In short, an Echo Charge is a simple regulator that derives it's input voltage from a battery connected to a charging source. It's output is connected to a secondary battery such as an engine start or windlass battery. If the input voltage rises above 3.4 volts, as I recall, the
Rich > On May 5, 2014, at 14:10, Edd Schillay via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: > > Marek, > > Very interesting. What exactly is an echo charger and how would I > connect it? > > The previous owner had two house bank 31s and a starter battery hooked > up parallel to one of them. That starter battery turned out to be dead and > was dragging the other down. > > I replaced all with two new 31s about 4 years ago. Now one of those two > is dead and I don’t feel like dumping $300 on a replacement when I’m not > running on batteries for more than a few hours on any given day. > > > All the best, > > Edd > > > Edd M. Schillay > Starship Enterprise > C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B > City Island, NY > Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log > >> On May 5, 2014, at 1:01 PM, Marek Dziedzic <dziedzi...@hotmail.com> wrote: >> >> Edd, >> >> I don’t want to start a discussion on how to charge the batteries (as this >> would be off topic), but starting from the ALL position has some major >> disadvantages. One is that you might be hiding a problem with your starting >> battery; two is that if one battery is weak, you would be charging that weak >> battery from the strong one (you risk that if one is nearly dead, the other >> would not start the engine, either, but instead would discharge to equalise >> the voltage with the weak one). >> >> No question (in my mind), the best way is to start from the starting >> battery (hence the name) and have the echo charger making sure that both >> batteries are charged properly. >> >> Some advocate to have the batteries split into “main” and “spare”. Many good >> marine batteries can be used as dual purpose. If you design your system this >> way, you start on the “main”, it gets charged by the alternator and the echo >> charger maintains the “spare”. >> >> If I remember correctly, you have a solar system, as well. Many charge >> controllers have a dual battery option and they can be setup to charge the >> “main” battery first and then charge the “spare” (mine has a selectable >> 50/50 or 90/10 split). >> >> If you are interested, you can check some of Main Sail’s articles on that >> topic at Sailboat Owners or at his web site >> (http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/). >> >> Marek (in Ottawa) >> >> PS. Would “may the Force (May the 4th) be with you” apply, even if it is a >> day late? I know it is mixing the references... >> >> From: Edd Schillay via CnC-List >> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2014 10:58 AM >> To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com >> Subject: Re: Stus-List Mixed batteries >> >> Rich, >> >> Please do send around a diagram. I’m planning to do something similar — a 27 >> starting battery (as battery #2) and a 31 house bank (as battery#1). >> >> When I want to start and run the engine, I will do so on ALL. That way the >> alternator will charge both batteries. When sailing and “hanging out”, I >> would switch to 1 only. >> >> I have a solar panel and a dual battery regulator, which would connect to >> both. >> >> Two weeks to launch and still much to do….. >> >> >> >> All the best, >> >> Edd >> >> >> Edd M. Schillay >> Starship Enterprise >> C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B >> City Island, NY >> Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log >> >>> On May 5, 2014, at 10:38 AM, Rich Knowles via CnC-List >>> <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >>> >>> The best method I have found and the least problematic from all points of >>> view is to have a dedicated starting battery that does nothing else but >>> start the engine, and a house battery that can be several batteries in >>> parallel. Ideally the house batteries will all be identical. I feed the >>> alternator directly to the house battery and use a device such as a Xantrex >>> EchoCharge, a small regulator, to keep the start battery charged. A simple >>> 1/both/2 off switch feeds the house load from either battery and acts as a >>> combiner switch if needed. I have a diagram I can send you if you wish. >>> >>> I have wired many boats this way with no complaints or incidents. >>> >>> Rich Knowles >>> Indigo. LF38 >>> Halifax. NS >>> >>>> On May 5, 2014, at 10:47, via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> In a pinch, I recently bought a 'starting' battery (Group 27) per my >>>> earlier post (no marine stores open after 6 on Saturdays) >>>> >>>> Then I decided to get a replacement for my dead Lifeline AGM battery. >>>> >>>> Of course, Murphy lurking about, I realized that my Zantrex Truecharge 40 >>>> wants all the batteries it charges to be the same since >>>> its charging schemes apply to all three outputs to the batteries. >>>> >>>> Before I pull the 'rope-a-dope' of returning the starting battery, I need >>>> some list advice: >>>> >>>> A lot of sailors suggest using a 'starting' battery exclusively for >>>> starting and using the house batteries for the house. I am aware that >>>> an AGM can be used for starting as well. >>>> >>>> However, if a 'starting' battery is better for this job (CCA, etc.) and >>>> the AGM is better for its job, how does one use a single charger like mine >>>> to satisfy different charging schemes? >>>> >>>> 2 chargers, a smarter charger that has outputs for different battery >>>> characteristics, or 'forgetaboutit" and charge both batteries as though >>>> the were both AGMs? >>>> >>>> Charlie Nelson >>>> Water Phantom >>>> C&C 36 XL/kcb >>>> >>>> cenel...@aol.com >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album >>>> http://www.cncphotoalbum.com >>>> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >>> _______________________________________________ >>> This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album >>> http://www.cncphotoalbum.com >>> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album >> http://www.cncphotoalbum.com >> CnC-List@cnc-list.com > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com
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