Operation of this battery switch panel

redlightning

I have read several threads about battery switches and really could not figure out how to relate to this panel.

I have 4 batteries total.  two seem to be tied together and I am assuming these are house batteries.  apparently no switch for this?  one is on the starboard side of the boat in the motor compartment. The generator is on this same side.  I have another lined up with the two previously mentioned.  Don't really get it.  Boat was pulled out for some work and the batteries are dead.  Not sure what runs what.  I know I had to use a jump box to get the motor compartment opened.

I guess I am trying to educate myself about this panel and how it relates to the shore power and the panels below.

Not sure what to turn on and off and when.  Any input would be appreciated.

LaRea

The three black toggle switches at top center control your starter batteries.  For normal operation, leave "port" and "starboard" on, and "emergency start" off.  Only turn on "emergency start" temporarily if you have dead batteries and need to start the engines.  After you start them, turn "emergency start" off to make sure both batteries get charged.

Of the two red rotary switches, the left one is the disconnect for your two house batteries.  The right one disconnects the genny, which should be connected to one of the starter batteries.

All the others are circuit breakers.  Normally, you don't need to touch them.  

When you leave the boat, if you want to turn off the two red rotary switches and the "port" and "starboard" switches, that *should* be okay.  The charger should still charge the batteries if you're on shore power.

proffsionl

On our 350EC, I leave the house switch on all the time.  If I turn it off, it kills my refrigerators (apparently, they are wired to do 12v only).  Eight years in and no issues with that (noting that we did upgrade our house batts to group 30 Odysseys about 5 years ago).  

bjpesola

Just to add, the red and black screw terminals that say "hatch override" can come in handy.  If your house batteries go dead (hopefully they won't) you can screw them off and connect jumpers to a spare battery to get the hatch up...came in handy when I had some negative grounding issues in my house battery system.  Only works to get the hatch up though.

Cableguy Greg

bjpesola said:

Just to add, the red and black screw terminals that say "hatch override" can come in handy.  If your house batteries go dead (hopefully they won't) you can screw them off and connect jumpers to a spare battery to get the hatch up...came in handy when I had some negative grounding issues in my house battery system.  Only works to get the hatch up though.

If you reverse the polarity, the hatch should go down.

Dream_Inn

 Greg, that is not necessarily true.  Most newer boats don't have the capability to allow the hatch override to put it back down.  Something a few diodes can fix pretty easily if wanted.

It's interesting to see the toggle switches for the starter batteries.  Must've figured the big round knobs take too much space.  I've got round knobs for all of mine and the genny knob is in the ER.

redlightning

yea it wont go down.  tried it.  once we got it up and charged the batteries I was able to lower it.