Blue Sea Add a Battery Questions

[dereklschmidt]

flex-

I was hoping someone would reassure me that would be ok. Check out the new diagram and see if it is correct. The alternator is currently wired to the starter now so all I need to do is take the starter wire to the switch? Let me know what you think. Thanks!

[ausbill32]

The best way to answer your question about the charging is to look this diagram on the ACR it’s self and read what it says on this URL. I was confused about it initially too but after reading this it makes better sense.
http://bluesea.com/viewresource/59

I wired mine exactly as you are about to do using the diagram you posted and during my test run this past Sunday everything seemed to be working just dandy. I do plan on bringing a volt meter with me on my next run as I want to make sure the second battery (house) is getting charged.

Just remember, as you are looking at the diagram you posted, you are looking at the back side of the switch so when you flip it around…… the top right pole is crank battery and the top left pole is accessory or house battery. The lower right pole is crank wire and alternator cables and lower left pole is accessories and stereo. I got that backwards initially.

Don't forget to use fuses on the ASR cables that connect to the batteries and also the ASR ground wire needs a small fuse.

An easier picture to understand is right here:
http://bluesea.com/category/1/productline/overview/329

[Razzman]

Don't forget to use fuses on the ASR cables that connect to the batteries and also the ASR ground wire needs a small fuse.

An easier picture to understand is right here:
http://bluesea.com/category/1/productline/overview/329

Correct, it's actually easier to use thermal breakers like the factory stock unit for the batt cables from the acr.

The picture you supplied there is a very simple and accurate description, just eliminate the top one going to the meter console and you have it. Look at mine below (ignore the two small cables passing through the switch.) and you'll see how easy it is. Look behind the battery box and you'll see a thermal breaker back there, there's two for the acr there.

[dereklschmidt]

Awesome guys! THANKS! I do already have the thermal breakers. Only thing I wasn't planning on was using a fuse on the ground, good thing you guys said something about that. Looks simple enough now. Got the mounting board and carpet today, as soon as my add-a-battery system shows up, I'll wire it all up and do the final install. I'll get some pictures up when it's all done too. Thanks for all the help!

[ausbill32]

Hey Derek,

I wired my boat the same as you listed in your diagram but for some reason my starting battery did not charge this weekend which is odd because my starting battery is on post 1 and ASR A. Common sense would say that this battery would charge before the house battery on post 2 and ASR B. My house battery on the other hand was fully charged, I put it on the trickle and it went green right away. I called BlueSea tech support today and shared the diagram you made and he said it looked good so no worries there. He told me to watch for the green indicator light the next time I go out. He said wait about 1-2 minutes for the boat to start and you should see a solid green light on the ASR. If there is a solid green light on the ACR, that means both batteries are charging (he also said the SI and remote LED lights are optional but you definitely have to have the ground wire in place from the ASR). I wanted to share this info with you so when you see that solid green light you know both are charging. Lastly, he said it didn't matter if you have the battery on the top or bottom posts, as long as everything on switch side 1 is together and switch side 2 was together. You could have the battery on the top or bottom post.

His recommendation to me is wait till this weekend and check for that solid green light. If not solid green light then maybe I have a, faulty fuse, bad ASR, bad wires, bad ground wire, or bad connection otherwise, if the solid green light is there; my battery is probably bad. I'm going to test this out on Friday. I'll report back as I'm sure you'll want to know. I may go get the cranking battery tested as that is a bit easier than dragging the boat to the dock.

cheers

-Bill-

[dereklschmidt]

aus:

I will be interested in what you find out. I finished my install up this weekend. Haven't got on the water yet though, but everything seems to check out without the engine running. When your battery did not charge, were you able to "Combine" batteries and start the engine? Just curious.

Let me know what you find out. Thanks

[ausbill32]

I didn't know the crank battery wasn't charging until I got home. I was cleaning the boat and decided to throw the trickle charger on the house battery as I figured it might need a little charge because we played the radio a lot. To my surprise, the house battery #2/B was fully charged but the crank #1/A was not. I'll get it figured out this weekend.

[viking]

I didn't know the crank battery wasn't charging until I got home. I was cleaning the boat and decided to throw the trickle charger on the house battery as I figured it might need a little charge because we played the radio a lot. To my surprise, the house battery #2/B was fully charged but the crank #1/A was not. I'll get it figured out this weekend.

Did you ever figure this out Ausbill?
you don't have to have the boat in the water to see if the relay is working? Just connect your batt charger to one battery and look for the green LED to light indicating a charge. If so, it works. Then connect the charger to the other batt (house or crank - the one you didn't check first) and see if the green LED lights there. If it works on one side or the other you'll narrow down the problem. The system will sense the charge on either battery when working properly and start to charge both batts.

[urban8designs]

can you simplify for a big dummy like me? boats are new to me. i need a list of everything i need.

1. http://bluesea.com/category/1/productline/overview/329, got it.
2. a battery. i have a crappy interstate 24M-RD, 400 CCA, 500 MCA. i plan on getting the same for now for battery #2. maybe upgrade later.
3. battery box, tie down, those anti-slider bars.
4. lots and lots of cables, wires, connectors, crimps, etc. my plan is to buy a bunch of 4 awg red, 2 awg red and 2 awg black, some battery terminal connectors, a bunch of other connectors, and hope it works out. if anyone can simplify, that would be nice.
5. two thermal breakers. where do you get these? bass pro shop? west marine? online? is there a size or model i'm looking for?
6. ground fuse, this i'm really lost on. amps? what's it look like? i'm sure west marine or somebody has this?

anything else?

luke