Do you turn off your DC battery solenoids?

I am a little confused by this thread. In my knowledge a Solenoid is an electro-mechanical piston that operates something. Like your engine starter uses a solenoid. Or a Kabuki drop uses a solenoid to release a large curtain for theater.

Now it seems this thread is about the DC switches which are actually an electrical disconnect (In my assumption) from your batteries to the DC electrical components and the entire DC breaker/switch panel as well as helm switches....sans those that are not affected like emergency bilge pump.

I always switch both of mine off when leaving the boat. On the AC side, my outlets/fridge, AC/heat, and battery charger continue to run on the AC shore power side.

I might be misunderstanding how this works, but I always thought of these as a simple disconnect and not some sort of solenoid.

Thanks for any clarification as a solenoid could fail, where a simple switch is rather simple in design and is like turning the light switch off.
 
This is a good "Ford vs. Chevy" (or for us pilots - Boeing vs. Airbus) argument.

I've done it both ways. I have to turn my solenoids OFF to reset my Raymarine GPS occasionally. Here's how I solve that: When I leave my boat for more than a week, I turn all 3 OFF. When I'm only gone for Mon - Fri, I usually leave them ON.

In any case, as someone mentioned earlier, I turn all DC CBs OFF every time, so that if I lose shore power, I have all DC power available for bilge pumps (just in case). This is an important point. Now I might lose my condiments that I keep in my frig, but that's better than losing the bilge pumps IMHO.

Another point that hasn't been mentioned, is that with your solenoids OFF, no one can open your ER hatch - unless they break into your cabin first. I also take my engine keys out and hide them as well...As Todd (Nehalennia) has said - anyone can break in our door locks if they want in.
 
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Uplate said:
I am a little confused by this thread. In my knowledge a Solenoid is an electro-mechanical piston that operates something. Like your engine starter uses a solenoid. Or a Kabuki drop uses a solenoid to release a large curtain for theater.

Now it seems this thread is about the DC switches which are actually an electrical disconnect (In my assumption) from your batteries to the DC electrical components and the entire DC breaker/switch panel as well as helm switches....sans those that are not affected like emergency bilge pump.

I always switch both of mine off when leaving the boat. On the AC side, my outlets/fridge, AC/heat, and battery charger continue to run on the AC shore power side.

I might be misunderstanding how this works, but I always thought of these as a simple disconnect and not some sort of solenoid.

Thanks for any clarification as a solenoid could fail, where a simple switch is rather simple in design and is like turning the light switch off.
Click to expand...
You're correct. This discussion is about the combination battery selector/disconnect switches. I turn mine off unless there is a reason to have them on.
 
Woody said:
You're correct. This discussion is about the combination battery selector/disconnect switches. I turn mine off unless there is a reason to have them on.
Click to expand...

Thanks Woody. The solenoid thew me into thinking it was something else that I knew nothing about.
 
carterchapman said:
This is a good "Ford vs. Chevy" (or for us pilots - Boeing vs. Airbus) argument.

I've done it both ways. I have to turn my solenoids OFF to reset my Raymarine GPS occasionally. Here's how I solve that: When I leave my boat for more than a week, I turn all 3 OFF. When I'm only gone for Mon - Fri, I usually leave them ON.

In any case, as someone mentioned earlier, I turn all DC CBs OFF every time, so that if I lose shore power, I have all DC power available for bilge pumps (just in case). This is an important point. Now I might lose my condiments that I keep in my frig, but that's better than losing the bilge pumps IMHO.

Another point that hasn't been mentioned, is that with your solenoids OFF, no one can open your ER hatch - unless they break into your cabin first. I also take my engine keys out and hide them as well...As Todd (Nehalennia) has said - anyone can break in our door locks if they want in.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for the post. It's really informative!



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I leave the batteries switched on, the shore power plugged in and the DC power off on the head, fridge, lights and stereo amp. AC power stays switched on for the air conditioner/heat and the fridge.
It seems like there is really no right or wrong answer to this question.
 
I'm confused by what the OP means by "battery solenoids". Does he mean the large battery switches generally found in the cockpit or does he mean the ignition switches generally found in the AC/DC eletrical panel?

On my boat the battery switches are always on. However, all DC and most AC swtiches are turned off in the electrical panel at the end of the weekend. The ignition switches get turned on the first time we take the boat out for the weekend and generally stay on until we go home.
 
My marina requires in the contract that the shore power be plugged in and the battery charger turned on... The dockhands have a clipboard and checklist and walk the docks every morning and evening and if you are not plugged in, they'll call you and tell you to come plug your boat in.

I leave mine on. I think some of this may have to do with the size of the boat... I always turned off my batteries in my bowrider.
 
Uplate said:
I am a little confused by this thread. In my knowledge a Solenoid is an electro-mechanical piston that operates something. Like your engine starter uses a solenoid. Or a Kabuki drop uses a solenoid to release a large curtain for theater.

Now it seems this thread is about the DC switches which are actually an electrical disconnect (In my assumption) from your batteries to the DC electrical components and the entire DC breaker/switch panel as well as helm switches....sans those that are not affected like emergency bilge pump.

I always switch both of mine off when leaving the boat. On the AC side, my outlets/fridge, AC/heat, and battery charger continue to run on the AC shore power side.

I might be misunderstanding how this works, but I always thought of these as a simple disconnect and not some sort of solenoid.

Thanks for any clarification as a solenoid could fail, where a simple switch is rather simple in design and is like turning the light switch off.
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing. While a solenoid is often a switch, a switch is not necessarily a solenoid. Case in point, the batter switches are manually operated, not by electromagnet. And, solenoids are usually employed where large loads can be controlled remotely. If the battery switches were solenoids, they could be configured to be operated at the helm.

I'm also surprised to hear certain items (bilge pump, A/C converter/battery charger) are not isolated from the batteries when the battery switch is off. If this is really the case, than OFF on the battery switch is really "mostly off." That seems counter intuitive to me, because there is no practical way to ensure no load is present when connecting/disconnecting the batteries -- i.e. spark potential. Nor is there a fast way to isolate the batteries from the boat in the event of a problem -- say for example, the battery charger fried and was drawing 100 amps form the battery.

I suppose it's time to do a little investigating with a volt meter.

I leave my battery switches ON all the time, and turn everything but the essentials off on the electric panel.
 
With the boat plugged in to shore power and the battery charger, fridge and microwave left on, (I hate having to reset the clock every time I get to the boat besides it's a good indicator if I lost shore power since the last time I was on the boat). I leave my battery switches on but flip all the DC switches in the main panel off before leaving the boat for the simple reason that I don't want my fridge or a light left on accidently to drain my batteries completely. It's a lot less expensive to replace a few food items than it is a marine battery.
 
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Interesting comment about not wanting to lose AC power for so long that the fridges drain the batteries and then needing the bilge pumps but them being unavailable. Too many disasters without a visit. Anyone know what side the bilge pumps are on in the '05 340? Fridges are on the port.

If all of that were to happen, my guess is that insurance would be buying the boat anyway.

Step 1: Steal underwear
Step 3: Profits
 
Shorepower on, batt switches on, only AC circuits on are Converter and fridge, All DC off.

Go down to boat every other day (I can see it from the street going to and from work) and open hatches and vent.
 
I've always turned mine off. I don't want to risk something slowly draining the batteries. I generally don't plug into shore power either when I'm gone, just in case a storm sends a lighting surge through the power lines, etc.
 
Maybe there is some confusion between what types of battery switches different boats have. My 280 and my 215 both had "dial" type battery switches in their own compartment, while my 360 has three separate on/off switches that are on the main AC/DC panel, with redundant similar switches in the ER.

On the 215 I always turned them off, and for lengthy absences on the 280.

On the 360 they have never been off. But, I turn off the breakers for the head, water pump, hot water heater, and the ignition breakers and keys.

Different boats have different switches...
 
My question generated more responses than expected. I'm surprised that a majority didn't prevail.

First, regarding the confusion over the term "solenoid". Above my rocker switches on the distribution panel, it says "main battery solenoids". I guess it's possible that some boats may have a different label for their DC power.

We use our boat almost every weekend in the summer, and at least once per month in the winter. I've always turned off my DC power and left both AC switches on with the battery charger, refrigerator and AC/Heating unit on. We also leave our shore cables plugged in all the time. This is true of every boat in our marina. I know not every boat leaves power running to their boat (breaker switches off), but all have shore cables connected.

I appreciate everyone's responses.

Thanks,
Dale
 
Thanks for the update Dale. Do you have switches similar to these somewhere on your boat?

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