Dual Battery setup with Blue Sea Add A Battery Kit

[GOLIGHTLY]

Keep it simple..
Here is a diagram I used...
slightly different BS Relay (PN7622), but worth every penny....
And the little remote switch is great to have...

Pardon my ignorance, but that ACR Switch (PN7622) serves the same purpose as the big red switch, correct (ignition protected power switch, PN 5511E)?

 

[MANUCHAO]

Pardon my ignorance, but that ACR Switch (PN7622) serves the same purpose as the big red switch, correct (ignition protected power switch, PN 5511E)?

I would say yes it does... the 7622 just gives you a different way to isolate/join batteries and it isolates when a voltage difference is present.

 

[GOLIGHTLY]

I would say yes it does... the 7622 just gives you a different way to isolate/join batteries and it isolates when a voltage difference is present.

So effectively just an automatic version of the manual switch then? Thanks a lot for the intel

Edit: Need another coffee or something... just realized the central position on the switch is literally labelled "Auto". My bad

 

[GOLIGHTLY]

The factory fusible links do not need to be accessed/bypassed/replaced etc. in the installation of this kit - the kit is designed to not interfere with your factory electrical system for fusible links. The blue sea set up should have inline fuses on the main line between your start battery to your blue sea charging relay, and between the house battery and the charging relay. The other fuses in the diagram isolate your accessory fuse bus and also your ground bar. You can access something that runs only on ignition keyed switch to excite the relay - this is your other fuse in the diagram. I used the same relay but without the power switch and my fuses on the main going from start to the house battery are 175 amp each ( recommended by blue sea)

Blue Sea is not kidding when they say use the same ground for both batteries. I didn't and the loads wouldn't balance and the charging relay got confused and wouldn't keep my house battery charged until I fixed it by following the recommendation.

The system will work without the big red switch if you don't need it. Blue sea's staff are very helpful if you have questions and call them

When you mention the common ground issue, am I assuming correctly that you're grounding down to wherever the primary is grounded? Not just a cable back to the primary negative post.

 

[GOLIGHTLY]

So effectively just an automatic version of the manual switch then? Thanks a lot for the intel

Edit: Need another coffee or something... just realized the central position on the switch is literally labelled "Auto". My bad

Last rookie question: Are you isolating both batteries when you're parked up and pulling from house, or are you just leaving it on Auto full time? Looks like the system "sees" that the draw is from house, and not to combine batteries until it's charging from alt, just double-checking myself. Wired up and everything, so thank you for the diagram

 

[MANUCHAO]

Yes. I leave it on auto when on the road. When at home, it is off, and on a dual trickle charge (one for each battery)..

Are you isolating both batteries when you're parked up and pulling from house, or are you just leaving it on Auto full time?

 

[GOLIGHTLY]

Yes. I leave it on auto when on the road. When at home, it is off, and on a dual trickle charge (one for each battery)..

you’d be able to run a dual-bank trickle as long as the batteries were isolated, correct?

Thanks again for the responses, appreciate your guidance

 

[MANUCHAO]

Correct, but I sometimes forget and leave it on auto..no harm done....
Glad to help...!!

 

[rannon]

Keep it simple..
Here is a diagram I used...
slightly different BS Relay (PN7622), but worth every penny....
And the little remote switch is great to have...

Love this idea. I think I am going to mimic your setup here - any suggestions after having lived with this for a while? I like how simple this is. Thanks for posting.

 

[OffRoadScott]

You want to keep it even simpler? This is what I used and got it from Joey before that ship sank. This is a pretty easy schematic for wiring in the batteries.

Then for power to the back I am going to be running a 4 gauge wire from the post where the driver side positive goes to a 150A breaker then run the wire to the back then it'll attach to a 6 fuse Blue Sea fuse block.

 

[rannon]

You want to keep it even simpler? This is what I used and got it from Joey before that ship sank. This is a pretty easy schematic for wiring in the batteries.

View attachment 3672274

Then for power to the back I am going to be running a 4 gauge wire from the post where the driver side positive goes to a 150A breaker then run the wire to the back then it'll attach to a 6 fuse Blue Sea fuse block.

Oh man thank you! This is simple and brilliant! Is the brown wire coming off the ML to the 2A and the light blue wire after the 2A fuse just a random wire of your choice?

 

[rannon]

You want to keep it even simpler? This is what I used and got it from Joey before that ship sank. This is a pretty easy schematic for wiring in the batteries.

View attachment 3672274

Then for power to the back I am going to be running a 4 gauge wire from the post where the driver side positive goes to a 150A breaker then run the wire to the back then it'll attach to a 6 fuse Blue Sea fuse block.

And to clarify for your power to the back, are you running that 4 gauge off of the right-sided ML post in the diagram? The one the starter battery is going to?

Cheers!

 

[OffRoadScott]

And to clarify for your power to the back, are you running that 4 gauge off of the right-sided ML post in the diagram? The one the starter battery is going to?

Cheers!

That is correct. I am also thinking of doing a hood mounted solar as a tender for the house battery when the LC is not running. The ML-ACR allows you to combine both batteries in case the starting battery dies.

 

[OffRoadScott]

Oh man thank you! This is simple and brilliant! Is the brown wire coming off the ML to the 2A and the light blue wire after the 2A fuse just a random wire of your choice?

Yes, and there is a splice too for POS 8/3 on the switch.

 

[rannon]

Perfect - really appreciate the reply and information. This setup seems quite awesome - just ordered up the ML!

And thats a good idea for the hood solar - one with a built in charge controller right into the starter battery.

That is correct. I am also thinking of doing a hood mounted solar as a tender for the house battery when the LC is not running. The ML-ACR allows you to combine both batteries in case the starting battery dies.

 

[OffRoadScott]

@rannon this is the solar setup I am looking at: Lensun Solar

 

[rannon]

You want to keep it even simpler? This is what I used and got it from Joey before that ship sank. This is a pretty easy schematic for wiring in the batteries.

View attachment 3672274

Then for power to the back I am going to be running a 4 gauge wire from the post where the driver side positive goes to a 150A breaker then run the wire to the back then it'll attach to a 6 fuse Blue Sea fuse block.

@OffRoadScott on this diagram, did you fuse the positives from the driver and passenger batteries going to the ML? Or circuit breaker? What gauge did you use for those?

 

[OffRoadScott]

@OffRoadScott on this diagram, did you fuse the positives from the driver and passenger batteries going to the ML? Or circuit breaker? What gauge did you use for those?

I did not fuse them there is really no need. The ML-ACR connects and disconnects the two batteries. I used 2 gauge for the batteries, and stepping down to 4 for the power to the back.

 

[rannon]

I did not fuse them there is really no need. The ML-ACR connects and disconnects the two batteries. I used 2 gauge for the batteries, and stepping down to 4 for the power to the back.

Ok gotcha - thanks again for all the help and info!

 

[OffRoadScott]

Ok gotcha - thanks again for all the help and info!

No worries, I was in the same place at one time and asked questions. Do not be afraid to ask questions if you are not sure with what you are doing.