Steve Dooley wrote:
On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:35:44 -0500, Jeff wrote:
....
Batteries are quite simple. A small dedicated starting battery, plus
a large house bank, sized to handle at least two days' usage, the
bigger the better. Allow for cross-connecting in a crisis. Hook all
charge outputs directly to the house bank, feed the starter bat with
an Echo-Charge (this means the strap between the alternator and
starter solenoid should be broken).

Isolators are a waste of energy, combiners mean the starter bank is
overcharged.

I have no idea how a "delta configuration" would apply to batteries
(as opposed to motors or transformers).
If I run an automatic water making system should I turn it off when
discharging the head/holding tank?
maybe.

Steve Dooley (I do not even know who Tom Dooley is)
Hang down your head!

What is the Echo-Charge strap connected to on the alternator and
starter? It can't be the ground strap can it? What does breaking it
do? Are you talking about hooking the alternator directly to the
starter battery? I'm confused on this one.

These are two separate issues. The EchoCharge can tie in on the hot
side of the house bank, and thus is connected to all of the charge
sources. Its output goes to the starter bat as its only charge
source. This ensures that the starter bat get its appropriate
(normally trickle) charge even if the house bank is receiving a voltage.

The other issue is that most engines have a strap directly between the
alternator and the solenoid, and on to the battery switch. In my
setup (actually refer to Nigel Calder's book for this) you want the
alternator to feed the house bank, and the solenoid fed by the starter
battery. Thus, the strap must be removed.

The way that most older boats are set up, the alternator/solenoid
strap is at the "common" of the Big Red A/B switch. Current thinking
is that the starter and the house system should be separate circuits.