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Steve
 
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Default Circuit Breaker trips while charging??


The cables between the engine and house bank was sized for the 100 amp
alternator I just installed. ( I just got around to installing it) I'm
not on the boat right now so don't remember what that was.. I know the
breaker was sized to the cable size running between the two.

The reason I mention needing an equalization charge.. I neglected to do
this before leaving the dock this spring, not realizing that the
batteries have lost some capacity over the last year.

I have taken actual current readings of the actual alternator output
(via a shunt at the alternator). No doubt about the output and it is all
going directly into the house battery bank. However, due to the risk
of the breaker opening and leaving an open output on the alternator, I'm
now leaving the engine/house battery selector set to "BOTH" for
protection sake.

I only considered the "reverse current" because some have argued this is
a matter of consideration in breakers (LOAD/SOURCE terminals). It was a
simple matter to test this possibility.

Thanks again Doug

Steve
s/v Good Intentions