Orion XS 12/12-50 with Twin Start Banks

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BDofMSP

Guru
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
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965
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Gopher Broke
Vessel Make
Silverton 410 Sport Bridge
I probably should be posting this on the Victron forum but so many people here are interested in these DC/DC chargers I thought someone else might have the same question. I'm at least a year out from doing this, but I'm trying to figure out the components so I can determine placement, budget, etc.

My boat is a twin engine with alternators charging separate start banks for each engine. There are plenty of diagrams that show how I can parallel the Orion units from a single source bank, but I haven't found one that shows how to configure multiple alternators/banks. Do I have to have a separate Orion XS 50 for each bank? And combine them at the Lynx 1000 distributor. I rarely run above 1600 RPM so the alternators aren't putting out a ton. I'd like to take advantage of both.

Thanks
BD
 
I don’t understand what your goal is. A rudimentary diagram would be helpful.
 
Sure. Here's a very simplified one. Each alternator feeds each starter bank. I want to DC to DC charge the single house bank using an Orion XS 50 Amp. Do I put both banks to the single Orion? Do I have to have a 2nd Orion? If so, I connect them directly to the battery, or should I connect each of them to the Lynx Distributor?

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Separate Orion XS for each engine is the correct answer in that situation.
 
Thanks. Victron wanted an 80 amp fuse on the output, so I assume that I should have one on each. For some reason their diagram has each fuse before a busbar, and then a single wire to the Lynx (with another fuse in that). Just curious why bother with the buss and not just run each to the Lynx (assuming there are two available fuses on it).

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Never mind. I think I answered my own question. Their diagram also has an MPPT solar controller. The bar is to aggregate all of that charging and feed it to the battery through the single circuit on the Lynx. Makes sense, and it seems like I could do it either way.

BD
 
I don’t see a fuse (or battery switch, but less critical) between the Lynx and your house bank. What type of batteries and what size is your house bank?
 
None of this is what I have and the drawing was just a sketch of the parts in question. I'll be doing this next year probably. Yes there would also be a 500 amp fuse between the Lynx and the 460Ah Epoch LiFePo4 battery.
 
You could design a system using an ACR between start banks that is triggered by the port side. Then connect your Orion to the Starboard bank. By the time you were done it would probably be cheaper to buy two Orions.
 
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