The battery panel is labeled port and starboard. The plaque says that the"normal" position is the switch labeled starboard gets turned to position number 1. The port battery switch gets turned to position number 2. Why is that any more normal than if the battery switch labeled starboard gets turned to position 2 and the switch labeled port gets switched to the position labeled 1.
House Battery vs. Starboard battery
- Thread starter JLR
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SkunkBoat
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because thats thats the way its always done. The Starbord motor is the "first" motor. The house is usually connected to the stbd motor.
The port motor is added.
The Bank1 is the "first" battery. Bank 2 is an additional battery bank.
Often Bank1 will have two batteries in parallel to run the house...so it lasts longer and you don't have voltage drops when you use things
Thank you all for sticking with this thread. And, in response to Skunk's last post, since I only have two batteries, it should make no difference, I would think, which switch is connected to which battery.
After my test run today, I have concluded that I likely have no problem of any significance. While nothing changed, since the output never dropped below 12.9 or so, and ultimately climbed back up to 13 plus or more, I am only going to throw one more part at this just because.
On Friday, I will be replacing the original Sea Star battery switch labeled starboard which is now, 13 years old. I replaced the other one last year since it was failing. It may not help but it can't hurt.
I also concluded today that in addition to my trim tilt being a major draw, the SeaStar automatic steering pump is also a major draw on battery number 1 no mater which position the battery switches are in. What I do not understand for the life of me is that I know that pump is wired directly to batter number 2, not number 1.
Somehow, somewhere, there is a crossover between the batteries. My guess is that it is through the battery switches since I know, given the right position, they can connect both batteries together.
Once again, I know this is tedious so thanks for the help.
After my test run today, I have concluded that I likely have no problem of any significance. While nothing changed, since the output never dropped below 12.9 or so, and ultimately climbed back up to 13 plus or more, I am only going to throw one more part at this just because.
On Friday, I will be replacing the original Sea Star battery switch labeled starboard which is now, 13 years old. I replaced the other one last year since it was failing. It may not help but it can't hurt.
I also concluded today that in addition to my trim tilt being a major draw, the SeaStar automatic steering pump is also a major draw on battery number 1 no mater which position the battery switches are in. What I do not understand for the life of me is that I know that pump is wired directly to batter number 2, not number 1.
Somehow, somewhere, there is a crossover between the batteries. My guess is that it is through the battery switches since I know, given the right position, they can connect both batteries together.
Once again, I know this is tedious so thanks for the help.
SkunkBoat
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" it should make no difference, I would think, which switch is connected to which battery."
It should not help you to run the other way. If it does, that tells you there is something wrong that needs to be fixed.
There is a "Normal" way. Connections are made based on the normal way.
Questions are asked and answered based on the normal way. Troubleshooting is done based on symptoms the normal way vs the other way.
So, you only have 1 battery that is the House and Stbd start.
They may have connected the steering pump to Bank2 because otherwise you would have too much running on Bank1.
You only use the steering pump when motors are running. They assume you are not running on just the Starboard motor.
Is that an Autopilot pump or a power assist pump or do you have both?
You have a steering pump that you " know that pump is wired directly to battery number 2".
It would not be normal to connect it "directly" to the battery. They would use the Port FEED terminal. That way when you switch the Port switch OFF, the pump is disconnected.
Otherwise, there should be an On/off switch and a fuse or breaker (or a switchable breaker) between the pump and battery.
IDK why Grady thought it was a good idea to have a single battery run the House on a 28' boat. All of the twin motor Gradys we have discussed in the last 7 years had two batteries in parallel for bank1.
If you have problems with electronics giving Low Volt errors or blinking out when you start/raise a motor or turn on a washdown pump, I would suggest adding another battery to the House.
The Tilt/trim for each motor runs off the battery that starts it. "Normally" that is Bank1 stbd and Bank2 port.
The button on the port throttle only triggers relays in both motors. Its on the port throttle because thats where your thumb is.
There are two "crossover" jumpers. They run between the Stbd Switch terminal 1 and the Port switch terminal 1 and between the Stbd terminal 2 and the Port 2 terminal.
Your manual will have a diagram of that.
It should not help you to run the other way. If it does, that tells you there is something wrong that needs to be fixed.
There is a "Normal" way. Connections are made based on the normal way.
Questions are asked and answered based on the normal way. Troubleshooting is done based on symptoms the normal way vs the other way.
So, you only have 1 battery that is the House and Stbd start.
They may have connected the steering pump to Bank2 because otherwise you would have too much running on Bank1.
You only use the steering pump when motors are running. They assume you are not running on just the Starboard motor.
Is that an Autopilot pump or a power assist pump or do you have both?
You have a steering pump that you " know that pump is wired directly to battery number 2".
It would not be normal to connect it "directly" to the battery. They would use the Port FEED terminal. That way when you switch the Port switch OFF, the pump is disconnected.
Otherwise, there should be an On/off switch and a fuse or breaker (or a switchable breaker) between the pump and battery.
IDK why Grady thought it was a good idea to have a single battery run the House on a 28' boat. All of the twin motor Gradys we have discussed in the last 7 years had two batteries in parallel for bank1.
If you have problems with electronics giving Low Volt errors or blinking out when you start/raise a motor or turn on a washdown pump, I would suggest adding another battery to the House.
The Tilt/trim for each motor runs off the battery that starts it. "Normally" that is Bank1 stbd and Bank2 port.
The button on the port throttle only triggers relays in both motors. Its on the port throttle because thats where your thumb is.
There are two "crossover" jumpers. They run between the Stbd Switch terminal 1 and the Port switch terminal 1 and between the Stbd terminal 2 and the Port 2 terminal.
Your manual will have a diagram of that.
One possible are that can cause you confusion is that the battery switches in your case have three terminals: There may be additional connections on one or more of those terminals on the common terminal. You may also have direct load connections to the battery terminals themselves.
In the first case, let's assume that the accessory (house) loads are connected to the common terminal on the back of switch one. The battery feed for battery one is connected to the number 1 terminal and a feed from battery two is connected to terminal 2. Forget about the other switch for now.
In the above case, setting the switch to 1 will power a motor AND all the house loads off of battery 1.
Changing the switch to position 2 will power the same motor and house loads but off of battery 2. That is why there is no house battery per se. House is powered off of whatever battery is selected. There is no specific engine battery either. That also changes when the battery switch is changed between 1 and 2.
If Both is selected, both batteries are engine and house. So as Skunk has been stating, there is no specific port and starboard battery in your configuration, just battery one and two or A and B or Frick and Frack
I am also surprised that you only have two batteries in view of the fact that there are some significant loads being powered.
You probably know this but with all the testing and switching, make sure that if the motors are powered and running, you never change a batter switch to OFF or pass by OFF when selection a position.
In the first case, let's assume that the accessory (house) loads are connected to the common terminal on the back of switch one. The battery feed for battery one is connected to the number 1 terminal and a feed from battery two is connected to terminal 2. Forget about the other switch for now.
In the above case, setting the switch to 1 will power a motor AND all the house loads off of battery 1.
Changing the switch to position 2 will power the same motor and house loads but off of battery 2. That is why there is no house battery per se. House is powered off of whatever battery is selected. There is no specific engine battery either. That also changes when the battery switch is changed between 1 and 2.
If Both is selected, both batteries are engine and house. So as Skunk has been stating, there is no specific port and starboard battery in your configuration, just battery one and two or A and B or Frick and Frack
I am also surprised that you only have two batteries in view of the fact that there are some significant loads being powered.
You probably know this but with all the testing and switching, make sure that if the motors are powered and running, you never change a batter switch to OFF or pass by OFF when selection a position.
Once again, thanks for the help. I do have both a power assist pump and an autopilot pump. Although the power assist pump is wired directly to battery 2, there must be a sense wire somewhere because that pump only operates when the key is turned on, whether or not the engines are on. So, I am guessing the key operates like an on/off switch for that pump and I have added a breaker near the battery for that line from the pump.
As for cross overs, I get the battery switch crossovers. Perhaps there is some sort of malfunction there. I imagine but have not checked but suspect that the ground from battery one is also connected to the ground for battery two (another crossover). Finally, and this is a remote possibility but my battery charger is also a crossover. However, since I have no generator, underway, it is off underway.
Is there a way for that battery charger, when off, to back feed between the batteries?
As for cross overs, I get the battery switch crossovers. Perhaps there is some sort of malfunction there. I imagine but have not checked but suspect that the ground from battery one is also connected to the ground for battery two (another crossover). Finally, and this is a remote possibility but my battery charger is also a crossover. However, since I have no generator, underway, it is off underway.
Is there a way for that battery charger, when off, to back feed between the batteries?
SkunkBoat
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What is a crossover?
There should be a direct connection between the two battery ground terminals.
It is confusing when you talk about the key being on but the engines are not on. If the key is on, there is power to the engine. The engine may not be running of course. What does not having a generator have to do with not using the battery charger? Do you connect to shore power at the dock?
There should be a direct connection between the two battery ground terminals.
It is confusing when you talk about the key being on but the engines are not on. If the key is on, there is power to the engine. The engine may not be running of course. What does not having a generator have to do with not using the battery charger? Do you connect to shore power at the dock?
I do connect shore power at the dock. As far as crossover, let's talk about the following example. Battery number 1 was reading low while underway. However, when I load tested the batteries it turned out battery 2 needed to be replaced. So, I replaced battery number 2. However, after replacing battery numberer 2, battery number 1 was reading much closer to normal underway. The question is, how could replacing battery number 2 improve the the readings underway of battery number 1. That is where my crossover question came from and where I am still puzzled.
Aquanut2
Well-Known Member
I have a 300 marlin w similar problem my electronics would reboot when starting starboard mtr. As others have said house on all Gradys are definitely wired to starboard bank so yours must’ve been changed. I don’t know why grady has 4 batts wired in 2 parallel banks my solution was dedicating 1 batt to each start and 2 in parallel for house. All batts get charged using 2 Blue Sea ACRs see pics.
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My fist response would be that you have 1 and 2 mixed up.
When you got those results, while running, what were your battery switches set to and where and how did you measure voltage. If you used the voltage on a display like a chart plotter, that info is not reliable. If you have excessive draw on the accessory circuit, the plotter can read low voltage even though the battery is fine
The readings were taken from the plotter. Starboard battery switch set to number 1 battery while port battery switch set to number 2 battery. To confound matters even more, as you probably know, my Garmin 8612 plotter shows voltages for port engine and starboard engine, obviously not battery one and two. No big deal. What was interesting, as stated in an earlier post, while the plotter worked fine with only battery 1 installed, it would not show any reading for voltage on either engine unless battery 2 was installed. I have no idea why.
SkunkBoat
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I don't have Yamahas but...
aside from the starter cables... There may be a connection of the motor cable harness to one or both batteries.
That cable harness connects to your gauges and your Garmin (probably thru a J1939 connector, not NMEA2k)
If it only connects to one battery(your battery2) then it may only give you one Voltage reading.
aside from the starter cables... There may be a connection of the motor cable harness to one or both batteries.
That cable harness connects to your gauges and your Garmin (probably thru a J1939 connector, not NMEA2k)
If it only connects to one battery(your battery2) then it may only give you one Voltage reading.
I do have that J1939 connector. Just to be clear, when battery 2 is connected, it gives voltages on both engines. When battery 2 is out of the boat and thus not connected, it doesn't give any voltage reading on either engine.
You can not diagnose accurately if you use the plotter's voltage readings. The voltage it sees is at the end of the accessory (House) feed and subject to the voltage drop due to current draw and line resistance ( OHM's law)
Standard wiring practices (ABYC) specifies that the voltage drop to sensitive electronics should be 3% or less. For a 12.6 volt charged batter, the allowable drop would be voltages at the plotter of 12.2 colts or higher. Of course 12.2 volts at the actual battery terminals would be a relatively dead battery.
In summary, I don't know if you have a problem. Your test results assumptions may be based on bad data and to an extent your possible misunderstanding of low voltage DC theory and real world practices.
Standard wiring practices (ABYC) specifies that the voltage drop to sensitive electronics should be 3% or less. For a 12.6 volt charged batter, the allowable drop would be voltages at the plotter of 12.2 colts or higher. Of course 12.2 volts at the actual battery terminals would be a relatively dead battery.
In summary, I don't know if you have a problem. Your test results assumptions may be based on bad data and to an extent your possible misunderstanding of low voltage DC theory and real world practices.