Generator Battery

MonacoMike said:
Please only post a question once. You have members answering the same question in two threads. Most of us use the new posts 24 hours and will see it no matter where you put it.

MM
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Aye Aye Captain. Appologies to all that where inconvenienced and point noted. I thought that one was deleted. I moved my question because I wasnt getting any hits.
 
Ok guys. This is what I am going to do...

Reconfig and put right the battery charger connections (thanks 390x but thats how it arrived from the PO), use an isolated genny battery (thanks Monaco) and tie the genny battery to the house bank with an ON/OFF switch (normaly OFF). Which in turn connects it to a backup system plus links it into the emergency start system. Sort of permanently wired Jumper cables (Dont really look forward to hanging upside down in the bilge connecting Jumper cables with sparks and things flyinng - now knowing where I need to locate the extra battery), and finally connect genny ground to the grounding circuit of main engines - as per Onan manual.

Thanks again everyone.
 
Sorry 390X but my charger is wired correctly - just checked my book and on-line. Each pair of "Bank" wires MUST only be connect to ONE battery. Charger is a Promariner ProSport 20 Gen2.

So just gonna do the same thing withought changing the charger wiring. Except maybe tidy it up a little. I think.
 
Nassau Weekender said:
Sorry 390X but my charger is wired correctly - just checked my book and on-line. Each pair of "Bank" wires MUST only be connect to ONE battery. Charger is a Promariner ProSport 20 Gen2

A bank is a group of batteries. You connect the charger wire to one of the batteries in the BANK, and all the batteries in the bank are connected to each other.

It's not wired correctly unless I misunderstand. You have 3 wires coming out of your charger, and you have two banks of batteries (house, and port starting). Adding the genny battery is the 3rd bank of batteries.

Upon closer inspection, you only have a two bank charger, so you're not going to be hooking it up to a genny, unless you get a battery isolator, and hook the charger up to it and let it feed two banks of batteries.
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My 310 has two bats for the Starboard engine and house. One bat for the Port engine and genny.

Consider that if you install a fourth bat your genny and charger are going to take longer and draw more amps to charge four bats. As a result you may need a more powerful charger. Keep it simple and light. Three bats with the emergency is good enough. If you want to be extra careful carry a one of those emergency boost chargers.

I once had a genny problem and drained my house bats (starboard engine). I turned on my port engine and then "Emergency" tied the starboard. Went home.
 
I've found if you're going to be on the hook for awhile, and don't want to run the gen all the time, 5 batteries is the minimum. 1 for the gen, 1 on the number 2 side of the switch, and 3 tied together for the house. Run the house dead and fire the genny, or switch to #2 to fire the engines. I completely disagree with the way Sea Ray wired my boat from the factory.
 
390x said:
I've found if you're going to be on the hook for awhile, and don't want to run the gen all the time, 5 batteries is the minimum. 1 for the gen, 1 on the number 2 side of the switch, and 3 tied together for the house. Run the house dead and fire the genny, or switch to #2 to fire the engines. I completely disagree with the way Sea Ray wired my boat from the factory.
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5 bats on 39' boat extreme but understandable. 5 bats on 30' boat overkill in my humble opinion.
 
ok, I realize I'm a little bigger... but I have 2 group 27 per engine and 4x 6volt for my inverter and the gen has a totally isolated 12volt group 27 all for itself...... and maybe I still could have more....
 
Here is how my 300 is configured, I do have the same generator that you are installing.
My generator has a starting battery connected to it and it is connected to position 1 on my master battery selector switch (MBSS)
For my house and starting my motors, I have 2 6 Volt golf cart batteries, Interstate T 105, yes I start off golf cart batteries have for 3 years. Interstate says this is no problem and won't hurt the batteries. I have a Xantrex 1000 inverter/charger with a Link 1000 to charge the two golf cart batteries and the starting battery, the GC batteries are on position 2 of the MBSS
The Link 1000 monitors both battery banks so I can see the amps used on the house batteries and the voltage of starting battery.
You could install a volt meter gauge on the 120 panel in the cabin, there is a thread on parts needed and how to do it in the classic section.
I have run the generator while underway for the AC and so the wife could use the microwave because my Xantrex is a smart charger it controls the amps going into the batteries I have not worried about over charging or boiling the batteries. You don't have to turn on the charger while your generator is running, the alternators will charge your batteries (if the boat is running) and the generator will keep the staring battery charged.
You said that the generator only puts out 1 amp for charging but I thought it puts out 6 amps. My boat does not go into the water till next Thursday so I can't check that till then.

I hope this helps you.

Ken
 
The Bill Collector said:
ok, I realize I'm a little bigger... but I have 2 group 27 per engine and 4x 6volt for my inverter and the gen has a totally isolated 12volt group 27 all for itself...... and maybe I still could have more....
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You are alot bigger and with diesels. Nice boat!!!
 
390X my charger book (sorry its actually a Prosport Gen2 Plus - 3 bank) says each pair of charging cable must only be connected to 1 battery max size GP31, if i go bigger capacity i.e 4D or 8D or in this case 2 x GP31 then I must change my charger - according to ProMariner. Ii appears to monitor the battery accross both connections so If connect it across two batts it would be "confused"

Its been wired like that for a while and Ive never had a problem.
 
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The Bill Collector said:
ok, I realize I'm a little bigger... but I have 2 group 27 per engine and 4x 6volt for my inverter and the gen has a totally isolated 12volt group 27 all for itself...... and maybe I still could have more....
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a little bigger.... 450 SD with twin Cat 3126's - different world and different bank account :smt089
 
You can hook up more batteries, it just won't charge as fast. The charger won't know the difference.

In any event, it doesn't matter because you've decided the direction that you want to go in.

5 batteries isn't overkill at all when you're on the hook for two days at a time. Again, unless you want to run the gen all the time. In fact, 6 batteries would be even better.
 
ardeprint said:
My 310 has two bats for the Starboard engine and house. One bat for the Port engine and genny./QUOTE]

Ardeprint; sounds like you have the same set up as I, or will have.

How is you Port engine/Genny system wired. What kind of battery switch are you using and how is it wired ?

Thanks
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Nassau Weekender said:
ardeprint said:
My 310 has two bats for the Starboard engine and house. One bat for the Port engine and genny./QUOTE]

Ardeprint; sounds like you have the same set up as I, or will have.

How is you Port engine/Genny system wired. What kind of battery switch are you using and how is it wired ?

Thanks
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The port engine circuit is hooked by regular battery post clamps + and -. The genny has the positive connected to the threaded post on the battery. The negative connected to a negative (ground) bus bar. This same bus bar grounds my engines. Both, Port power plant and genny, are fed by a group 27 led cranking battery with 1050 CCA and 192 Reserve.

A vote of cinfidence; I have never (knock, knock) had an issue with the port battery circuit. My starboard (house) side many a time, port side (genny) never.
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ardeprint said:
Nassau Weekender said:
The port engine circuit is hooked by regular battery post clamps + and -. The genny has the positive connected to the threaded post on the battery. The negative connected to a negative (ground) bus bar. This same bus bar grounds my engines. Both, Port power plant and genny, are fed by a group 27 led cranking battery with 1050 CCA and 192 Reserve.

A vote of cinfidence; I have never (knock, knock) had an issue with the port battery circuit. My starboard (house) side many a time, port side (genny) never.
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So no switch at all in the port engine/genny circuit ?
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How did you make out? Did you finish this project?
 
Sorry man, no not completed as yet I have been on some of our other islands with work. But also I am waiting for delivery of my new water heater that needs to be installs prior to installation of the genny, and its been delayed a week. Island living yeh!? Realistically i guess the genny install is at least a couple of weeks away.

I think I am going to use the stbd engine/house batt bank for the genny so that I have always got the isolated port engine batt to rely on. Agree or problems ?

And thanks for asking
 
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