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23-09-2022, 22:34
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: SE Asia, for now
Boat: Outremer 55L
Posts: 4,163
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Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and two
We’re a cat with two diesel engines, with a 140A externally rectified and externally regulated alternator on each engine.
We generally motor for short periods on both engines and would like to maximise charging. Otherwise we would generally charge with just one engine. We had a built-in diesel generator but decided that we really don’t want three engines to service, so we got rid of it and upgraded our alternators and belts.
Each alternator is regulated by a MC-614 and has a shared voltage sense with the other MC-614 to the house battery. As part of installing these two alternators we also installed flat belt pulleys and cleaned up the spaghetti wiring of several generations of owners and electricians. Part of this was removing the existing Centerfielder.
Now that it’s out the wiring is a lot simpler. Do we really need a Centerfielder to manage the output of two alternator regulators?
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24-09-2022, 02:29
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2014
Boat: Shuttleworth Advantage
Posts: 2,797
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Re: Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and
Quote:
Originally Posted by fxykty
We’re a cat with two diesel engines, with a 140A externally rectified and externally regulated alternator on each engine.
We generally motor for short periods on both engines and would like to maximise charging. Otherwise we would generally charge with just one engine. We had a built-in diesel generator but decided that we really don’t want three engines to service, so we got rid of it and upgraded our alternators and belts.
Each alternator is regulated by a MC-614 and has a shared voltage sense with the other MC-614 to the house battery. As part of installing these two alternators we also installed flat belt pulleys and cleaned up the spaghetti wiring of several generations of owners and electricians. Part of this was removing the existing Centerfielder.
Now that it’s out the wiring is a lot simpler. Do we really need a Centerfielder to manage the output of two alternator regulators?
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It is my understanding that older MaxCharge regulators on twin engine setup would fight each other and result in only one charging. The Centerfeeder was introduced to counter this. Subsequent MaxCharge regulators I believe now have sensing built in so CF is redundant. I could be wrong on this because my Maxchargers were refunded prior to the introduction of the CF. We use our engines so little that it wasn't worth the ag to investigate further.
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24-09-2022, 09:28
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#3
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Boat: Cheoy Lee 52, Lancer 39, Paradox 14
Posts: 153
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Re: Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and
I don’t think you have to have the Centerfielder. With a similar configuration to yours, I opted not to have one. The twin alternators / MC-614s work fine: just that both sets may not put out equal amounts into the battery bank. When in bulk charge mode both sets put out significant amounts of charge (eg 110amp:90amp), but when you hit absorption or float mode, one side tends to retire earlier (charge drops to near nothing) while the other side carries the remaining minimal load (eg: 25amps:0amps)
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25-09-2022, 00:47
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#4
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and two
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seafarer7
I don’t think you have to have the Centerfielder. With a similar configuration to yours, I opted not to have one. The twin alternators / MC-614s work fine: just that both sets may not put out equal amounts into the battery bank. When in bulk charge mode both sets put out significant amounts of charge (eg 110amp:90amp), but when you hit absorption or float mode, one side tends to retire earlier (charge drops to near nothing) while the other side carries the remaining minimal load (eg: 25amps:0amps)
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Yes there is no issue paralleling different charge sources. You just can’t tell which one will do certain stages but normally you don’t care as the battery is getting charged anyway.
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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25-09-2022, 07:55
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Rochester, NY
Boat: Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Posts: 6,967
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Re: Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and
It should work fine without it. As Seafarer7 said, it just may not share load equally when the alternators aren't putting out full power. But that shouldn't be a problem.
I run twin alternators into my house bank (twin engines) with just their basic internal regulators for now and it works fine. Both put out power and it all just works.
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05-10-2022, 21:21
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: US East Coast Probably?
Boat: Privilege 435
Posts: 399
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Re: Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and
Do you want BOTH to be charging at the same time? Can you handle that much input (like a lithium bank?), because then you probably need it. Otherwise when one is charging, the other will think the bats are already full, and not be charging.
__________________
Occasionally attempting to document our favorite boat upgrades on clevermariner.com
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06-10-2022, 00:46
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#7
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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Is a Balmar Centerfielder really necessary with two engines, two alternators, and two
Quote:
Originally Posted by rslifkin
It should work fine without it. As Seafarer7 said, it just may not share load equally when the alternators aren't putting out full power. But that shouldn't be a problem.
I run twin alternators into my house bank (twin engines) with just their basic internal regulators for now and it works fine. Both put out power and it all just works.
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Yes to use LA terms. Both stock regulators will put out all they can during bulk phase , once the terminal volt rises each alternator will still contribute during absorption phase but you won’t know how the current percentage will break down across the two alts. You don’t care as the batteries will be charging anyway , eventually depending on exact regulator settings one alternator will finish the charts over the other.
Two sources won’t “ interfere “ with each other but they won’t split the load current evenly with extra control systems ( which is what the balmar does ) but in most cases you don’t care which one is working a bit harder then the other one. ( under big loads both will work hard however )
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Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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