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jocoman Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2016 Posts: 425 Location: Ottawa, Canada
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:40 pm Post subject: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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If the ACR is simply wired I.E one Plus side to house battery and the other plus side to starter battery plus a ground does it contribute to parasitic drain on the starter battery? I measure 60K from either ACR post to ground. So if my math is correct it would have a constant drain of .2ma . If this is true then it would be only a very slight or negligible drain.
Does this make sense? Otherwise do I need a switch in there someplace?
txs _________________ '86 Westfalia 2.0L Zetec
'97 Volvo 850 AWD Turbo
" The fun never stops" |
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dobryan Samba Member
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Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16473 Location: Brookeville, MD
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jocoman Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2016 Posts: 425 Location: Ottawa, Canada
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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Not at all. I'm just wanting to understand this device . .2ma is peanuts if the way i am calculating is legit and would never cause a no start from the start battery. _________________ '86 Westfalia 2.0L Zetec
'97 Volvo 850 AWD Turbo
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:25 pm Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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I have a related question…maybe needs a thread but I'll see if anyone can answer it. I have a BlueSeas ACR and while it doesn't draw enough to worry about, it combines when I don't want it to. When I have my solar panel out and charging, the ACR will combine and lower the voltage going to the aux battery which I don't want. When it separates, the aux is lower (maybe .5V?) and then has to reclaim that. I want all the solar charge to go to the aux.
What I would perhaps like to do is prevent the ACR from combining unless the charge is coming from the alternator, ie, the motor is running. So I think I envision a relay and some way of sensing that current (the blue wire that turns off the ALT light?). Am I on on the right track? Talk to me like I am 5… _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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beach_creature Samba Member
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Joined: April 11, 2014 Posts: 532
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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You can add a relay for the ground wire of the ACR. I would tie it in to the run only, at the fridge relay.
Option two, a manual switch on the ground.
Option three, and don't know the long term of this, but add solar (+) fused to the ignition part of th ACR, shis should separate them when the ignition connector has power. Someone else should verify this. _________________ 84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD |
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Timwhy Samba Member
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Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 3996 Location: Maine
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 3:35 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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Paulbeard wrote: |
I have a related question…maybe needs a thread but I'll see if anyone can answer it. I have a BlueSeas ACR and while it doesn't draw enough to worry about, it combines when I don't want it to. When I have my solar panel out and charging, the ACR will combine and lower the voltage going to the aux battery which I don't want. When it separates, the aux is lower (maybe .5V?) and then has to reclaim that. I want all the solar charge to go to the aux.
What I would perhaps like to do is prevent the ACR from combining unless the charge is coming from the alternator, ie, the motor is running. So I think I envision a relay and some way of sensing that current (the blue wire that turns off the ALT light?). Am I on on the right track? Talk to me like I am 5… |
I added a switch to my ACR.
_________________ '15 Audi A3 Quattro
'09 VW Tiguan (dead)
'87 VW Westy
'91 Tin Top
'90 Cabby
What the Westy wants the Westy GETS
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shagginwagon83 Samba Member
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Joined: February 07, 2016 Posts: 3786 Location: VA/TN
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:19 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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Tim you could have installed a small switch on the small ground wire on the SI_ACR. On mine I have a relay but a switch would work too.
Also, Paul - the below is a solution to your SI_ACR. Basically the batteries will only combine when the engine is on.
That being said - I believe I just took the "automatic" part OUT of the automatic charging relay. I think a simple relay would do the job.
_________________ Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:05 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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shagginwagon83 wrote: |
Basically the batteries will only combine when the engine is on.
That being said - I believe I just took the "automatic" part OUT of the automatic charging relay. I think a simple relay would do the job.
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That's pretty close to what I want. It still charges automatically, it just adds a way to ignore the solar charger. In high summer I wouldn't mind seeing both batteries topped up to 13.5V but it's early yet. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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shagginwagon83 Samba Member
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Joined: February 07, 2016 Posts: 3786 Location: VA/TN
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:14 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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Paulbeard wrote: |
That's pretty close to what I want. It still charges automatically, it just adds a way to ignore the solar charger. In high summer I wouldn't mind seeing both batteries topped up to 13.5V but it's early yet. |
The "Automatic" part of the SI_ACR can 'detect' when to bridge the batteries.
I think you could get away with telling a non-auto relay when to bridge (after the engine is on and the alternator 'excited'. I don't know what the cost is. One benefit of my setup is that after the SI_ACR is turned on, then it takes like 30 seconds to bridge - well after the engine is running.
But yes - I don't want my solar controller charging both batteries - only my aux. The only reason my starting battery would be dead is if the battery is bad/weak. I could jump myself with my aux. _________________ Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 7:29 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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shagginwagon83 wrote: |
I think you could get away with telling a non-auto relay when to bridge (after the engine is on and the alternator 'excited'. I don't know what the cost is. One benefit of my setup is that after the SI_ACR is turned on, then it takes like 30 seconds to bridge - well after the engine is running.
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Yeah, the 30 seconds is how the ACR works…combines after seeing a steady source of 13.5V current for 30 seconds. So it's encouraging that the solar panel output can force it to combine this early in the year.
I need to better understand the signal the blue wire carries and how/if it can trigger a relay to do this. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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shagginwagon83 Samba Member
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Joined: February 07, 2016 Posts: 3786 Location: VA/TN
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 7:32 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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Paulbeard wrote: |
I need to better understand the signal the blue wire carries and how/if it can trigger a relay to do this. |
That's what I'm using - the blue wire found in the driver side battery box. That combined with a normal relay to control the ground. My wiring diagram above does what you need - ignore the 'key/ignition' part. _________________ Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 7:36 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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shagginwagon83 wrote: |
That's what I'm using - the blue wire found in the driver side battery box. That combined with a normal relay to control the ground. My wiring diagram above does what you need - ignore the 'key/ignition' part. |
Gotcha. Thanks. I was misreading that… _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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Steve Arndt Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2005 Posts: 1777 Location: Boise, Idaho
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shagginwagon83 Samba Member
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Joined: February 07, 2016 Posts: 3786 Location: VA/TN
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 9:02 am Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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Yeah I would go with Victron if I had to do it again. _________________ Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:59 pm Post subject: Re: does a Blue Sea SI-ACR Charging Relay drain starter battery? |
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shagginwagon83 wrote: |
Yeah I would go with Victron if I had to do it again. |
+1 on that. The one I chose was recommended by SolarBob but I would rather have the data over time that victron makes available. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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