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Ericson Electrical Panel Service Light

markalan

Member II
I have an Olson 34 and have noticed that there is a red service light lit on the panel above the Voltage meters. When I turn the AC off at the shore power the light stays on. The light only turns off with the DC main switch in the off position.
Can someone explain the function of this light?
I have attached two depicting photos that should help.
Appreciate any feedback
Thanks.
Mark
San Pedro, Holiday harbor
Olson 34 Wing Ding
Hull #35
 

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markalan

Member II
Olson panel service light/battery selector switch

Loren,
Thanks for your feedback. I must have had a senior moment, when my son said why is the service light on? I could not remember but I thought its always been on. As you point out, it should be when the dc is on.
I need to do the same battery drain test to see how long we can depend on our batteries.

I have another question, we have a dedicated house battery (#1) and starting battery (#2). How do you use your battery selector? do you keep selected to ALL if out for a day sail?
How do you use the selector?
Again, thanks for your feed back
Mark



There is a picture of our panel in this thread--
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?2158-Battery-Monitors
(reply #9)

This light must be an indicator that you have 12 volt power to the panel. Perhaps.
I will try to remember to have a look next time I visit the boat.
 

markalan

Member II
Battery switch use

I just came from the Perko site they have it fully explained. The dual battery switch should be set to the both position for normal start. When at anchor, or under sail use only the house deep cycle battery thus saving the starting battery for starting only. Then switch back to all or just the starting battery for starting and motoring back.
Hope this makes sense as it is a condensed version.

Loren,
Thanks for your feedback. I must have had a senior moment, when my son said why is the service light on? I could not remember but I thought its always been on. As you point out, it should be when the dc is on.
I need to do the same battery drain test to see how long we can depend on our batteries.

I have another question, we have a dedicated house battery (#1) and starting battery (#2). How do you use your battery selector? do you keep selected to ALL if out for a day sail?
How do you use the selector?
Again, thanks for your feed back
Mark
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
By setting it to Both or All, you are drawing on both batteries to ensure the engine will start, rather than trying one and having it fail and then the other and having it fail as well (though either should actually be sufficient to start your engine if everything is well maintained). Having it on Both or All also ensures that all your batteries are being charged by the alternator after engine startup.

Once you shut off the engine it's best to switch to the house battery for instruments, stereo, etc., thereby saving the start battery in the event that you discharge the house battery too much. If you sail/anchor with the battery switch on Both or All, then you have no backup capability to start the engine if you accidently drain the battery or encounter an electrical problem that drains it.

Some people just keep the switch on House battery all the time, using it to start the engine, then run electronics and stereo, etc. while sailing and at anchor and save the Start battery only for emergency starting. If you decide to go this route, it will be important to ensure that your House battery is large/strong enough to handle this load, and also to charge your start battery occasionally to ensure it's fully charged if you need it.

Some battery switches do not allow you to switch between the various batteries while the engine/alternator are running, as the temporary (ie.second) break while switching can overload the alternator and burn it out. Some switches do allow you to switch, but it's best to be sure to avoid a problem.

I'm not a mechanic or expert, but this is what I have learned over time.:rolleyes:

Frank
 
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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
"More Power!"

If you read articles about batteries on Maine Sail's well written site, he advises against using the combining function. His take on it is that if your primary battery does not have enough reserve to easily start our (typically very small) diesels you have other problems to diagnose.

In pondering all this info, I often wonder if the whole DC industry is always having "historical engineering flashbacks" to our grandfather's and father's automotive and boating era when everything was six volts. In the six volt era electrical problems were very common.
One of the huge advantages to the industry move to 12 volts was majorly overcoming the limitations of wiring resistance and typically poor connections. In our marine atmosphere where it's worse, we always have the problem of corrosion in the connections, and unless you have all-tinned wire and perfect crimps in all terminations there will be losses that add up there, as well.

So the vendor's switch advice quoted above is not so much "wrong" as perhaps not really helpful, and it has historical narrative comfort associated with it. :)

Gotta say.... EY equipped our boat with the same old distribution scheme: a heavy duty 1-2-all switch and a pair of group 24 batteries to use separately or combined. This really was not (IMHO) near enough for more than occasional overnighting.

As an example, there was no "stock" refrigeration upgrade for our model, but if there had been one they would have faced some customer wrath over the low DC reserve. I only cite that because the fridge is one of those features that really makes a boat this size "cruise-able".

Long ago we copied the upgrade on another EY boat in our marina and went to a separate emergency/reserve battery. The stock location would then hold a pair of golf cart batteries for a decent-size house bank.. actually an Everything Bank. I know of EY owners that have achieved this by finding location for an additional 12 volt battery so that they could parallel two of their 12 volt batteries for a similar-size house bank.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
The old fashioned 1-Both-2-Off works good unless you happen to cycle it through off while switching to charge the other bank of batteries with the engine running. You might kiss your alternator good bye. This really can happen if you ask a crew member to do it for you.

Also, If you charge multiple banks together, they should be the same type (flooded, gell, AGM) and the regulator and charger should be set to that type of battery. They should also be close to the same size.
 

Grizz

Grizz
1 Lake Michigan View

This offered to provide 1 Great Lakes viewpoint...

There are (2) Group 27's housed beneath the companionway steps on Shoe String. The 1-Both-2 selector switch and the basis to decide 'which to use' on a given day/days is based on if it's an odd/even month, with '2' being the choice for April. It's a 20+ year habit that seems to work, just gotta remember what month it is...


There are skippers that race these waters that carry only (1) itty-bitty battery 98% of the season, refusing to carry the extra weight. These skippers are forced to bring a 2nd battery onboard just 'cuz a specific well known Long Distance race requires there to be 2 on board or risk major % of time added if caught on inspection. These are the skippers that mandate that tooth brushes of crew of be broken in half...

Still others, falling somewhere between (and admitted viewers of late night cable), have opted for a reserve dedicated jumper battery pack, approximately the size of a pop can that packs a wallop with very little weight.. To date, they haven't been used/tested as a result of a dead battery, but they look great and work every time in the commercials.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming...
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
The 1-Both-2 selector switch and the basis to decide 'which to use' on a given day/days is based on if it's an odd/even month, with '2' being the choice for April.

I like this idea - stealing it!

Bruce
 

woolamaloo

Member III
The 1-Both-2 selector switch and the basis to decide 'which to use' on a given day/days is based on if it's an odd/even month, with '2' being the choice for April.

I thought I was clever when I thought of doing this myself. It works great. Of course, this was after I forgot what the date was too many times to use the day of the month.
 

nquigley

Sustaining Member
I thought I was clever when I thought of doing this myself. It works great. Of course, this was after I forgot what the date was too many times to use the day of the month.
Pardon my total electrical ignorance, but what's the problem of always setting it to 'Both' ?

Sorry - just read further up the thread - in case of a short that drains one battery, in the 'Both' position, it could drain both.
I'll stop doing that pronto.
 
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Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
Also, If you charge multiple banks together, they should be the same type (flooded, gell, AGM) and the regulator and charger should be set to that type of battery. They should also be close to the same size.

The banks do not need to be close to the same size. The charge current will split according to the needs of each bank. For example, if you have two banks equally discharged to 50% SOC, one grp 24 for starting/reserve and two grp 24s in parallel for the house the current will split 1/3, 2/3 for the banks. There may be small differences based on different battery design and age. And of course, they must be of the same type.
 
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