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Old 10-04-2019, 19:10   #1
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Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Figured I would document some rewiring I'm doing on my Dickerson 37.

This all started last fall with a weak starter battery, which led me to test all my batteries, which led me to buying all new batteries, which led to....scope creep

I'm converting my house bank to (2) 6V GC2 batteries. The engine start will remain a Group 31 FLA.

As I dug into the wiring it became clear the only way I would be happy is to redo much of it.

I read Maine Sails excellent treatise on ACRs and everything just made sense. He was kind enough to include a great schematic so I studied it until it made sense.

I didn't like the 3 switch setup since I wanted to utilize my existing Perko cutout. Found a Blue Sea parallel switch that does just what I want.

Over the last few years daysailing and a bit longer I tend to get lazy about what battery I'm on and sometimes start from house bank and vice versa. Hopefully this setup should take all guess work out and I'm excited to see how the Balmar works.

In order to fit all this in, I have a severely cramped battery area. I measured out a board and started laying things out. I enjoy wiring projects as it's an opportunity to build my skills. I also have a machine shop so I have no fear about fabricating things which you'll see later.

This is preliminary layout. The copper busbars are due to the fact I simply don't have space to lay out cabling and fuse things. I am not sure what the protocol is with bare copper though.

The plan is to bring in the house + to top left, along with windlass. Feeding from + busbar will be alternator, charger, house panel feed, ACR.

The Balmar shunt will have house - fed from left and that will go to negative busbar. I'm debating clocking the negative busbar to feed the cables up since the hole where all cables go is all in 1 spot top right.

I found the fuse holders at Waytek while looking for a small format fuse holder for the smaller loads. Seems crazy they are rated for 150A, the fuses are small, but made by Eaton so I'm sure they are good quality.

Over the next few weeks I'll be doing the cables (bought the FTZ crimper) as well as relocating the starter battery to the other side of the boat for better voltage drop and weight distribution.

Any comments are totally welcome and appreciated as I am not an expert just enjoy doing this stuff.
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Old 10-04-2019, 19:36   #2
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Only thing I’d make sure if you’re putting in a switch between your main bus and your bank is to install a lockable switch.
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Old 10-04-2019, 19:41   #3
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Curious to what the rationale for the lockable switch would be?

This ON/OFF switch I have will be down underneath a cockpit locker where no one other than myself would ever know where it was. Def not somewhere where my kids or a guest would ever see it.
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Old 10-04-2019, 19:59   #4
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

I’m not a total fan of a ‘locked’ switch but I haven’t seen one you can lock with a zip tie, but if you accidentally leave it off after maintenance or some guest switches it off mistakenly you’d have no bilge pump and your alternator would fry. It’s one of those things that you could easily forget and it could be costly.
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Old 10-04-2019, 20:13   #5
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

If you are putting on a 150Amp alternator, best check that the ACR is rated to accept that input.
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Old 10-04-2019, 20:28   #6
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Ya I found the diagram a little odd with the arc off the bus, if the pos bus were off it would put the arc in between the charge source and the battery. I would put it directly off the house bank (fuses).
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Old 10-04-2019, 20:56   #7
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Thanks, this is a schematic he did for a customer i believe. I have a 100A Balmar and ACR is rated for 120A.
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Old 10-04-2019, 21:20   #8
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

in that diagram the acr is only ever going to see ~10a through it enough to run the gauges and fuel pump. 90% of the alt is going to the house bank. it's a non issue
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Old 10-04-2019, 22:14   #9
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Quote:
Originally Posted by smac999 View Post
in that diagram the acr is only ever going to see ~10a through it enough to run the gauges and fuel pump. 90% of the alt is going to the house bank. it's a non issue
Unless that switch to the pos bus is turned off, no?
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Old 10-04-2019, 23:54   #10
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

I like the diagram, wish I could do something good like like that (make a diagram). Agree with Smac999 that the VCR only sees only a few amps. A 3 to 5 Amp DC to DC charger would be OK as well.
One thing I don't understand in the diagram: on the top right hand side (in the line of starting isolation circuit), why is there a picture of a radio? (or is it not a radio?)

This setup likely would work very well for you. I am in the process to redo the wiring on my boat, following basically a layout very close to yours, minus the 'lockable' master switch. I have instead the main alternator on the pos+ bus, and the bilgepumps, solar and wind all on separate DC circuit-breakers, that also serve as switches (all behind perspex).
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Old 11-04-2019, 00:56   #11
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Quote:
Originally Posted by HankOnthewater View Post
I like the diagram, wish I could do something good like like that (make a diagram). Agree with Smac999 that the VCR only sees only a few amps. A 3 to 5 Amp DC to DC charger would be OK as well.
One thing I don't understand in the diagram: on the top right hand side (in the line of starting isolation circuit), why is there a picture of a radio? (or is it not a radio?)

This setup likely would work very well for you. I am in the process to redo the wiring on my boat, following basically a layout very close to yours, minus the 'lockable' master switch. I have instead the main alternator on the pos+ bus, and the bilgepumps, solar and wind all on separate DC circuit-breakers, that also serve as switches (all behind perspex).
Ah, could it be an inline fuse??
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Old 11-04-2019, 01:45   #12
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

oops, you are right Uncle B!
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Old 11-04-2019, 09:35   #13
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailah View Post
Figured I would document some rewiring I'm doing on my Dickerson 37.

This all started last fall with a weak starter battery, which led me to test all my batteries, which led me to buying all new batteries, which led to....scope creep

I'm converting my house bank to (2) 6V GC2 batteries. The engine start will remain a Group 31 FLA.

As I dug into the wiring it became clear the only way I would be happy is to redo much of it.

I read Maine Sails excellent treatise on ACRs and everything just made sense. He was kind enough to include a great schematic so I studied it until it made sense.

I didn't like the 3 switch setup since I wanted to utilize my existing Perko cutout. Found a Blue Sea parallel switch that does just what I want.

Over the last few years daysailing and a bit longer I tend to get lazy about what battery I'm on and sometimes start from house bank and vice versa. Hopefully this setup should take all guess work out and I'm excited to see how the Balmar works.

In order to fit all this in, I have a severely cramped battery area. I measured out a board and started laying things out. I enjoy wiring projects as it's an opportunity to build my skills. I also have a machine shop so I have no fear about fabricating things which you'll see later.

This is preliminary layout. The copper busbars are due to the fact I simply don't have space to lay out cabling and fuse things. I am not sure what the protocol is with bare copper though.

The plan is to bring in the house + to top left, along with windlass. Feeding from + busbar will be alternator, charger, house panel feed, ACR.

The Balmar shunt will have house - fed from left and that will go to negative busbar. I'm debating clocking the negative busbar to feed the cables up since the hole where all cables go is all in 1 spot top right.

I found the fuse holders at Waytek while looking for a small format fuse holder for the smaller loads. Seems crazy they are rated for 150A, the fuses are small, but made by Eaton so I'm sure they are good quality.

Over the next few weeks I'll be doing the cables (bought the FTZ crimper) as well as relocating the starter battery to the other side of the boat for better voltage drop and weight distribution.

Any comments are totally welcome and appreciated as I am not an expert just enjoy doing this stuff.
I would like to make a wiring diagram like that. What software(?) did you use?

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH
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Old 11-04-2019, 10:14   #14
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

Quote:
I would like to make a wiring diagram like that. What software(?) did you use?

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH
OP didnt, he pulled it off a website:
https://marinehowto.com/
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Old 11-04-2019, 10:29   #15
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Re: Adding ACR, Balmar SG200, new batteries, bus bars...

I want to be 100% clear, the schematic was done by Maine Sail and I found it in his article about ACRs

He deserves all the credit and I don't know what software he used to make schematic although it looks like a simple paint program he dragged photos into and then added lines?
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