swift1894

Looks like I'll be swapping the isolator over to the positive cable then.

Found this It is not uncommon for the isolation switch to be in the negative, indeed it used to be the standard practice. The main reason was that if you have only a single alternator, then just one isolator switch will disconnect both domestic and starter batteries which as well as being cheaper is also a very good safety feature. It also has other advantages including the fact that when it is switched off the accidental dropping of either one of the positive or negative battery cables on to the hull while connecting or disconnecting a battery will not cause a big bang. Gibbo - a once highly respected electrical expert on this Forum - years ago published on his website a list of reasons why the switch should be on the positive side; the only one of those reasons which I (a retired electrical expert) agree with is the one which states that the positive side is where nowadays people expect to find it. Personally by choice I have my switches (both of them now that I have a two-alternator setup) in the negatives and megafuses in the positive.

Ooh it's a while since. I'll try.

But I read elsewhere that the isolator should be in the neg cable.?I feel a debate is imminent!?

Dammit! just started the battery changeover ( very early stage) and discovered that the shunt is after the isolator switch on the negative cable about 60cm away from the batteries and can't be moved any nearer to the batteries as the cables have been cut to the existing layout. So I'll have to send a cable from the shunt back to the negative busbar which will be next to the batteries, and the send a cable from the bus bar back to where the original cable left the shunt going to the charger. Any problem with that?

Thanks for the drawings and comments. Much appreciated.

Thanks that's saved me from making a mistake. What a great forum!

It's as if you've been in my engine room! Important point. It's to feed a Mastervolt MICC. I was going to put the shunt between the busbar and charger. So it needs to be between the busbar and the battery? That makes a difference? I can't see what the difference is but I know nothing!Btw I don't have an engine panel (Gardner 4LW with 3 mechanical dials). Where should the feed/return for the domestic distribution go/come from?

Each bus bar has 4 terminals so I thought alternator, 2 MPPTs, Mastervolt charger (negative via shunt) and a shared connection from each bus bar to the pos and neg poles should do nicely.

1)Has it been very windy where you are? Down draught could have blown the flame out. 2) on the outside of the heater, If there's a oval shaped reservoir ( when viewed from above) that looks like a flask, turn the diesel supply off, take the top off, then lift the inner workings out (usually held in position by 3 screws), soak up the diesel inside with paper towels and you will probably find a bit/lot of gunge. Gently push the brass valve up and down to ensure its not sticking. Be careful not to dislodge the delicate spring. On the outside at the bottom of this flask there's a small plate held in position with 2 screws. There's a filter inside that probably needs cleaning. Take this small plate off and extract tubular filter. Wash it in clean diesel and replace.

I believe that Shortboats are susceptible to skidding sideways, probably due to their rounded Chines, so they can't "grip" the water like a square section narrow boat or barge with leeboards.

Thanks. The bus bars should make things a lot simpler and tidier than the bird's nest that has developed over the years, as I added the solar setup in 2 separate stages ( started with 500w then added another 300w)

I'm going to fit my 6 Trojan T105s this week which will involve a complete rewire, as my current 12v batteries are 4 X 180Ah with different terminals positions.? So it's time to tidy everything up. I've got 2 x 4 pole busbars, a 160A engine alternator, a split relay (for the starter battery when the domestics are fully charged), 2 x Tracer MPPTs with 800w solar panels, a shunt to the Mastervolt battery charger and inverter. Just wondered if there are any wiring schematics I could look at, as an inspiration as to what the final configuration should look like.?

Yeah. Riveting read. I found the formulae on page 514 particularly interesting.

Gulp! Still don't really understand but never mind. So has anyone got an induction hotplate aboard that doesn't work because of poor genny sine wave or any other reason?Thanks

Thanks. Will do.

OK I've had my 6 x T105s on mains charge now for 2 days. Not yet fitted on the boat. Actually I switched the charger off and back on again to give em another Bulk charge. Hydrometer reading is 1275. So should I now up the voltage to 15.5 and give em a few hours on an Equalisation charge?

I decided to contact Trojan themselves to get the answer from the horse's mouth. Question: Hi Can you answer this question please? 8 x T105s versus 6 x T105s, if the same amount of charge is taken from either bank ( example 100Ah), which bank would recharge back up to 100% the quicker, using the same size battery charger? My instinct says the bank with 8 batteries because it's depth of discharge would not be as low as the bank of 6 Response: 100 amp-hours is 100 amp-hours. If your recharge rate is the same, then it would take about the same amount of time. If you were talking about discharging to a percentage DOD, then that would be different.

What a good idea!

Thanks so......Tomorrow is Equalisation day!

I stand corrected. I never stop learning.

So......... What I decided to do in the end, was get 6 X T105s (as opposed to 8) and make em work hard. I've got them on charge now (traction setting on my Mastervolt charger), currently on 14.4v in absorption mode. So when they go into float tomorrow do I give them an equalising/boost? I'm on mains at the mo but usually rely on my 6kva genny and 800w solar.

This is why I think.... genny on in the morning for bulk charge and then let the panels take over when (if!) the sun comes out for the rest of the day.

Yes it will be from a genny. Actually I've just checked Trojan's site and it says 14.8 absorption 13.2 float

That's the problem with electronics, often nothing is visually obvious. Unlike a piston sticking out of a crankcase!