I noticed my battery combiner making a clicking noise every few minutes with the boat engine off and shore power disconnected. I placed both battery selector switches in the off position- yet when the combiner clicked, it sent power to the DC panel- bypassing the battery selector switches. (When I activated the cabin light switch on the DC panel, over the course of several minutes, the combiner would click and the cabin lights turn on. Then, several minutes later, it would click and the lights would turn off.) I then turned the DC panel circuit breaker off and the cabin lights remained off.
I thought the battery combiner was designed to engage only when shore power or alternator power was charging the batteries, and, remain "open" when the batteries were idle or in use. The battery combiner is doing things without the charging system being engaged.
Is this a symptom of the unit failing?
Paul & Wendy Keyser
"First Light"
Rye NH
2005 C36 MKII #2257
Wing, M35B
ACR's don't know when you are on shore/alternator power - they only know the voltage of the two systems they are connecting. They will connect when the source voltage is above a specific threshold (usually adjustable) and disconnect when the voltage falls below a set value (also usually adjustable).
I would say it is a function of your batteries being above the combine threshold (either because of shore/alternator power or low setpoint ) - then not disconnecting until the low combine limit was reached.
sounds like they are working as designed. Check the voltage at disconnect to make sure it is where you want it. Mine have LED's showing "over" and "under" voltage lights.
Les
Les
Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor.
Commodore
[quote=pkeyser].. I placed both battery selector switches in the off position- yet when the combiner clicked, it sent power to the DC panel- bypassing the battery selector switches. (When I activated the cabin light switch on the DC panel, over the course of several minutes, the combiner would click and the cabin lights turn on. Then, several minutes later, it would click and the lights would turn off.)...
Is this a symptom of the unit failing? [/quote]
Don't understand why you would be getting power to the DC panel under these circumstances (with both switches off) -- whether or not the ACR is failing. I'm guessing that something is off in your wiring, and as a result the combiner is allowing power to backfeed the DC panel somehow.
In order to diagnose, would be good if you could prepare a schematic of how your batteries, combiner, and battery selector switches are wired. For example, here's how we did it on our boat ("ACR" is the combiner) : https://www.catalina36.org/sites/default/files/forum/Wiring%20Chart%20%231_2_0.jpg
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Not all boats are wired like the manuals show (both MK1 & MK2) - nor the diagram you point to which is also different than the manual.. For me the DC panel is live regardless of the start switches. There is a 100A breaker on the panel, 120A breaker in the main battery compartment connected to a 12V 500A Buss then a (two actually because I have two seperate locations for house batteries) battery disconnect switches and finally to a 250A fuse at the battery(s). My switches basically select if the start battery, house battery, or both will start & power the engine systems. All charging sources go to the house batteries.
I agree - it sounds like Paul's ACR is wired strangely as if it is powering the panel and not the "other" battery. A block wiring diagram of Paul's boat would be helpful.
There is a great thread by a past Catalina 36 owner - on battery switches at - https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/1-both-2-off-switches-thoughts-musings.137615/
Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor.
Commodore
I agree with some of the others in this thread. It sounds like something is wired incorrectly. Attached is the wiring instructions for a Blue Sea SI-ARC unit. The second page shows a typical system with a battery switch in the circuit. If it is wired like the schematic, there is no way for power to get to the distribution panel with the battery switch off.
I like Blue Sea products. They design great products. In fact I am the local certified installer for their products. But, what I am not keen on is if you install the SI-ARC unit and you don't put a switch between ground and the SI-ARC or if you forget to switch it off, there will always be a current draw on the battery. If you don't have a charger or if you're storing your boat in long time storage, you run the risk of depleting your battery to the point where you may damage it. My three cents worth.
David
2003 Catalina 36