Voltage Sensitive relay and Perko switch questions

[SPBFAN]

I read this this AM, but did not have time to post, damn work

Ok, you say that the Alt output (charge) wire runs to the VSR? Is there only 1 wire running to it, or are there other wire running to/from it? Are they POS or NEG, this may giv a clue as to how it functions. 90% of diagnosing something, is knowing how it works when operating as designed. I dont know if the VSR is an external regulator or a diode type Iso, how it's wired will tell us.

I have issues with mixing different types (lead acid wet-cell, AGM (absorbed glass matt), etc, in the same battery bank. If you have different types on your boat, and they are connected to a central charging system, they NEED to be isolated by either an ACR (solenoid type Iso) or a diode type Iso. Mixing battery types in the same bank, as when wired in parallel (+ to +, -to-), can leave one under charged or over charged because the different types charge at different rates.

Adding a 2nd battery to your Bank2 stereo bank is easy, wire them in parellel. The distance between them will decide on the size (ga) of cable needed. Your Alt is probably a 90A alt. If they are close to each other, all you need is 4ga battery cable.

I agree with CHP 100% you can not have AGM/and lead acid batteries hook up to the same bank. They have to be seperate. You also have to remember that the more batteries in the bank the harder your alt will work to charge them. But if you have more batteries in the bank hooked up then you get longer stereo play time with the engine off.

[talltigeguy]

Pic of the setup

If your resolution is not good, here is what the module above the perko switch says:

Voltage Sensitive Relay Module
ignition protected
100 Amp
Dual Sense
Cut in 13.7 V DC
Cut out 12.8 V DC

[turbonine]

Probably going to be some wires behind the VSR and the Perko that we cannot see. The one wire comming out the VSR is most likely the ground.

[talltigeguy]

Probably going to be some wires behind the VSR and the Perko that we cannot see. The one wire comming out the VSR is most likely the ground.

Correct. But there are no other wires doing into it from behind. The alternator wire can be seen as the middle left wire. The far left and far right are to each battery and then the middle right is going to the boat helm through that fuse that you see in the picture.

Turbo,
On the Yandina, can you shut the batteries off so that you don't have them die when you are having the boat unused for a while?

[turbonine]

Turbo,
On the Yandina, can you shut the batteries off so that you don't have them die when you are having the boat unused for a while?

If the Perko has an off switch, then yes. All the Yandina is doing is creating an automated process for me. Instead of having to manually switch from A to B or A+B to charge my B battery(A is my starting), the Yandina automatically connects A and B when the alternator is on. Thus I always leave my perko in the A position, but still can charge B when the alternator is running.

[talltigeguy]

If the Perko has an off switch, then yes. All the Yandina is doing is creating an automated process for me. Instead of having to manually switch from A to B or A+B to charge my B battery(A is my starting), the Yandina automatically connects A and B when the alternator is on. Thus I always leave my perko in the A position, but still can charge B when the alternator is running.

Here is where I am going to show my retardedness again. If the alternator output goes into the Yandina and then through the perko switch, then the perko cannot allow any charging to battery B if you leave the perko in the A position, right?

So if the boat is idling, and the alt puts out 40 amps at idle speed and you crank the stereo using 100 amps, then you have a net drain of 60 amps from BOTH batteries? I thought the Yandina only combined them if the charge was up in the starting battery.

[noworries]

Here is where I am going to show my retardedness again. If the alternator output goes into the Yandina and then through the perko switch, then the perko cannot allow any charging to battery B if you leave the perko in the A position, right?

So if the boat is idling, and the alt puts out 40 amps at idle speed and you crank the stereo using 100 amps, then you have a net drain of 60 amps from BOTH batteries? I thought the Yandina only combined them if the charge was up in the starting battery.

Ignoring the voltage sensing bits, I think you can think of the Yandina as a Y circuit in which the alternator charge comes in the bottom, and there are diodes of sorts in the two legs of the Y preventing electrical backflow or direct connection of the two batteries. Thus, if the starting battery is charged, the 40 amps you mention will feed the house battery. Just don't set the Perko to "Both."

[turbonine]

Here is where I am going to show my retardedness again. If the alternator output goes into the Yandina and then through the perko switch, then the perko cannot allow any charging to battery B if you leave the perko in the A position, right?

The Yandina is "hot wiring" the perko from A to B when it senses the alternator is running, producing the same results as flipping the perko switch to A+B.

[talltigeguy]

Is this how the Yandina is wired? That way the starting battery is getting the alternator juice even before the yandina itself is. It just blocks the alternator output to the house batteries until the starting battery is full. Is the red wire to the engine the alternator wire, or starter wire, or both?

How then does the Perko switch fit into that?

[turbonine]

Is this how the Yandina is wired? That way the starting battery is getting the alternator juice even before the yandina itself is. It just blocks the alternator output to the house batteries until the starting battery is full. Is the red wire to the engine the alternator wire, or starter wire, or both?

How then does the Perko switch fit into that?

Red is the current from the alternator. Yandina is the C100. I don' think the Yandina blocks anything, but rather connects. My amps are connected directly off the house battery.

This is when Perko is in position A.
Yandina1.JPG

This is when the alternator is running. The Yandina connects A and B
Yandina2.JPG

This is a situation if A is dead and you switch the perko to A+B. You could also just switch to B, which is probably a better idea.
Yandina3.JPG