Correct wiring for Xantrex "Echo-Charger"?

[Marco Flamingo]

I'm re-doing some wiring. The PO never had anything hooked up to the Xantrex Freedom 30 "Echo-Charger," which is part of the inverter/charger, not the new stand alone Echo-Charger. The Freedom 30 has two ports, so it can echo-charge to two separate batteries after the house batteries are sufficiently charged. My PO put in 4 6V batteries and, although they can be switched 1, 2, and Both, he said that he never bothered and the Echo-Charger was never used.

I have a generator with a Group 27 starting battery. Apparently, the PO simply recharged the battery occasionally (using the jumper cables onboard?) and didn't use one of the Echo-Charging ports for that application. I understand that for that application I would simply run a wire (positive) from the Freedom 30 Echo-Charger to the positive battery terminal. The negative wire already runs from the battery to the generator ground, so that one is done.

But I would like to use the second Echo-Charger port differently. We use a smaller Group 24 battery for the electric outboard and, when necessary, for the electric pump that inflates our dinghy. When charged up, it is good for a trip of a few days if less than 4 hours dinghy time. But it would be convenient to have a "charging station" in the aft cockpit. Something like this Hella plug in (often used for downriggers) that would feed small battery clamps. Set the battery on the back deck, attach the clamps, and charge it with the Echo-Charger while underway.

My question is does it matter where I take that negative wire to ground?

 

[C lectric]

Yes and no.

I am assuming this is not a buss bar that supplies many loads you are enquiring about but rather another dedicated circuit to a piece of equipment.

You could tag onto an existing circuit -12V lead, NOT GROUND, as long as that lead is of sufficient size to carry the extra current over and above what it is already doing.

If that is not the case and you tag on you could overload that - lead causing trouble. How serious the trouble is will depend upon what that lead operates already.

If the -12V lead you are considering is a bit on the borderline you will affect the battery charge rate and you may affect the other device's operation. You may also overheat that wire.

Better, MUCH, is to get a duplex cable and do it properly and safely. Run it to a proper buss bar , Fuse it and tie to the much heavier supply wires including the -12V.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I wasn't able to find an installation schematic for the older Freedom 30 with Echo-Charge, but was able to find one for using the new stand alone Echo-Charge with an inverter. It is here at page 8. My inverter has the Echo-Charge built in and I assume that the basics of the manual would apply to my situation.

For using the Echo-Charge on the starter battery, the manual shows simply taking the positive lead to the battery (the Echo Charge has a 15A max so wire gauge isn't to complex). The illustration doesn't show a negative lead from the starter battery, but I assume that there is one and simply adding the Echo Charge wire is all that is necessary to charge that battery.

My question is if the "starter battery" was my "auxiliary charging station," where would I take the negative from the battery (assuming this is possible).

 

[Ken E.]

I had a Xantrex with Echo Charge in an earlier boat. I also used it for the start battery and remember it just how you describe, just a single wire to to the battery's positive terminal.