Battery Question for certified Marine Mechanic

[brianthomas]

There are really two types of isolators- diode and solenoid.
Diode Isolators use diodes on the charging system to isolate the alternator charge without tieing the batteries together through the charging wire. When you put any battery switch on "both"...it negates the diodes.
Solenoid isolators actually phisically interupt the circuit. However, once again, if you switch the batteries to "both", it will negate the isolator...
...unless Tom Brown wired it.
I also have the parallel solenoid you are talking about. All that does is tie the batteries in parallel fo a few seconds so you can start your engines. You could accomplish the same thing by running back and switching the Perko switch to "both".
With the parallel solenoid it completely eliminates the need for a manual battery switch that would tie the two engines together. Much easier also. My port battery bank runs the refrigerators and if I have been anchored out I will start the starboard engine first, turn the ignition on on the port and check the voltage, if it is low at all I will push the parallel switch just to not have low voltage to the starter brushes. Marine starters are expensive and love all the voltage they can get.

[Kyote]

I heard from an un relible source, that marine batteries has a fuse inside that breaks if you sumerge them. Reduced risk of exploisions...etc. But I want to here it from a certified mechanic....Whats the scoop:idea:
Maybe we should call myth busters??? again
Actually the fuse is there to protect the electrical circuit in cases where the boat is SPUN into the reeds. The centrifical force breaks the circuit. This is a self reseting fuse that will activate after the driver has cleaned his shorts. The reactivation of this fuse allows the boat operator to post a report of his actions on the ***boat Forums so that he can inform any other boaters in the area that they were resposible for his actions.
BTW- I am not a certified marine mechanic. I am working on my ***boat Forum Certification for the BS section.

[Havasu Hangin']

With the parallel solenoid it completely eliminates the need for a manual battery switch that would tie the two engines together. Much easier also. My port battery bank runs the refrigerators and if I have been anchored out I will start the starboard engine first, turn the ignition on on the port and check the voltage, if it is low at all I will push the parallel switch just to not have low voltage to the starter brushes. Marine starters are expensive and love all the voltage they can get.
What happens when you kill the port battery, your fridge quits, and your beer gets warm?
You gonna hold that button down for a few hours while your beer gets cold again?

[brianthomas]

What happens when you kill the port battery, your fridge quits, and your beer gets warm?
You gonna hold that button down for a few hours while your beer gets cold again?
Oh god no, holding the button is why I brought my wife!
I only recently installed the inverter system and run both refrigerators on that system. Used to have the port pair of group 31s pretty low after 24 hours on the hook. Now we run the gen. every morning when we are anchored out to heat water for showers and charge all the batterys. The inverter will power the water heater but would not last very long.
Really has been interesting and kind of fun learning how to manage the power supplies and needs of this boat. A good friend retired from John Deere and then went to Marine Mechanics Institute in Florida for 18 months. He started a business working on marine and RV air conditioning systems and refrigeration. The inverter business is not enough to keep him busy. I assisted when he installed mine and learned a bunch.

[rrrr]

A good friend retired from John Deere and then went to Marine Mechanics Institute in Florida for 18 months. He started a business working on marine and RV air conditioning systems and refrigeration. The inverter business is not enough to keep him busy. I assisted when he installed mine and learned a bunch.
Yeah, but is he certified?

[brianthomas]

Yeah, but is he certified?

Hellifiknow? He has a diploma and is lots smarter about this stuff than anyone I know.

[2manymustangs]

I did say "un" reliable. I still have not found a certified mechanic that can give me the correct answer.
Do you think this is a trade secert?
I have a call into a tech person at Exide down in Atlanta, my sister worked there for years and seems to think that all the plates are pretty much the same. I will see if there is a difference in plates, case OR electrolite.
My father in law runs FIFTEEN car batteries in his 50' Carver. He get's them from Costco and has good luck with them. Running the inverters, bow thruster, Raytheon gear, marine radios, anchor and starting the twin 650 cubic inch cummins turbo diesels. I have run large car batteries in my tractors and back hoe's for a long while with no problems.
I'm VERY surprised that Tom Brown can't answer this question.