Alternator Upgrade
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Andy,
I also purchased VIctron's Smart Shunt and will be installing this month when I make the journey up to Bayfield to check out how Intuition is fairing the winter season - it will be helpful to know TRUE LOADS for planning and for the future!? Which high output alternator did you go with? What amperage? What is your normal load like on your PSC 31?? Do you have a separate starting battery? Currently have two Lifeline AGM Group 31 batteries - each in a separate bank. Planning on combining them into the house bank and adding a starting battery. The AGM's are 5 years old now - I have had lifeline batteries in both the Flicka and Dana without issues - the Flicka batteries were still going strong after 10 years - but the loads were not quite what they are on Intuition with refrigeration. I had some issues last summer with the AGM battery/ alternator performance - (my investigation found the negative battery connections appeared to be loose, thus the batteries were not charged properly.? The biggest issue is the Hitachi alternator just is not up to the task of keeping a 210 AMP/Hour battery bank charged up in a reasonable timeframe for weeks of cruising (even a few days at this point). Not sure if the batteries are toast now or not - will be doing some state of charge testing when I go up. If the batteries are still good, I want to plan a charging system that can handle LITHIUM batteries in the future. I will check out the Sterling Power products - thanks for that information - I will check out their product literature.. The WAKESPEED 500 smart alternator regulator looks interesting. Daryl |
开云体育Daryl-When you add your starter battery: ?my understanding is that alternators are single output chargers (i.e., only one of your two banks will be charged by the alternator unless you combine the two banks when your engine is running). ?I did not want to have
to combine my batteries manually (via the battery switch) when I was running my engine so I use a BlueSea ACR that automatically combines my two banks when it detects a charging source. ? I’ve been very happy with this method — when underway, I turn both of
my banks on and then never have to fiddle with the battery switch again regardless of whether my engine is running.
-Kate On Jan 1, 2023, at 12:25 PM, Daryl Clark <dlclark@...> wrote:
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Kate,
I will probably go with a Smart DC-DC charger - Victron has a nice 30 AMP unit; they allow you to apply difference charge profiles to the house bank that are different from the starter. So, this would replace the Blue Sea ACR? functionality - I don't believe the Blue Sea ACR does different charge profiles. Supposedly, some of the new AC based battery chargers coming out will also include this functionality: they basically have mulltiple chargers in one unit for multiple battery banks and also couple directly to the alternator to act as a smart voltage regulator using the charger profiles assigned. Also would like to be able to take advantage of LITHIUM Phosphate battery technology at some point - prices seem to be coming down. Daryl |
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On Sun, Jan 1, 2023 at 11:08 AM, Andrew Cook wrote:
Changed my '89 system (existing high output alternator) to a Sterling Power Pro Reg BW regulator and a Prosplit R180 controlling battery charging (also added a Pro protect alternator protector whilst at it for extra peace of mind). and a victron smart shunt to monitor from phone. Lots of wiring info on Sterling and Victron websites. All works great and very happy with it - though I have stuck with lead acid batteries - again perfectly happyWhat size battery bank do you have? Did you install a Balmar or other alternator and what amperage? Serpentine belt? Where did you install the Sterling regulator? Did you need to also alter the DC ground wire size? Both Victron and Sterling seem to make quality products.? Daryl |
开云体育Battery bank is 220 amp hour (plus 75 amp hour starter). Alternator came with boat and is an old Ample power model - don’t know its technical output, but it delivers all I need at low revs with the system now installed. Standard belt working quite happily so far. The wet locker behind the head seems to have become my electronics area - old ample power smart reg and battery splitter were installed there along with heater and fridge compressor anyway - can’t remember details of ground wire size, but basically ripped out all old wiring and rewired everything following recommendations / requirements of equipment installed. I made some basic wiring diagrams at the time which I should have somewhere - could try to find them if of interest (not great at record keeping).?I hasten to add that I have no expertise in electrics, electronic or anything else for that matter, just enjoy the challenges thrown up maintaining and updating a 32 year old PSC 31 (1989 No 48) and keeps me occupied when not sailing. Last year I changed the chainplates and was amazed at how rotten the old ones were on close inspection after removal - scary! This winter possibly a new main hatch - I can’t get the lens to stay sealed in the old one for any length of time - any ideas? My favourite addition so far has been the (expensive) purchase a couple of years ago of a Parasailor down wind sail which is flown like an asymmetric spinnaker, but works dead down wind as a symmetric would, but without a pole and all the associated lines (I’m getting older and usually single handed) - I love it! Andy Ps. ?The world of electronics moves on so quickly that what was current thinking a few years ago is probably outdated now!
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Daryl Clark
Kate Lee