How Do I Add a Two-Bank Charger to My Boat Batteries Without Interfering With the Battery Combiner?
16 July 2023 · 3 min · 11K views
What this video covers
Installing a two-bank battery charger alongside an automatic combiner relay (ACR) requires dedicated, independent circuits for each device.0:35 Connecting both the charger and the ACR to a single shared wire segment creates a single point of failure; a blown fuse on that shared line disables both the charging system and the battery combiner.0:59 Jeff Cote recommends wiring the battery charger directly to the positive and negative battery posts or to a properly sized distribution bus, ensuring each device features its own dedicated, appropriately rated fuse at the battery.1:10 While an ACR and a battery charger may operate simultaneously, the charger maintains a consistent voltage output while the ACR shares voltage between banks.2:05 No negative electrical interference occurs when both systems run at once, but attempting to consolidate wiring to save materials often leads to nuisance tripping of fuses.2:10 Maintaining separate, fused circuits for the charger and the ACR prevents the loss of both systems during a single electrical fault.2:40
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