Red Raven
Coupeville, Wa
- Joined
- May 14, 2015
- Messages
- 1,853
- Location
- Whidbey Island, Wa
- Fluid Motion Model
- R-27 Classic
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT2734C414
- Vessel Name
- Red Raven
- MMSI Number
- 338190767
I solved an issue I have had since acquiring our 2014 R27 that some of you make want to check for.
Our boat's batteries are wired as; 1 = Engine Start, 2 = House, 3 = Thruster. The solar controller was also wired 1= Start, 2=House. Unfortunately, the solar controller assumes 1 is the House and 2 is the Start. The result is when in the 90:10 setting 90% of the solar charge goes to the Start and only 10% goes to the House.
I was aware of this since discovering it last winter but I felt that it wouldn't matter as the ACRs would combine them anyway. I have since been able to confirm that the ACRs do not close unless the sun is really bright. Needless to say, on cloudy and rainy days I was getting very little solar charge to the house. I added a second solar panel this winter but did not see the performance expected which led me to dig in further. I have since rewired the solar controller to have the house on 1 and Start on 2. This has resulted in dramatic improvement in performance. This issue may also have contributed to the early failure of our house batteries after only 2.5 years.
I know the newer boats have the House as 1 and Start as 2 for all systems so it should be less confusing and less likely to be miswired. Hopefully mine was a one-off. If your boat has the House wired as battery 2 and you have a solar panel you may want to check that the House is number 1 at the solar controller. The fastest way to check is to run the microwave off the inverter and see which battery voltage drops.
Our boat's batteries are wired as; 1 = Engine Start, 2 = House, 3 = Thruster. The solar controller was also wired 1= Start, 2=House. Unfortunately, the solar controller assumes 1 is the House and 2 is the Start. The result is when in the 90:10 setting 90% of the solar charge goes to the Start and only 10% goes to the House.
I was aware of this since discovering it last winter but I felt that it wouldn't matter as the ACRs would combine them anyway. I have since been able to confirm that the ACRs do not close unless the sun is really bright. Needless to say, on cloudy and rainy days I was getting very little solar charge to the house. I added a second solar panel this winter but did not see the performance expected which led me to dig in further. I have since rewired the solar controller to have the house on 1 and Start on 2. This has resulted in dramatic improvement in performance. This issue may also have contributed to the early failure of our house batteries after only 2.5 years.
I know the newer boats have the House as 1 and Start as 2 for all systems so it should be less confusing and less likely to be miswired. Hopefully mine was a one-off. If your boat has the House wired as battery 2 and you have a solar panel you may want to check that the House is number 1 at the solar controller. The fastest way to check is to run the microwave off the inverter and see which battery voltage drops.