[RE-wrenches] Marine battery bank switch

[Dan Fink]

Eric;

If you set the switch to "1+2" (sometimes labeled "both") then you are
paralleling the banks. Set at "1" or "2" it's is not, unless there is
another sneaky + current path that you missed. Be sure *everything*
positive goes to the main + buss bar, which is then switched between the
banks by the big red switch.

Also, you might check behind the switch -- there's not much room back
there, and it's easy for the + lugs to move and possibly touch while you
are torquing the lugs.

-- 
Dan Fink,
Executive Director;
Otherpower
Buckville Energy Consulting
Buckville Publications LLC
NABCEP / IREC accredited Continuing Education Providers
970.672.4342 (voicemail)


On Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 4:23 PM, SunHarvest <eric at harvesthesun.com> wrote:

> **
> I recently installed a Blue Sea 4-way marine battery switch to switch
> between two battery banks, one new bank and one old bank. I was hesitant to
> connect the negative home-runs from both banks onto one common bus
> (connected directly to a ground rod), which then connects back to the DC
> load center at the inverter. But that's how I was advised to wire it by an
> electrician friend.
>
> It appears now that the newer bank was performing quite a bit better prior
> to being connected to the marine switch (and neg lead to the neg bus)
> and the old bank is now performing better than before. I think my
> electrician buddy was incorrect and that even the positive leads being on a
> switch and neg lead on a neg bus, the banks are still, to some extent,
> effectively paralleled and that the new bank is being pulled down by being
> indirectly connected to the old bank.
>
> Thoughts and advice on how to correct the wiring if needed?
>
> Sorry to ask such a simple question, I'm just a little rusty on off-grid.
>
> Thanks guys.
>
> Eric Stikes
> SunHarvest Solar
>
>
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