Power Management Question

[Derek Porteous]

I have a Liverpool boat equipped with

 

2 alternators

Sterling Charger Model 1250

Mastervolt Dakar Combi Inverter/charger

Electrolux Travel Power generator

 

Most of winter, the boat is hooked up to a land line AC power, with the Sterling Charger turned off. The batteries are topped up by the Dakar Combi.

 

Whilst underway on our summer cruises the twin alternators charge the batteries (I assume one is for the starter and the other for the domestic batteries, but I have no idea how the bow thrusters battery links into the grand scheme of things).

 

We also tend to use the Travel Power generator whilst under way to fire up the washing machine and generally recharge of the electronic domestic gadgets and toys which you must have.

 

My question is “When do you use the Sterling battery charger?” It must be installed for some reason, but what is the normal mode of operation on the above options. There is a voltmeter indicator on the electric control panel which can toggle between the starter battery and the leisure bank of batteries (again I don’t know where the bow thrusters battery features). I notice that if I turn on the Sterling battery charger, either with a land AC line, or with the Travel Power, the voltage indicator rises from 13 volts to 14 volts, but don’t know whether that is a good thing or not.

 

Can the experts out there advise on the “normal” settings or mode of operation for this configuration?

 

Many thanks,

Derek

[denboy]

seems strange to me why have 2 chargers?

[bristol & argo]

seems strange to me why have 2 chargers?

 

Because things break!

 

If the Dakar goes phut, you can still recharge on the shoreline.

 

 

simon.

[cyclic]

I have a Liverpool boat equipped with

 

2 alternators

Sterling Charger Model 1250

Mastervolt Dakar Combi Inverter/charger

Electrolux Travel Power generator

 

Most of winter, the boat is hooked up to a land line AC power, with the Sterling Charger turned off. The batteries are topped up by the Dakar Combi.

 

Whilst underway on our summer cruises the twin alternators charge the batteries (I assume one is for the starter and the other for the domestic batteries, but I have no idea how the bow thrusters battery links into the grand scheme of things).

 

We also tend to use the Travel Power generator whilst under way to fire up the washing machine and generally recharge of the electronic domestic gadgets and toys which you must have.

 

My question is “When do you use the Sterling battery charger?” It must be installed for some reason, but what is the normal mode of operation on the above options. There is a voltmeter indicator on the electric control panel which can toggle between the starter battery and the leisure bank of batteries (again I don’t know where the bow thrusters battery features). I notice that if I turn on the Sterling battery charger, either with a land AC line, or with the Travel Power, the voltage indicator rises from 13 volts to 14 volts, but don’t know whether that is a good thing or not.

 

Can the experts out there advise on the “normal” settings or mode of operation for this configuration?

 

Many thanks,

Derek

 

Derek,

Without more details, this is only guessing.

 

I expect your bow thruster batteries are connected to your domestic bank, but are close to the thruster.

When your mastervolt is charging, it will charge them as well, perhaps by a dedicated cable from the charger, but anyway by being parallelled to the domestic bank, (So they are in effect part of the domestic bank, but dedicated to the bow thruster)

 

Your second alternator may in fact be a high voltage one, specifically for powering the Electrolux Travel Power.

 

My LB nb has a switch which starts the high voltage alternator, and I then select 2 on the input selector to use the Travel power.

Because the 230 v circuit is then live, My mastervolt charger then charges the batteries as well as the 12v alternator

 

Do you have a selector switch for your 230 volt supply (ie marked 1 or 2) or do you control it all from the control panel?

 

If I'm looking at the right one, your Sterling charger is Mains input, so when you're running your Travel Power whilst cruising you would use this to charge your batteries, but you would need to select this over the Mastervolt charger either by selector switch or control panel.

 

I guess you'd better sit down with a mate who knows boat electrics, and sort it all out in situ, but as suggested , it looks as if you've got belt, braces garters and suspenders.

[Sir Nibble]

, it looks as if you've got belt, braces garters and suspenders.

Phwoar!

[cyclic]

it looks as if you've got belt, braces garters and suspenders.

 

Phwoar!

 

Thanks for pointing that out

 

Sorry. Should have said that Your boat has those benefits. I don't have any idea of your inclinations.

[carlt]

Phwoar!

I looked at his profile but the photo must have been removed.

[Derek Porteous]

Derek,

Without more details, this is only guessing.

 

I expect your bow thruster batteries are connected to your domestic bank, but are close to the thruster.

When your mastervolt is charging, it will charge them as well, perhaps by a dedicated cable from the charger, but anyway by being parallelled to the domestic bank, (So they are in effect part of the domestic bank, but dedicated to the bow thruster)

 

Your second alternator may in fact be a high voltage one, specifically for powering the Electrolux Travel Power.

 

My LB nb has a switch which starts the high voltage alternator, and I then select 2 on the input selector to use the Travel power.

Because the 230 v circuit is then live, My mastervolt charger then charges the batteries as well as the 12v alternator

 

Do you have a selector switch for your 230 volt supply (ie marked 1 or 2) or do you control it all from the control panel?

 

If I'm looking at the right one, your Sterling charger is Mains input, so when you're running your Travel Power whilst cruising you would use this to charge your batteries, but you would need to select this over the Mastervolt charger either by selector switch or control panel.

 

I guess you'd better sit down with a mate who knows boat electrics, and sort it all out in situ, but as suggested , it looks as if you've got belt, braces garters and suspenders.

 

 

Hi Chris,

 

Yes, I do have a high voltage switch which activates the Travel Power (marked 2). I can, and do from time to time, select this and then use the Sterling charger. I also think that one alternator is dedicated to the starter battery and the other to the domestic battery bank, with the travel power belt being in addition to these. However what would be the effect of running all of them at the same time. Is there any danger in "overcooking" the batteries?

 

Regards

Edited January 8, 2008 by Derek Porteous

[blackrose]

If it was installed by LB and is the same as my setup, your bow thruster batteries will be charged from the alternator connected to your start battery. When the start battery reaches 13.6v the charge will be diverted to your BT batteries by a relay and when the BT batteries reach 13.6v the charge is diverted back to the start battery and so on. Have a look and in the engine hole around the batteries for a 3" box - BEP Voltage Sensitive Relay. I've found this system to be very good and have never run out of power on my BT batteries despite the length of cable run. I think the trick is never to keep your finger on the BT control for more than a few seconds at a time. I think the recommended usage is about 3 minutes/hour which is plenty.

Edited January 9, 2008 by blackrose

[blackrose]

Hi Chris,

 

Yes, I do have a high voltage switch which activates the Travel Power (marked 2). I can, and do from time to time, select this and then use the Sterling charger. I also think that one alternator is dedicated to the starter battery and the other to the domestic battery bank, with the travel power belt being in addition to these. However what would be the effect of running all of them at the same time. Is there any danger in "overcooking" the batteries?

 

Regards

 

I don't think the chargers will overcook your batteries, even if they're both on at the same time - but it's probably not good practice. I've started my engine before when on shore power and forgotten to switch off my Sterling charger. While I know there's no real problem in doing this, it's just a gut feeling that there should only be one charging source on at the same time, so if I remember I usually turn the charger off first. It's good that you're aware of any potential system conflicts even if they don't exist.

 

For example, I think you can run a battery charger from the Travelpower while you're underway which will charge your batteries much more efficiently than the alternators and this shouldn't interfere with the functioning of either. However, I keep hearing about Travelpowers blowing up, so they don't seem that reliable.

[cyclic]

I don't think the chargers will overcook your batteries, even if they're both on at the same time - but it's probably not good practice. I've started my engine before when on shore power and forgotten to switch off my Sterling charger. While I know there's no real problem in doing this, it's just a gut feeling that there should only be one charging source on at the same time, so if I remember I usually turn the charger off first. It's good that you're aware of any potential system conflicts even if they don't exist.

 

For example, I think you can run a battery charger from the Travelpower while you're underway which will charge your batteries much more efficiently than the alternators and this shouldn't interfere with the functioning of either. However, I keep hearing about Travelpowers blowing up, so they don't seem that reliable.

 

 

I once asked Sterling Tech Support about 2 chargers running at the same time. (Alternator and Mains) No Problem, he said. They will compliment each other. also seen on here in another post. Believed mentioned by chris w.

Also seen mention on here that there may be conflict if the timings of the charge cycles are wildly different but I'd better not comment on that

 

What powers your Travelpower??

Mine is by a 340V alternator (Thats what it says on the plate) !! I often use it to power the Mastervolt mains charger when cruising -for the reasons given by Blackrose, and it seems to work OK. Batteries seem fine

My Travelpower box hasn't blown up yet

[Derek Porteous]

Thanks for all your help guys,

 

Travel Power is Electrolux Dometic generator, 200V AC, 50 HZ Sine Wave 16A (whatever that means).

 

One questions still lingers.

 

Why will the Sterling Charger push the electric panel voltmeter indicator from 13V to 14V and does that matter?

(When the AC land line is hooked up and Dakar Combi is on it reads 13V, when the engine is on under way it reads 13.5V at 1,000 revs and when the Sterling Cherger is switched on it reads 14V; clear as mud?)

 

 

Regards

Derek

[KenK]

Thanks for all your help guys,

 

Travel Power is Electrolux Dometic generator, 200V AC, 50 HZ Sine Wave 16A (whatever that means).

 

One questions still lingers.

 

Why will the Sterling Charger push the electric panel voltmeter indicator from 13V to 14V and does that matter?

(When the AC land line is hooked up and Dakar Combi is on it reads 13V, when the engine is on under way it reads 13.5V at 1,000 revs and when the Sterling Cherger is switched on it reads 14V; clear as mud?)

Regards

Derek

 

Depends on how the regulators in the various devices are set. The alternators probably have them set around 13.8 V and the Sterling Charger 14.2 V, hence the difference. The Sterling will be more efficent and will give the batteries a full charge more quickly. Doesn't seem like much but a few tenths of a volt makes a big difference. Have a look at Gibbo's website http://www.smartgauge.co.uk lots of useful information clearly explained.

 

Ken

[blackrose]

What powers your Travelpower??

I don't have one. I wouldn't mind - the more backup systems you can cram on a boat the better - but they're a bit pricey. The main benefits seem to be doing things like running washing machine on the move, but providing your alternators are charging properly a pure sinewave inverter can also do that and they're cheaper. Ironically the main advantage of the Travelpower aslo sems to be its disadvantage - that you have to run your engine to get AC power. When moored up I'd rather run a quiet generator.

One questions still lingers.Why will the Sterling Charger push the electric panel voltmeter indicator from 13V to 14V and does that matter?(When the AC land line is hooked up and Dakar Combi is on it reads 13V, when the engine is on under way it reads 13.5V at 1,000 revs and when the Sterling Cherger is switched on it reads 14V; clear as mud?)RegardsDerek

For open lead/acid batteries anything up to 14.7 or 14.8v is ok, but this should drop to 13.6v after the charger goes through its bulk and absorption phases. Also you must top your batteries up with distilled water every couple of months depending on how often you charge at that rate. If your batteries are sealed/maintenence free then you should not charge above 14.4v. I'm not sure about your model of Sterling charger but if it's a Pro-Digital it should have some dip switches under a removable cover which you set for your battery type. Edited January 9, 2008 by blackrose