House battery breaker

[AArctander]

Hello, I just purchased a 21EC in Norway. I see there is a "house battery breaker" installed. I could not find any user manual or information of how this breaker works. Can you please explain, or send me the user manual to my e-mail?

 

[SGIDAVE]

Hello, I just purchased a 21EC in Norway. I see there is a "house battery breaker" installed. I could not find any user manual or information of how this breaker works. Can you please explain, or send me the user manual to my e-mail?

I believe it is a Blue Seas breaker mounted in the engine compartment...is THAT the breaker to which you refer?

On my 2013 21EC it looks like this:

Except its NOT 60 amps. Anyway, if the yellow lever is VISIBLE the breaker is OFF (no juice going downstream to pilothouse); if the yellow lever is horizontal/tucked under the black housing then the breaker is ON. Push the red button to turn the breaker off.

More info on the blueseas.com website. Series 285 breaker.

david

 

[AArctander]

David,
thanks for your reply. Yes that is the breaker I have in my boat. So I assume the function of this breaker is to cut off battery supply if the battery voltage drops below a certain voltage, to avoid damage to the battery. I also assume this has nothing to do with the starter battery. Yes?
I will read more about this on the manufacturers web side.

 

[SGIDAVE]

David,
thanks for your reply. Yes that is the breaker I have in my boat. So I assume the function of this breaker is to cut off battery supply if the battery voltage drops below a certain voltage, to avoid damage to the battery. I also assume this has nothing to do with the starter battery. Yes?
I will read more about this on the manufacturers web side.

Hello AA,

Good question...

The Blue Seas breaker is an OVERCURRENT protection devise. It protects THE WIRE running from IT (the breaker) forward to the panel in the pilot house where most of the 12 VDC juice is distributed. OVERCURRENT protection means it shuts off the electricity if TOO MUCH current (AMPS is this case) flows through it (the breaker). It is there to keep the supply wire from getting hot and catching your boat afire in the case of a short (a situation whereby the pos/neg conductors or other grounded metal [like the engine] touch each other...HIGH amps flow...things get REALLY hot...insulation melts off the wires in few seconds...fire starts...think of your toaster).

It doesn't care about volts or damaging the battery - starter or house battery. All it looks at is the CURRENT through the wire. YOU have to look at the voltage of the battery. You can set up a data block on your Garmin to display supply Voltage which is a good approximation of your battery's voltage. It SHOULD be connected to the house battery. It wouldn't hurt to trace the wires from the two batteries under the engine. If one is a 'starter' battery whilst the other is a 'deep cycle' battery, you want to ensure the 'house' loads are connected to the 'deep cycle' and the engine starter is connected to the 'start' battery. Sometimes they get hooked up wrong.

Fair winds and functioning breakers,

dave

 

[AArctander]

Dave,
Ok thanks. There is an automatic charging relay in my boat, looking after the starter battery, and isolate it from the house battery if the voltage gets lower than 9.5 V. I now see that the breaker is just a current overload protection. Thanks again for your time and help.