I believe that your ACR will distribute the charge from a portable charger and solar panels regardless of which bank they are attached to. You could prove this theory by bringing a portable charger on board and clamping onto the battery posts of either bank. With all other chargers turned off, the portable charger voltage should be seen on the other bank proving that the ACR linked the 2 banks together. This only happens after the primary battery voltage reached ~13.6v. I like all of my charge sources being applied to the same bank and same bus if possible. Add a fused connection and hook to the output of the MPPT controller. I also prefer charging sources attached to the house bank for reasons stated in my previous post but if either of the above two conventions are not already being followed or prove logistically difficult I would compromise.
Depending on the portable charger charge current you can simply clamp it on or plug it into a cigarette lighter outlet. If you want a higher power and more secure option you can get high power 12v disconnects similar to the one in the link below. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0129E1KF8/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_Hq48EbHKA9MNF You might find this style of fuse helpful for your connection of the charger or the MPPT. The fuses are the plastic blocks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753F35Q8/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_ps48Eb14Z6KB3 It might be easier to discuss over the phone. 443-295-3238 Josh Muckley S/V Sea Hawk 1989 C&C 37+ Solomons, MD On Wed, Jun 24, 2020, 12:03 Charlie Nelson via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > > > > > My early post/request was incorrect (and thus confusing) in the details: > > I have a Xantrex battery monitor that replaced my old voltage switch when > my dc power system was upgraded--my original post called it a Victron or > something--anyway all it does is monitor the batteries. > > My current system has 2 Group 31 Northstar 'house' batteries and a Group > 27 or 31 'start' battery. When this was installed, the old 1/2/all switch > was eliminated and replaced by a Blue Seas Dual Circuit Plus switch with > Off-On-Combine Batteries positions and an ACR from Blue Seas. > > At the dock, the batteries are charged by a Xantrex 20/40 (forget which). > Otherwise they are hooked up via the Blue Seas switch with the ACR. All > the batteries are located in 2 built in battery compartments in the port > side of the aft cabin under the bunk. One compartment houses 2 batteries > and the other has a single battery. The switch and ACR are located > immediately above the batteries on the aft bulkhead with leads of about 3 > feet. > > > > Now to my original questions: > > I would like to hook up a solar panel to trickle charge the system in my > absence and would like advice on physically how to do it. I have a MPPT > controller, etc. but need a simple/safe way to connect/disconnect it and > how: directly to one of the battery banks? > > Similarly I like the idea of an emergency battery/charger (the portable > kind that keeps its internal battery charged from AC but is light enough to > carry on board) that can be hooked up to get going if all the above goes to > hell, > > Where is the best place to patch such a connection to the system for an > emergency start system--presumably this same place could be used also hook > in the solar panel? > > My educated guess is to attach a buss bar to one of the batteries (the > start or house?) and then attach the wires of the solar controller and > the external charger to those. > > Maybe since I have the ACR, it doesn't matter since it will distribute the > charge accordingly? (BTW, the shore charger delivers charge to the start > battery and the house batteries via separate charger outputs.) > > Thanks to all who tried to answer my original post in spite of the > mis-information it contained!! > > Charlie Nelson > Water Phantom > > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each > and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - > use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > >
_______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
