciate it.

 

[Roger Morris]

That's correct...gauge inside the cabin. That makes sense and I appreciate the information.

Guessing this is the gauge on the panel inside the cabin area.With 2 batteries joined they might have eliminated 1 feed to the panel and left one engine battery completely independant .
Only way to tell is start by hooking up just 1 battery and see what works and what dosent, do the same for the other battery.