"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote:

One big house bank and a separate starting battery is best for a number
o reasons.

We have two house banks, and no starting battery. I think there are
advantages each way.

With two house banks, we can be sure that we won't use up all the
battery capacity overnight, and will have plenty of power to start the
engine up in the morning. Since most of our battery use is NOT for
starting the engine, it doesn't make any sense to have the type of
battery which is basically only good for that type of use. It is
unused most of the time, and is basically wasted power. And won't the
charging system have to be different for just the one battery, than
for the house bank?

We do have a large number of batteries - each bank is eight 6 volt
batteries. I think it would be hard to find enough space for that
many batteries in one place without putting them into the living
space.

Bob converted a car to run on electricity and ran it to work for 5
years - in the car he had 16 or 18 six volt batteries plus a 12 volt
battery for the lights and radio.


"Mic" wrote in message
...
Do you consider it better to have one or 2 sets of house batteries?

From the material I have read and some practical experience one seems
to be a better answer with a separate battery for the starter or as
the dock side house battery.

I think Nigel Calder goes with the one set of batteries for the house?

http://www.amplepower.com/primer/prefer/index.html

" The Preferred System

The Preferred System consists of a single house bank, and a dedicated
starter battery for all engines. A separate generator battery is
sometimes present. "

"......a two house bank system is no longer necessary. In fact, the
more battery banks in use, the less reliable the system will be, while
also increasing cost and management problems."

"Instead of a 1-2-both switch, a simple parallel switch can be used to
start the engine from the house bank if needed. "

"But, if you make the house bank from parallel batteries a cell
failure in one only knocks out that battery."

"There are other positive benefits of a single house bank versus two."
"...a gain in effective capacity results because the rate of discharge
relative to battery capacity is reduced."


FYI
http://www.amplepower.com/wire/dual_alt/index.html

Dual Alternator Controller

Installation and Operating Instructions

Ample Power Models DAC-12 and DAC-24 August 16, 2005

INCLUDING DIAGRAM

XXXXXXXXXXXX

http://www.amplepower.com/wire/next/nextp.html

Next step reg. DIAGRAM


grandma Rosalie