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From: Colin Foster (no email)
Date: Mon Nov 05 2001 - 20:38:45 EST
From: "Jim Lynch" <>
To: <>
> My system is, in my opinion, screwed up, so here's the way I'm going to
> rewire. I'm going to wire the starting battery, a single group 27
> directly to the starter and other engine controls, just as if it were
> the only battery on board. All the other 12V electrical equipment will
> remain on the house batteries (2 banks of golf cart batteries maintained
> by a Link 2000/Heart 2000 watt inverter). I'm putting a combiner
> between the house and starting batteries. The combiner will go on the
> post connected to the house equipment and I'll have to manually switch
> to all to charge both batteries. Perhaps later I'll invest in a another
> combiner to extend the convienience, but then I'd have to rethink the
> Link connections.
>
SOMETHING WRONG HERE JIM. Why do you say you will have to manually switch
to ALL to charge both batteries? That is what the combiner does for you
automatically. Why do you think you will need another combiner later? Are
you planning on adding a third bank of batteries? In case you are
misunderstanding how they work, they are bi-directional so when the engine
is running they will share the charge with the house bank. When the shore
power charger is charging the house bank, the combiner will share that
charge with the starting bank.
> For emergencies, I'll just have to carry a set of jumper cables, in case
> the starting battery won't. Or I could use a knife switch to parallel
> them. Sorry, but I don't trust any relay to handle starter currents so
> I'm wouldn't think of using the combiner to parallel during starting.
> Warranties aren't worth much if the beast fails where Murphy lives, a
> couple of light years from anywhere. 8)
The 150 amp combiner uses a relay that is heavier duty than any starter
solenoid you are using now. It can withstand 1000 amps inrush. The current
is limited to some extent, however, by the gauge and length of wire you have
to install as required by the instrucitons.
If you use the 50 amp combiner, then it will only act as a booster for
transferring power to the starting battery in an emergency. You would need
the "ALL" setting on your switch or a jumper cable to get starting current
capability.
>
> In normal conditions, all I'll have to do is remember to put the battery
> switch in the both/all position when running the engine.
NO that is what the combiner does. It automatically puts the battery banks
in parallel when the engine is running and it doesn't forget to separate
them when the engine is turned off, like you will.
>Since the
> house and starting batteries are quite a bit different, I suspect I'll
> have to monitor the charge states of both to make sure I'm not over or
> under charging one or the other with this setup. I may have to alter my
> plans if I find that to be a problem.
NO wrong again. When the combiner puts them in parallel, they are both at
the SAME voltage so you can't overcharge. The regulator(s) will see them as
one battery bank and charge them correctly with no supervision.
>
> That's my plan. Comments?
Take a look at the COMBINER FAQ page at http://www.yandina.com/combInfo.htm
, that will perhaps clear things up for you. You can also download the
owner's manual from http://www.yandina.com/manuals.htm. That has some
sample circuit diagrams and a full description.
Colin Foster,
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