Charger and ACR questions

[Dave_E]

Hi All,


Going to make the move on a new charger, taking out the antique charger/inverter. I have a (4) 6V bank (house) and an 8D for starting the engine or genset.


The big battery charger/inverter charged the (4) 6V bank only. One of the PO's installed a Blue Sea Systems ACR.


I'm going with a Promariner 1250P charger. It has the capability to charge 3 banks (I only have 2). Would you put the charger to both banks and scrap the ACR or just one and continue to use the ACR? I'm suspecting the old charger/inverter (late 70's) was a single bank charger hens the ACR.



Dave

 

[Rogerh]

I would leave the ACR in place. That way when you are running your engines you will be charging your house batteries too. I was faced with the same situation and the ACR was the only way I could come up with charging from the engine alternator when running without running a direct heavy wire to the house bank from the alternator. I did put a switch on the ground of the ACR so I could turn it off if I wished.

 

[DHeckrotte]

Go straight to the instructions that Blue Sea publishes for their ACRs.

 

[DavidM]

I would leave the ACR in place. That way when you are running your engines you will be charging your house batteries too. I was faced with the same situation and the ACR was the only way I could come up with charging from the engine alternator when running without running a direct heavy wire to the house bank from the alternator. I did put a switch on the ground of the ACR so I could turn it off if I wished.

David

 

[Dave_E]

Thanks Guys, but would you put the new charger on both banks?

 

[Rogerh]

I did not. I just let the ACR charge both ways. I did not connect the second charge line of my inverter charger. Usually I run my engines at least once a month which keeps the engine batteries happy without any charging.

 

[kchace]

I would leave the ACR in place. That way when you are running your engines you will be charging your house batteries too. I was faced with the same situation and the ACR was the only way I could come up with charging from the engine alternator when running without running a direct heavy wire to the house bank from the alternator. I did put a switch on the ground of the ACR so I could turn it off if I wished.

Ken

 

[kchace]

Thanks Guys, but would you put the new charger on both banks?

I would (and did) that way all batteries are charged whenever you run the charger. It gives you complete flexibility, during the season, off season, allows you to top up all batteries anytime.

Ken

 

[Heron]

Thanks Guys, but would you put the new charger on both banks?

I do...also have an ACR when running, though you can handle all that simply with the main Bat. switch...I also have a supplemental battery switch so I can put the ACR in or out of the equation..Gives me lots of flexibility

 

[tiltrider1]

Leave the ACR in place for charging from the engine. I will need to read the specifications on the charger before I could recommend connecting or not connecting to the starter bank. You can always put an on/off switch on the start bank side to give you more control.

 

[dhays]

My initial thought would be to simply leave the ACR in place and direct your charge to the house bank. However...

I would bet that the optimal charge profiles for your 6v house bank batteries is different than the optimal profile for your start battery. If so, then you have to choose how to setup the charge profile, optimal for the house or optimal for the start battery. If it is sub-optimal for the start battery, then you may be getting shorter life from that 8D.

Many modern charges allow you to set different charge profiles for each bank. This way your house bank and your starter battery could be charged appropriately. However, if you remove the ACR then you aren’t charging the start battery when the engine is running.

I might leave the ACR in place but lock it in the off position (if yours is the model that allow that) when you are simply marina hopping. However, if you are going to be spending a few days running from anchorage to anchorage, then turn the ACR on so that your start battery is being charged.

Just read Tiltrider’s post. If your ACR isn’t one that has a lock out, then do as he suggested and add a disconnect to the ACR line.