Blue Sea ACR Wiring Question

[AndrewP]

For normal operation it's set to "on"

For winching it's set to "combine" if you want to winch with both batteries.

In my FJ60 I have it wired so "off" is stock FJ60 wiring that will start and run on the starting battery.

"On" means the system is on and brings the ACR and second battery loads on-line. It functions as an isolated dual charge system.

"Combine" means both batteries are combined like in a self jump situation.

 

[Tiktaalik]

Advice for ACR (7622) Dual Battery Installation and Layout

I have a Blue Sea Systems 7622 ACR (500A) that I have been planning to use to install my dual battery set up. I've laid out a diagram (see below) which was based on the diagram suggested by BSS. This is completely new territory for me so I was wondering if someone here could give it a look and let me know if this looks like an appropriate set up? For example; is it a bad idea to have all the grounds go to a bus bar? If it is, what is the alternative? Did I put the maxi fuse in the right spot? If not where should it be? Should there be more than one?

My purist friends have been trying to talk me out of the dual battery set up claiming unnecessary complexity and higher risk of failure but I'd like to give it a try now that I have already purchased all the components already. Reading this thread and not being electrically inclined I'm worrying that they might be right. What is your opinion about this proposed set up? Please explain like you would to a 5 year old. Thanks in advance!

 

[dwh]

DWH, Hope your rested, Todays question is, where does the switch integrate into your drawing?, and what position does it get set to for normal, and for winching? George

Put in on Craig's List. You don't need it.

 

[dwh]

I have a Blue Sea Systems 7622 ACR (500A) that I have been planning to use to install my dual battery set up. I've laid out a diagram (see below) which was based on the diagram suggested by BSS. This is completely new territory for me so I was wondering if someone here could give it a look and let me know if this looks like an appropriate set up? For example; is it a bad idea to have all the grounds go to a bus bar? If it is, what is the alternative? Did I put the maxi fuse in the right spot? If not where should it be? Should there be more than one?

My purist friends have been trying to talk me out of the dual battery set up claiming unnecessary complexity and higher risk of failure but I'd like to give it a try now that I have already purchased all the components already. Reading this thread and not being electrically inclined I'm worrying that they might be right. What is your opinion about this proposed set up? Please explain like you would to a 5 year old. Thanks in advance!

View attachment 276730View attachment 276729

That wire plan drawing is dinky. And if I blow it up, it's blurry and almost impossible to read. Can you post a bigger/higher res copy of it please?

 

[DiploStrat]

Getting Switched On

Having gone to the effort to add a dash switch, I'll offer a comment. (Echoing what others have posted.)

The switch has three positions:

-- Auto: This is where you leave it 99% of the time. In this position the intelligent relay operates normally according to its logic.

-- Force Combine: This is your self jump (assuming heavy wiring) or winch position. The batteries will remain connected to each other no matter how much the voltage of either may drop.

-- Force Separate: This should only be necessary for maintenance and for one other odd ball circumstance that I just discovered. Assume that your starter batteries are in good health, your camper batteries discharged, and your solar array of marginal capacity or the weather cloudy. Under these circumstances you can save an amp or three that would normally go to the starter batteries by Force Separating the batteries.

Finally, the tell tale lights are pretty. :Wow1:

 

[Tiktaalik]

I noticed that. Still getting used to the uploader they use on here. How about this one?

That wire plan drawing is dinky. And if I blow it up, it's blurry and almost impossible to read. Can you post a bigger/higher res copy of it please?

 

[dwh]

Much better. I'll check it out, probably tomorrow and let you know.

 

[Tiktaalik]

No rush whatsoever. The kit has been sitting on the garage shelf for a year. It can wait a little longer. I'm hoping to have it installed by August. Thanks for taking a look!

 

[AndrewP]

Looks pretty good to me. Some comments:

The hot leads from your battery to your ACR need to be fused at the battery end. You may know that but your diagram does not show that.

The MaxiFuse that feeds the accessory fuse panel should be close to the battery. You want it as close to the voltage source as possible.

The winch needs a ground back to the battery, but you knew that.

I think the bus bar is a good idea, because it makes it easy to bolt down a solid common ground.

You don't show all the switch connections either, but you'll figure that out as you go through it.

I would label and think about the batteries differently. "House" usually refers to the accessory battery running the accessories like fridge, inside lights, inverters, stuff like that. Your #1 batttery is your "Starting" battery. It usually runs everything needed to operate the vehicle.

As long as you remember any lead connecting to the + on the battery needs to be fused close to the battery (within reason), you'll have a safe set up.

You could install that in a Saturday.

 

[Glorybigs]

I'm no expert but I've been running my ACR for a couple of years so I'll throw this out there.
It looks like you show both batt + being run to your fuse panel. The ACR will see the drain but will not be able to break the circuit the way your diagram is shown. The fuse panel will be able to continue to draw down both batteries.

The way I ran mine is by running all ACC to my main battery and then the ACR can trip to cut of the drain from my secondary (backup start) batt.

You need to isolate any possible drain from ar least one battery so that once the ACR does its job and breaks the combined batt circuit, at least one batt can preserve its self. Hope that makes sense.

 

[dwh]

I noticed that. Still getting used to the uploader they use on here. How about this one?

View attachment 276746

This plan has only one problem. - it's all wrong.

Nah...j/k. It's actually pretty good.

First of all - everything AndrewP just said, especially the part about naming the batteries. The normal nomenclature would be "engine battery" or "chassis battery" and "aux battery" or "house" battery. Or "main" and "aux". The main battery is never referred to as the house battery - house always means the aux.

(Having said that, for all I know, you got that from Blue Sea and they are using some freaky boat nomenclature. Boat guys are weird, they call floors decks, walls bulkheads, doors hatches and don't even get me started on the sailing guys, who use some arcane language that I'm pretty sure even they don't understand. I think it's Phoenician. Battern, jib, boom, outhaul, backstay. They are like Catholic Priests - no one understands the secret language but them. I'm not joking - friggin' sailboats even have a "pulpit". )


That wire plan is proper and would work. The only major thing I would change would be to move the winch to the engine battery so it can draw power directly from the alternator by the shortest path.

Bus bars are not a bad idea. Electrician's love bus bars. But you don't really need it. Just run a ground from one battery to the other, ground the ACR to the main/engine/chassis battery, and ground the aux fuse block to the aux battery.

Cheers.

 

[DiploStrat]

Houston, We have a problem ...

It looks like you show both batt + being run to your fuse panel. The ACR will see the drain but will not be able to break the circuit the way your diagram is shown. The fuse panel will be able to continue to draw down both batteries.

I agree. Unless I missed something (easy at my age) you need to remove the wire from the starter battery to the accessory panel. (You show it on the right of the diagram, coming off of the wire from the alternator.) The only connection from the starter battery to the accessory panel should be through the ACR. Otherwise you have defeated the purpose of the ACR.

And, worth repeating, whatever you call it, the accessory battery should be a deep cycle battery.

Finally, Andrew is right, always fuse as close to the power source as possible. (One reason that terminal post fuses are handy.)

 

[dwh]

It looks like you show both batt + being run to your fuse panel.

He does note - in the pic - just above the aux fuse block - that it has both constant and ignition circuits.

(Exactly how he's going to do that, I dunno...some split fuse block from Blue Sea? Dunno. But I figured if he hasn't already figured it out, he'll ask when he gets there. )

And it's just a block diagram, not a proper schematic anyway.

 

[DiploStrat]

OK, if he has two positive busses in that box, that would work. On the other hand, it might be that he need not bother, that the ACR would simply do the needful. Depends on what he his trying to do.

 

[Tiktaalik]

Thanks Everyone! Very helpful as I don't have the slightest clue what I am doing. I have updated my diagram according to your suggestions. You are correct. My accessory Painless 20 circuit fuse panel (30004) is prewired for both constant and ignition power. The Bus I have is a BSS 100A Mini Bus and the BSS MAXI fuse is a 80A. Perhaps I should also mention that I have a Rover so the batteries and ACR will be located in the seat box not in the engine bay. Do you think the accessory fuse panel should reside in the seat box with the batteries or do you think I should install it next to the stock fuse panel? I was thinking it would make sense to keep them together and it would be easier to access/see it. What wire gauge/thicknesses should I be using for these various connections? Am I good with just one MAXI fuse or should I also ad one to the starter battery? I really appreciate everyones input and its comforting to know that I'm not completely off track.