Installing a VSR specifically for solar panels

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorn

There is nothing inherently wrong with powering an inverter from a constantly full, large capacity House bank

and feeding a small quality smart charger from that inverter to occasionally top up a much smaller Starter battery that has no other charge sources available.

Sure it is a kludgey workaround to handle an unusual exigency, and electrically very inefficient.

Would y'all suggest a genset be run instead when there is more than enough surplus solar going to waste?

Yes a DCDC would be more "elegant", but also overkill for this specific use case.

Geeez! Someone who knows what he is talking about!

I know it is not the way to go in the longer term but it is only to buy time while I finish construction. (The alternative is to get power from a shed 40 meters away)

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorn

OP, the biggest red flag to me about your electrickery ignorance, is the fact that you are willing to install such obviously cheap shoddy gear into your boat's system.

Only use devices that have been proven by community members with more knowledge and experience.

Insurance can refuse to cover your resulting fires otherwise

I just wonder why you think I have installed cheap shoddy gear in my yacht? That attitude concerns me as it is quite irrational!!

Everything that matters on my yacht such as bilge pumps, bilge blowers, cabling size, isolation switches, circuit breakers is first class. How many yachts have three bilge pumps (Rule) rated at around 5000gph? How many yachts have Co alarm and explosive gas alarms?

Where I have "skimped" (if you like) is the fresh water pump, macerator, toilet blower, oscillating fans, light fittings as they are Chinese made. If they break down it is no real drama.

"Only use devices that have been proven by community members with more knowledge and experience."

Don't make me laugh

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorn

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums....php?p=3708602

What is that all about?

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by coopec43

I hope you won't be offended but when I read

"Just looking at your proposed VSR, supposedly rated at 100 amps 24 volts, there is no way that the wiring connections on that VSR as capable of handling 100 amps. There is also no way to make a 100 amp VSR for12 dollars.

I realized your understanding of VSRs is zero.(I won't take you up on your other assertions)

I'm still educating myself on VSRs and in the process came across this excellent video clip which I'd like to share with you (No offense?)

Yeah, right. I have only been using a VSR for about 25 years from the first company that developed and marketed them. I have also completely rewired my boat. And that rewire job has been working flawlessly for the last 25 years. I have been an electronics hobbyist for about 60 years. It is very obvious from your posts that you are still learning about about VSRs and high current wiring in general.

If you have one 24 volt bank and one 12 volt bank using a VSR is not only a very bad idea it is dangerous. Did you notice that both batteries in the video are the same voltage? Maybe that is why you melted a wire.

Anyone that wires something, melts a wire and then says he doesn't know what he did and yet claims he knows what he is doing is not capable of building a proper electrical system.

I am more amused by your ignorance than offended.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

What?


You do realize a charger plugged into an inverter is nonsense, right?

Efficiency aside, how is this much different from a DC/DC charger?

The house battery is kept charged through other means, and the inverter, on the house battery, supplies AC to run the battery charger on the start battery.

It's not something I'd do but it sounds like it would work. I would not call it nonsense.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Efficiency aside, how is this much different from a DC/DC charger?

The house battery is kept charged through other means, and the inverter, on the house battery, supplies AC to run the battery charger on the start battery.

It's not something I'd do but it sounds like it would work. I would not call it nonsense.

Thanks Wingsail.

The yacht is under construction, the house bank is fully charged by solar panels but the starter batteries are going flat and I worry they will be damaged.

I happen to have a battery charger so why not plug it in to the inverter to charge the starter batteries?

(There's some real armchair experts on these threads. Let's hope they never get the idea to build a boat)

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorn

OP, the biggest red flag to me about your electrickery ignorance, is the fact that you are willing to install such obviously cheap shoddy gear into your boat's system.

Only use devices that have been proven by community members with more knowledge and experience.

Insurance can refuse to cover your resulting fires otherwise

Do you think this is "obviously cheap shoddy gear"?

It cost $31 and is used by 4 Wheel Drivers (Starter battery/winch battery) and caravaners (starter battery/van battery) throughout Australia.

If I always brought "Brand Names" I couldn't afford to build a yacht.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/36404226...Cclp%3A3650466

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorn

There is nothing inherently wrong with powering an inverter from a constantly full, large capacity House bank

and feeding a small quality smart charger from that inverter to occasionally top up a much smaller Starter battery that has no other charge sources available.

Sure it is a kludgey workaround to handle an unusual exigency, and electrically very inefficient.

Would y'all suggest a genset be run instead when there is more than enough surplus solar going to waste?

Yes a DCDC would be more "elegant", but also overkill for this specific use case.

Efficiency is relative. If you have loads of capacity it’s unlikely you’re worried about efficiency

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by coopec43

Do you think this is "obviously cheap shoddy gear"?

It cost $31 and is used by 4 Wheel Drivers (Starter battery/winch battery) and caravaners (starter battery/van battery) throughout Australia.

If I always brought "Brand Names" I couldn't afford to build a yacht.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/36404226...Cclp%3A3650466

Anytime I see something labeled "excellent quality" I know the quality is suspect.

There is an old saying in my former professional field (IT): There is never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to redo it.

Your time even though unpaid is limited. Doing it twice means you bought the wrong item, wasting money and then spend more money to buy the right item.

But then, what do I know? After all I have only been doing this kind of thing since I was a kid.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Anytime I see something labeled "excellent quality" I know the quality is suspect.

There is an old saying in my former professional field (IT): There is never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to redo it.

Your time even though unpaid is limited. Doing it twice means you bought the wrong item, wasting money and then spend more money to buy the right item.

But then, what do I know? After all I have only been doing this kind of thing since I was a kid.

If you have the expertise to evaluate “ quality “ in the area your interested in buy whatever from wherever your professional opinions guide you to do

If you don’t have that knowledge , hey why are you doing this yourself anyway.

Don’t listen to “ sound bites and cliches statements “ if you know what you are doing, do it. If you don’t , ask why you are doing this at all.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Anytime I see something labeled "excellent quality" I know the quality is suspect.

There is an old saying in my former professional field (IT): There is never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to redo it.

Your time even though unpaid is limited. Doing it twice means you bought the wrong item, wasting money and then spend more money to buy the right item.

But then, what do I know? After all I have only been doing this kind of thing since I was a kid.

OK that's your opinion.


The fact that it is sold to the caravan and 4WD fraternity is good enough recommendation for me.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Efficiency aside, how is this much different from a DC/DC charger?

The house battery is kept charged through other means, and the inverter, on the house battery, supplies AC to run the battery charger on the start battery.

It's not something I'd do but it sounds like it would work. I would not call it nonsense.

Thanks for your comment.

I'm interested in your statement "It's not something I'd do" What would you do:

• When the boat is under construction.
• No mains power for 40 meters.
• Solar panels charging the House batteries.
• Inverter working off the house batteries
• Starting batteries going flat.
• I have a 12V/24V battery charger

I've been trying to think of a more logical alternative to the situation but I can't. (I am not the slightest bit interested in any inefficiencies as the power costs.....nothing!)

I'd be interested in what you would do as I can't think of an alternative.

[glenn.225]

Have you ever considered a Blueseas ACR https://www.bluesea.com/products/761...12_24V_DC_120A

Great piece of kit, mine as been working great since I installed ten years ago keeps my secondary (some may call it a starter battery) battery charged at all times.

Read up here on mainesails website https://marinehowto.com/

Another point I've been working on off road vehicles for 40 years, built a couple over the years as well. BUT and it's a BIG BUT, 4x4 and RV parts are NOT marine parts.

I had to learn this lesson when I took up sailing. Yes some items may be used in cases but cheapo electrical parts are not one of them.


cheers

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by glenn.225

Have you ever considered a Blueseas ACR https://www.bluesea.com/products/761...12_24V_DC_120A

Great piece of kit, mine as been working great since I installed ten years ago keeps my secondary (some may call it a starter battery) battery charged at all times.

Read up here on mainesails website https://marinehowto.com/

Another point I've been working on off road vehicles for 40 years, built a couple over the years as well. BUT and it's a BIG BUT, 4x4 and RV parts are NOT marine parts.

I had to learn this lesson when I took up sailing. Yes some items may be used in cases but cheapo electrical parts are not one of them.


cheers

That won't work for the OP. It is only for same voltage batteries. OP has 24v house bank and 12V engine start battery. That is something that the OP was not clear on in the beginning of this thread.

Also, the OP won't listen to you about cheap components ending up costing more. Read the posts from the beginning.

The simple solution for the OP's immediate need is to remove the engine start battery and move it to where it can be trickle charged until needed. If, as the OP states the boat is under construction he does not need to run the engine.

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by coopec43

Thanks for your comment.

I'm interested in your statement "It's not something I'd do" What would you do:

• When the boat is under construction.
• No mains power for 40 meters.
• Solar panels charging the House batteries.
• Inverter working off the house batteries
• Starting batteries going flat.
• I have a 12V/24V battery charger

I've been trying to think of a more logical alternative to the situation but I can't. (I am not the slightest bit interested in any inefficiencies as the power costs.....nothing!)

I'd be interested in what you would do as I can't think of an alternative.

Hey, you do what you gotta do - and I get your problem is short term, so I think you can get away with using the inverter to power the charger, but, this is what I would install.

This guy is US$45 and is made to do what you want, it would be a great permanent addition to the boat even after construction is completed.

Victron Energy Orion-Tr 24/12-20 (240W) Isolated DC-DC converter

https://shop.pkys.com/Victron-Energy...er_p_8001.html