Main D.C. power

billnpat

billnpat

New Member
Nov 15, 2009
3,610
Lindenhurst N.Y.
Boat Info
Twin-Zeus-Cummins QSC 600 (T-574 hp - 420 kW) Zeus Propulsion includes Helm joystick, Onan 21.5Kw di
Engines
Twin-Zeus-Cummins QSC 600 (T-574 hp - 420 kW) Zeus Propulsion includes Helm joystick, Skyhook® Stati
Our captain recommended that we turn off the main 2 D.C. power breakers under the port side transom when we leave the boat attached to A C overnight away.. The thinking is.....if there's a power shortage in the marina then the panel D.C. breakers we have on.[refrigerator etc will run off the D.C batteries and we will not have any juice to start the boat when we come back...
:huh: sounds logical.....
Will the shore power A.C. still charge the batteries with those 2 D.C. power switches off????
.
 
Should have asked him this but......how often do you think you will lose power in linden. n.y.? My guess is not often and when you do it won't be off for very long. Just run your ac and forget about it imo ric
 
The battery charger leads should be connected directly to the batteries. Turning off the main battery switches will have no effect on the charger.

I fail to see the problem your "captain" is referring to...if your fridge is stocked, you want it to kick over to DC power in the event of an AC power failure. When the AC power comes back on, the fridge switches back to AC power, and the battery charger tops off the batteries.

Where's the problem?
 
Last edited:
Bill, Just shut off the main breaker. Your batt charger will still be on. :smt001
Sorry for the big pic it won't let me resize it . :smt021
View attachment 9142
 
Last edited by a moderator:
tobnpr said:
The battery charger leads should be connected directly to the batteries. Turning off the main battery switches will have no effect on the charger.

I fail to see the problem your "captain" is referring to...if your fridge is stocked, you want it to kick over to DC power in the event of an AC power failure. When the AC power comes back on, the fridge switches back to AC power, and the battery charger tops off the batteries.

Where's the problem?
Click to expand...

I Guess the thinking is not to drain the batteries.....who knows when the power would come on...it could be days after a storm....and if you have a lot of things switched on D.C, water pump etc...
It would drain faster...

Im not going to worry about it i'm leaving them on.....:smt038
 
Just my humble opinion...It's your boat and you are clearly working hard to know how to handle it. YOU are the captain.
 
Uuummm, you guys may want to check how your boat is wired. I know on my 89 30' Sundancer, that if the power was disonnected and than turned back on, the main 30amp breaker would trip/turn off. I was told that it was a Sea Ray safety feature. Never looked in the manual about that.I don't think there was a problem with the wiring on the boat, because once you reset the breaker, all was good for as long as the power shore power was left on. But if the DC was left on, than he would come back to a dead battery(s)!!! Just my O2......
 
capecodcruiser said:
Uuummm, you guys may want to check how your boat is wired. I know on my 89 30' Sundancer, that if the power was disonnected and than turned back on, the main 30amp breaker would trip/turn off. I was told that it was a Sea Ray safety feature. Never looked in the manual about that.I don't think there was a problem with the wiring on the boat, because once you reset the breaker, all was good for as long as the power shore power was left on. But if the DC was left on, than he would come back to a dead battery(s)!!! Just my O2......
Click to expand...

Good point.....ill look at the manual today and see whats up...
thanks...:thumbsup:
 
Mine is wired so if I shut everything off the battery charger will still work.
Thats how it was when I bought the boat. Should it be like that ??. :huh:
 
sfergson727 said:
Mine is wired that way as well. On mine, which I believe is typical of most newer SR's, the battery solenoids (No switches in the conventional sense) can be turned off and the batteries will continue to be charged. There is no safety feature that I am aware of that trips the AC breaker off. I have often plugged the boat in with the panel switch on (Self confession - this is a bad habit) and have never had the breaker trip. This is true of every boat I have owned back to a 1987 model. (I'm a slow learner sometimes)

Bill, there is nothing wrong with what your captain told you. Your bilge pumps are hot wired to the batteries, and your charger is direct to the batteries. It's a crap shoot as to what to do. I've done both methods in the past, but most of the time, unless I am going to be gone for extended periods, I leave the battery switches on.

To prevent food poisoning, take a small sandwich bag with a couple ice cubes in it, and leave it in the freezer section of the refrigerator. That way, should you have the battery switches on and a power failure drains them, you'll know by the melted ice to not eat your food.
Click to expand...


Thanks Scott......:thumbsup:
 
The guy that bought it brand new order everything special from Sea Ray.
He had the boat custom built. He was a rich guy from Alex bay NY.
Its cross breed between a Amberjack and a Weekender. :wow:
The only thing he didn't get was a built in genny . :smt021
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If I have food to keep, I leave the breakers on to back up the AC.

If I don't, I turn them off. It's really your preference.
 
Was he talking about the main battery switches or the DC breakers? I always turn off the main battery switches when leaving the boat (unless a few cocktails in my system provide brain lock and I walk away without turning them off) :smt009 ...not that that has happened. This just keeps non-critical loads from draining your batteries.
 
2K WINGIN' IT said:
Was he talking about the main battery switches or the DC breakers? I always turn off the main battery switches when leaving the boat (unless a few cocktails in my system provide brain lock and I walk away without turning them off) :smt009 ...not that that has happened. This just keeps non-critical loads from draining your batteries.
Click to expand...


Yes thats what my captain also recommended...
 
For what its worth (2 cents top) what I do is turn off all non-essential items on the DC side that could draw extra (stereo, lights,etc) so if the ac fails and it switches over the only thing that really would kick in is the refrigerator (and hard wired bilge pumps). Dont you have dedicated starting batteries and a house battery - if so, this should be a moot point as the refrigerator will never draw off your starting batteries.
 
I have 2 batts for starting and 1 house.
I also have a emergency switch that I can start the engines off any of the 3 batts.
I'll see if I can find a pic of it. :smt001
That switch is right at 3 o'clock from the wheel.
This pic is from when I just bought the tug.
swicht.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,267
Messages
1,429,713
Members
61,146
Latest member
bmel
Back
Top